The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking : How Irrationality Makes Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane

What is so special about touching a piano John Lennon once owned? Why do we yell at our laptops? What drove the Yankees to dig up the Red Sox jersey secretly buried beneath their new stadium? And what's up with the phrase "Everything happens for a reason"? Psychologists have documented a litany of cognitive biases-misperceptions of reality-and explained their positive functions. Now, Matthew Hutson shows that all of us, even the staunchest skeptics, engage in magical thinking all the time-and that we can use it to our advantage, if we know how to outsmart it. Drawing on cognitive science, neuroscience, psychology, and anthropology, Hutson shows us that magical thinking has been so useful to us that it's hardwired into our brains. It encourages us to think that we actually have free will. It helps us believe that we have an underlying purpose in the world. It can even protect us from the paralyzing awareness of our own mortality. In other words, magical thinking is a completely irrational way of making our lives make sense. With wonderfully entertaining stories, personal reflections, and sharp observations, Hutson has written a book that is entertaining, useful, and ever so slightly alarming. "Psychologists have documented a litany of cognitive biases--misperceptions of the world--and explained their positive functions. Now, Matthew Hutson shows us that even the most hard-core skeptic indulges in magical thinking all the time--and it's crucial to our survival. Drawing on evolution, cognitive science, and neuroscience, Hutson shows us that magical thinking has been so useful to us that it's hardwired into our brains. It encourages us to think that we actually have free will. It helps make us believe that we have an underlying purpose in the world. It can even protect us from the paralyzing awareness of our own mortality. In other words, magical thinking is a completely irrational way of making our lives make rational sense. With wonderfully entertaining stories, personal reflections, and sharp observations, Hutson reveals our deepest fears and longings"-- "Drawing on evolution, cognitive science, and neuroscience, Matthew Hutson takes us on this fascinating tour of magical thinking in everyday life. So-called cognitive biases are crucial to our survival, Hutson shows, whether we're deciding where to invest our money or avoiding awareness of our own mortality. Everyone - even the most rational, jaded, and sceptical thinkers - believe in magic, whether that be luck, mind over matter, jinxes, evil, or heavenly helpers. The key to happiness, health, creativity, social intelligence, and good fortune is knowing when you don't have free will and then embracing magical thinking instead." --Publisher description. Why Do Rational People Buy Notions That Seem Utterly Incredulous? (and That Includes You.) Everyone – Even The Most Jaded And Sceptical – Believes In ‘magic’, In The Form Of Luck, Mind Over Matter, The Power Of Similarities, Jinxes, And Destiny. In This Wonderful Exploration Of Psychology, Matthew Hutson Takes Us On A Fascinating Tour Of Magical Thinking In Everyday Life, Revealing The Healing Power Of John Lennon’s Piano; The Reason Gamblers Kiss Their Tickets; And Why Admitting You Have No Free Will Staves Off Addiction. Everyone #x96; even the most jaded and sceptical #x96; believes in #x91;magic', in the form of luck, mind over matter, the power of similarities, jinxes, and destiny. In this wonderful exploration of psychology, Matthew Hutson takes us on a fascinating tour of magical thinking in everyday life, revealing the healing power of John Lennon's piano; the reason gamblers kiss their tickets; and why admitting you have no free will staves off addiction Drawing on evolutionary biology, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience, former Psychology Today editor and science writer Hutson explores how the idea of magic permeates the way humans think - from the good luck charm to the paralyzing fear of death.