The Self Illusion is about the science of self—the truth behind the illusion that we all share, that we exist as individuals inside our bodies and are in control of our own thoughts and behaviours. Recent developments in neuroscience tell us that we are a multitude of unconscious mechanisms interpreting the world but largely under the influence of those around us. We are not the individuals we think we are.
The truth, that we are not truly individuals but are instead the product of the collective imagination, may startle many readers who fervently believe that they are in full control of who they are and what they do. Bruce Hood, a world-renowned expert on the brain, reaches deep into our evolutionary past to find out what makes us tick. Next, he shares his own fascinating research about child development and ultimately takes us inside our heads to explain how and why we act the way we do, even in the new frontier of Twitter and Facebook.
The Self Illusion is a highly accessible, often entertaining and ultimately provocative book about the nature of you, yourself and I.