Bill Mesler Books
Bill Mesler is a writer and journalist who has collaborated with Vedantam on exploring scientific and philosophical questions about human nature.
Known for: Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
Books by Bill Mesler
Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
In this thought-provoking work, Shankar Vedantam and Bill Mesler explore how self-deception, far from being purely harmful, can serve as a vital psychological mechanism that helps individuals and societies survive, thrive, and find meaning. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and real-world examples, the authors reveal how certain illusions can foster resilience, love, and hope, even as they sometimes distort reality.
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The Nature of Self-Deception
Self-deception begins not with malice but with biology. The human brain does not record the world objectively, like a camera—it constructs reality. Every perception, every memory, every conviction is filtered through neural shortcuts that favor coherence over accuracy. We crave a story that makes se...
From Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
Evolutionary Roots
To understand why self-deception works so powerfully, we must look backward through evolutionary time. The capacity to deceive others offers an obvious social advantage, but the twist is this: to deceive others effectively, you often have to believe your own lies. The predator that bluffs confidence...
From Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain
About Bill Mesler
Bill Mesler is a writer and journalist who has collaborated with Vedantam on exploring scientific and philosophical questions about human nature.
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Bill Mesler is a writer and journalist who has collaborated with Vedantam on exploring scientific and philosophical questions about human nature.
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