How do we think without thinking, seem to make choices in an instant--in the blink of an eye--that actually aren't as simple as they seem? Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others? Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology,...

Explains how an abundance of choice can become detrimental to a person's psychological and emotional well-being, discussing how a recent explosion in choice in all aspects of society has become a problem instead of a solution.

Presents a humorous look at the flaws and foibles of some of the most famous personalities of history, including such figures as Marco Polo, George Armstrong Custer, Thomas Edison, and Amelia Earhart.

"The hardest choices are also the most consequential. So why do we know so little about how to get them right? Big, life-altering decisions matter so much more than the decisions we make every day, and they're also the most difficult: where to live, whom to marry, what to believe, whether to start a company, how to end a war. There's no one-size-fits-all approach for addressing these kinds of conundrums. Steven Johnson's classic Where Good Ideas Come...

Why do smart people make irrational decisions every day? The answers will surprise you. This book is a look at why we all make illogical decisions. Why can a 50-cent aspirin do what a penny aspirin can't? If an item is "free" it must be a bargain, right? Why is everything relative, even when it shouldn't be? How do our expectations influence our actual opinions and decisions? In this book, the author, a behavioral economist cuts to the heart of our...

A boy wants all of the pets in a pet store but he and his sister can choose only one. End notes discuss Dr. Seuss's pets, his creative process, and the discovery of the manuscript and illustrations for "What Pet Should I Get?"

Discusses why people are disconnected from their future selves, frequently opting for immediate gratification and making decisions that fail to consider future health and well-being, and offers practical advice for balancing living for today with planning for tomorrow.

"Popular blogger offers readers strategies to avoid negative thought patterns, streamline decisions they're often prone to overthink, and proactively bring more peace, joy, and love into their lives"-- Provided by publisher.

"Expanding upon his viral TEDx Talk, psychology professor and social scientist John V. Petrocelli reveals the critical thinking habits you can develop to recognize and combat pervasive false information that harms society in The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit. Bullshit is the foundation of contaminated thinking and bad decisions leading to health consequences, financial losses, legal consequences, broken relationships, and wasted time...

An account of the transformation of the CIA and America's special operations forces into man-hunting and killing machines in the world's dark spaces: the new American way of war.