The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn't-- and Put Ourselves in Greater DangerFrom terror attacks to the war on terror, real estate bubbles to the price of oil, sexual predators to poisoned food from China, our list of fears is ever-growing. And yet, we are the safest and healthiest humans in history. Irrational fear seems to be taking over, often with tragic results. For example, in the months after 9/11, when people decided to drive instead of fly—believing they were avoiding risk—road deaths rose by more than 1,500. In this fascinating, lucid, and thoroughly entertaining examination of how humans process risk, journalist Dan Gardner had the exclusive cooperation of Paul Slovic, the world renowned risk-science pioneer, as he reveals how our hunter gatherer brains struggle to make sense of a world utterly unlike the one that made them. Filled with illuminating real world examples, interviews with experts, and fast-paced, lean storytelling, The Science of Fearshows why it is truer than ever that the worst thing we have to fear is fear itself. |
Contents
1595 | 1 |
Prehistoric Refugee | 5 |
Of Two Minds | 18 |
The Death of Homo economicus | 32 |
The Emotional Brain | 59 |
A Story About Numbers | 87 |
The Herd Senses Danger | 102 |
Fear Inc | 125 |
The Chemistry of Fear | 218 |
Terrified of Terrorism | 246 |
Theres Never Been a Better Time to Be Alive | 289 |
Notes | 305 |
| 325 | |
Acknowledgments | 329 |
| 331 | |
About the Author 341 | |
Other editions - View all
The Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your Brain Daniel Gardner No preview available - 2009 |
The Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your Brain Daniel Gardner No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
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