Stop Being Reasonable

Name: Stop Being Reasonable
Brand: Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand
SKU: 9781742235875
Price: 34.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Eleanor Gordon-Smith

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3.7

( 510 ratings, 82 reviews)

Summary

In Stop Being Reasonable, Eleanor Gordon-Smith delves into the complexities of human thought and behaviour, exploring how we often hold onto beliefs despite evidence to the contrary. Through compelling real-life stories, she examines the intersection of logic and emotion, illustrating how our personal narratives shape our perceptions and decisions. This philosophical exploration invites readers to reconsider what it truly means to think rationally.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$34⁹⁹

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Stop Being Reasonable

$34⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by how our beliefs can be changed, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Through engaging real-life stories, it explores the complex interplay between emotion, logic and persuasion, offering a thought-provoking look at what truly drives us to change our minds.

SHORTLISTED for Australian Book Design Awards 2020 Best Designed Autobiography/Biography/Memoir Nonfiction Cover

Description

SHORTLISTED for Australian Book Design Awards 2020
Best Designed Autobiography/Biography/Memoir Nonfiction Cover

What if you're not who you think you are?

What if you don't really know the people closest to you?

And what if your most deeply-held beliefs turn out to be... wrong?

In Stop Being Reasonable, philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith tells gripping true stories that show the limits of human reason. Susie realises her husband harbours a terrible secret, Dylan leaves the cult he's been raised in since birth, and Alex discovers he can no longer return to his former identity after impersonating someone else on reality TV. All of them radically alter their beliefs about the things that matter most.

What makes them change course? What does this say about our own beliefs? And, in an increasingly divided world, what does it teach us about how we might change the minds of others?

Inspiring, moving, and perceptive, Stop Being Reasonable is a mind-changing exploration of the murky place where philosophy and real life meet.

'I knew how piercingly smart Eleanor Gordon-Smith is, and what a curious and resolute interviewer. But I was unprepared for how entertainingly she writes! I read this with pleasure.' - Ira Glass

'It is curious and intelligent and deeply researched and genuinely thoughtful, and at the same time consistently entertaining to read... If you want to introduce someone to philosophy, give them this book.' - Alex Tighe, Australian Book Review

'[Gordon-Smith] has written a book that not only questions long-held philosophical beliefs - can Descartes' philosophy of doubt drive us from truth? - but one that engages with life in such a way that makes the argument feel existentially urgent.' - Sydney Morning Herald

'Gordon-Smith does not have all the answers. But she gives us the tools we need to examine our biases and choose how we approach the decisions we need to make. For those of us who suspect the time for being reasonable - and not getting emotional - has passed, this is the book we need.' - Astrid Edwards, The Saturday Paper

'I've never read anything quite like this book; it is empathetic, sharply intelligent, and accessible.' - Ellen Cregan, Kill Your Darlings

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Stop Being Reasonable by Eleanor Gordon-Smith has been praised for its compelling exploration of human rationality and the challenges of changing people's minds. Reviewers appreciate its engaging storytelling combined with philosophical insights, highlighting real-life examples where logic and evidence fail to persuade. The book is considered thought-provoking, effectively combining research with narrative to examine the complexities of belief and decision-making.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781742235875

Publisher: NewSouth Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 May 2019

Country: Australia

Imprint: NewSouth Publishing

Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 224

Collections

Eleanor Gordon-Smith Non-Fiction Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism

About the Author

Eleanor Gordon-Smith is a writer and radio broadcaster working at the intersection of academic ethics and the chaos of human life. Currently at Princeton University, she has produced The Philosopher's Zone on Australia's Radio National, appeared as the 'Clinical Ethicist' on 702 Sydney radio, and lectured on ethics, from political contract theory to the philosophy of sex, at the University of Sydney. Her work has appeared on NPR's This American Life, and in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and Meanjin.