Hugo Mercier Books
Hugo Mercier is a French cognitive scientist known for his research on reasoning, communication, and social cognition. He is a researcher at the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris and co-author of 'The Enigma of Reason'.
Known for: Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe, The Enigma of Reason
Books by Hugo Mercier
Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe
In this book, cognitive scientist Hugo Mercier challenges the common belief that humans are gullible and easily deceived. Drawing on research in psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary theory, Merc...
The Enigma of Reason
In this groundbreaking work, cognitive scientists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber propose a radical new theory of human reason. They argue that reasoning evolved not to help individuals achieve greater k...
Key Insights from Hugo Mercier
The Evolutionary Basis of Trust
Trust is not a naive leap of faith; it’s an outcome of millions of years of social evolution. As humans moved from solitary survival toward cooperative living, trust became the cornerstone of group success. But here’s the crucial insight: evolution designed trust not as blind acceptance but as calib...
From Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe
Mechanisms of Belief Formation
Belief isn’t an on-off switch activated by exposure to a statement. When we encounter new information, our cognitive system immediately begins asking: Who said it? Why? Does it fit with what I already know? Our minds are not empty vessels but evaluators, comparing incoming data with stored knowledge...
From Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe
Historical and Philosophical Background
For centuries, reason has occupied a central place in Western philosophy. From Aristotle’s logic to Descartes’ rational method to Kant’s moral reasoning, the tradition has assumed that reason’s primary function is to guide individuals toward truth and moral insight. Philosophers imagined the rationa...
From The Enigma of Reason
Critique of the Intellectualist Model
When we analyze reasoning through laboratory experiments, we often find that individuals fail spectacularly at tasks requiring logic or probability judgment. Studies show people are better at evaluating arguments when they relate to social rules or when presented in contexts of dialogue. The intelle...
From The Enigma of Reason
About Hugo Mercier
Hugo Mercier is a French cognitive scientist known for his research on reasoning, communication, and social cognition. He is a researcher at the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris and co-author of 'The Enigma of Reason'. His work focuses on how humans evaluate information and make decisions in social cont...
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Hugo Mercier is a French cognitive scientist known for his research on reasoning, communication, and social cognition. He is a researcher at the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris and co-author of 'The Enigma of Reason'. His work focuses on how humans evaluate information and make decisions in social cont...
Hugo Mercier is a French cognitive scientist known for his research on reasoning, communication, and social cognition. He is a researcher at the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris and co-author of 'The Enigma of Reason'. His work focuses on how humans evaluate information and make decisions in social contexts.
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Hugo Mercier is a French cognitive scientist known for his research on reasoning, communication, and social cognition. He is a researcher at the Institut Jean Nicod in Paris and co-author of 'The Enigma of Reason'.
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