The self delusion : the surprising science of how we are connected and why that matters
Oliver, Tom2020
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We like to believe that we exist as independent selves at the centre of a subjective universe; that we are discrete individuals acting autonomously in the world with an unchanging inner self that persists throughout our lifetime. This is an illusion. On a physical, psychological and cultural level, we are all much more intertwined than we know: we cannot use our bodies to define our independent existence because most of our 37 trillion cells have such a short lifespan that we are essentially made anew every few weeks; the molecules that make up our bodies have already been component parts of countless other organisms, from ancient plants to dinosaurs; we are more than half non-human, in the form of bacteria, fungi and viruses, whose genes influence our moods and even manipulate our behaviour; and we cannot define ourselves by our minds, thoughts and actions, because these mainly originate from other people - the result of memes passing between us, existing before, after and beyond our own lifespans. Professor of Ecology Tom Oliver makes the compelling argument that although this illusion of individualism has helped us to succeed as a species, tackling the big global challenges ahead now relies on our seeing beyond this mindset and understanding the complex connections between us. THE SELF DELUSION is an explosive, powerful and inspiring book that brings to life the overwhelming evidence contradicting the perception we have of ourselves as independent beings - and why understanding this may well be the key to a better future.
Main title:
Author:
Imprint:
London : Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2020.
Collation:
294 pages ; 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
pt. 1 OUR INTERCONNECTED BODIES -- 1.You literally soaked up the atmosphere -- 2.You are a work in progress -- 3.Are you a human or a chimera? -- 4.Hacked: is it really you controlling your body? -- 5.You are a copy and paste from the book of life -- pt. 2 OUR INTERCONNECTED MINDS -- 6.All your ideas are crowd-sourced -- 7.Love thy neighbour (then copy them) -- 8.You cannot survive as a separate unit -- 9.You thrive when the whole is intact -- pt. 3 OUR SELF DELUSION -- 10.The Big White Lie: the trick behind our sense of self -- 11.Your seat has a restricted view -- 12.Your sense of individuality could be dangerous -- 13.Positive connections will improve your health -- 14.You can't blame someone who doesn't exist -- pt. 4 OUR NETWORK IDENTITY -- 15.Three dimensions of interconnectedness -- 16.A confluence of connectedness -- 17.How a network identity leads to global responsibility -- 18.Your mind is a battleground -- 19.Joining the dots.
ISBN:
9781474611756
Dewey class:
155.2
Language:
English
Added title:
BRN:
368735
More Information:
| Location | Collection | Call number | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandringham Library | Adult Non Fiction - Health and Wellbeing | 155.2 OLI | Available |