How pleasure works : the new science of why we like what we like

Yale psychologist Paul Bloom presents a striking and thought-provoking new understanding of pleasure, desire, and value. The thought of sex with a virgin is intensely arousing for many men. The average American spends more than four hours a day watching television. Abstract art can sell for millions of dollars. People slow their cars to look at gory accidents, and go to movies that make them cry. Pleasure is anything but straightforward. Our desires, attractions, and tastes take us beyond the symmetry of a beautiful face, the sugar and fat in food, or the prettiness of a painting. In How Pleasure Works, Yale University psychologist Paul Bloom draws on groundbreaking research to unveil the deeper workings of why we desire what we desire. Refuting the longstanding explanation of pleasure as a simple sensory response, Bloom shows us that pleasure is grounded in our beliefs about the deeper nature or essence of a given thing. This is why we want the real Rolex and not the knockoff, the real Picasso and not the fake, the twin we have fallen in love with and not her identical sister. In this fascinating and witty account, Bloom draws on child development, philosophy, neuroscience, and behavioral economics in order to address pleasures noble and seamy, highbrow and lowbrow. Along the way, he gives us unprecedented insights into a realm of human psychology that until now has only been partially understood. 3 illustrations Humans have an incredible spectrum of emotions and feelings that can be felt on any given day. The book, How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like by Paul Bloom, shows us just that. He introduces the reader to a realm of psychology that has been understudied called cognitive psychology. Mr. Bloom, who has a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, takes the reader on a rather interesting, odd, robust, and sometimes even taboo ride into the reasons why humans react happily and enjoy pleasure in some things in life while others not. He introduces food, sex, art, and different forms of human entertainment as the multiple variations of pleasure we experience. The general direction of the book argues that pleasure is not just a response to certain stimuli, but instead your thoughts are mainly responsible for how much pleasure we actually get from that stimulus. Mr. Bloom has a very engaging, intriguing, and curious writing style that explains some very tough subjects and makes them more accessible. He provides many great examples in this book, including the results of some of his own research in the field. I highly recommend this book to anyone slightly interested in how and why we get pleasure out of the simple things in life, or even the most emotional and/or physically challenging things. Check this book out! Yale psychologist Paul Bloom presents a striking new vision of the pleasures of everyday life. The thought of sex with a virgin is intensely arousing for many men. The average American spends over four hours a day watching television. Abstract art can sell for millions of dollars. Young children enjoy playing with imaginary friends and can be comforted by security blankets. People slow their cars to look at gory accidents, and go to movies that make them cry. In this fascinating and witty account, Paul Bloom examines the science behind these curious desires, attractions, and tastes, covering everything from the animal instincts of sex and food to the uniquely human taste for art, music, and stories. Drawing on insights from child development, philosophy, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, How Pleasure Works shows how certain universal habits of the human mind explain what we like and why we like it. In This Fascinating And Witty Account, Yale Psychologist Paul Bloom Draws On Insights From Child Development, Philosophy, Neuroscience, And Behavioral Economics To Examine The Science Behind Our Curious Desires, Attractions, And Tastes, Covering Everything From The Animal Instincts For Sex And Food To The Uniquely Human Taste For Art, Music, And Stories. The Essence Of Pleasure -- Foodies -- Bedtricks -- Irreplaceable -- Performance -- Imagination -- Safety And Pain -- Why Pleasure Matters. Paul Bloom. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.