35 Books like Idiot Brain

Brain Bugs

by Dean Buonomano • 2011

Phantom limbs, false memories, irrational fears: the flaws evolution built into your brain.

3.80

3k+

🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Cognitive Biases 📝 Memory Flaws 🔄 Neural Plasticity 👁️ Perceptual Illusions

Brain Bugs 97%

Phantom limbs, false memories, irrational fears: the flaws evolution built into your brain.

by Dean Buonomano 2011

3.80

3k+ ratings

🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Cognitive Biases 📝 Memory Flaws 🔄 Neural Plasticity 👁️ Perceptual Illusions

The Mind's Past

by Michael S. Gazzaniga • 1998

Your brain acts, then invents a story about why. Your conscious self gets the press release.

3.77

115

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 👁️ Consciousness Studies ⚡ Unconscious Processing 🎭 Self-Deception 🔄 Memory Distortion

The Mind's Past 96%

Your brain acts, then invents a story about why. Your conscious self gets the press release.

by Michael S. Gazzaniga 1998

3.77

115 ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 👁️ Consciousness Studies ⚡ Unconscious Processing 🎭 Self-Deception 🔄 Memory Distortion

Kluge

by Gary F. Marcus • 2008

Your brain is an evolutionary patch job: why you forget, misjudge, and chase empty pleasures.

3.83

2k+

🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Cognitive Biases ⏳ Evolutionary Mismatch 💭 Memory Fallibility 🏗️ Mental Architecture

Kluge 96%

Your brain is an evolutionary patch job: why you forget, misjudge, and chase empty pleasures.

by Gary F. Marcus 2008

3.83

2k+ ratings

🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Cognitive Biases ⏳ Evolutionary Mismatch 💭 Memory Fallibility 🏗️ Mental Architecture

Connections

by Karl Deisseroth • 2021

What mental illness reveals about the brain, from the psychiatrist who invented optogenetics.

3.78

285

🧠 Clinical Neuroscience 🐒 Evolutionary Psychology 📋 Patient Case Studies 💗 Emotion And The Brain 💭 Consciousness Studies

Connections 96%

What mental illness reveals about the brain, from the psychiatrist who invented optogenetics.

by Karl Deisseroth 2021

3.78

285 ratings

🧠 Clinical Neuroscience 🐒 Evolutionary Psychology 📋 Patient Case Studies 💗 Emotion And The Brain 💭 Consciousness Studies

Subliminal

by Leonard Mlodinow • 2012

The unconscious builds reality, distorts memory, and chooses your friends. You just take the credit.

4.05

14k+

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 🌊 Unconscious Processing ⚖️ Cognitive Biases 🏗️ Constructed Reality 🤝 Social Cognition

Subliminal 95%

The unconscious builds reality, distorts memory, and chooses your friends. You just take the credit.

by Leonard Mlodinow 2012

4.05

14k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 🌊 Unconscious Processing ⚖️ Cognitive Biases 🏗️ Constructed Reality 🤝 Social Cognition

The Brain and the Meaning of Life

by Paul Thagard • 2010

Mental life is brain activity, and meaning is its reward for satisfying three deep human needs.

3.23

128

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Mind Brain Identity 🔬 Neurophilosophy 🔭 Scientific Realism 📊 Evidence-Based Thinking

The Brain and the Meaning of Life Summary

The Brain and the Meaning of Life 95%

Mental life is brain activity, and meaning is its reward for satisfying three deep human needs.

by Paul Thagard 2010

3.23

128 ratings

🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Mind Brain Identity 🔬 Neurophilosophy 🔭 Scientific Realism 📊 Evidence-Based Thinking

Mind Wide Open

by Steven Johnson • 1999

A writer makes his own brain the case study, and the findings rewrite the self.

3.90

6k+

🧠 Pop Neuroscience 🧩 Cognitive Science 🗣️ Social Neuroscience 🐒 Evolutionary Psychology ⚗️ Neurochemistry

Mind Wide Open 95%

A writer makes his own brain the case study, and the findings rewrite the self.

by Steven Johnson 1999

3.90

6k+ ratings

🧠 Pop Neuroscience 🧩 Cognitive Science 🗣️ Social Neuroscience 🐒 Evolutionary Psychology ⚗️ Neurochemistry

You Are Not So Smart

by David McRaney • 2011

Your brain is a self-justifying storyteller, and it's hiding the evidence from you.

3.86

36k+

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👥 Social Psychology 🎭 Self-Delusion ⚡ Heuristics 🧩 Memory Fallibility

You Are Not So Smart 95%

Your brain is a self-justifying storyteller, and it's hiding the evidence from you.

by David McRaney 2011

3.86

36k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👥 Social Psychology 🎭 Self-Delusion ⚡ Heuristics 🧩 Memory Fallibility

Being You

by Anil Seth • 2020

Your brain does not read reality. It invents it. Every sensation, every self, is a guess.

4.10

5k+

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🪞 Neuroscience Of Self 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Perception Psychology 🫀 Embodied Cognition

Being You 95%

Your brain does not read reality. It invents it. Every sensation, every self, is a guess.

by Anil Seth 2020

4.10

5k+ ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🪞 Neuroscience Of Self 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 👁️ Perception Psychology 🫀 Embodied Cognition

Incognito

by David Eagleman • 2011

Your brain has already decided before you know it. Consciousness is just the press release.

4.09

35k+

Incognito 95%

Your brain has already decided before you know it. Consciousness is just the press release.

by David Eagleman 2011

4.09

35k+ ratings

Great Myths of the Brain

by Christian Jarrett • 2014

10% usage, right-brain creativity, five senses: all myths. The brain behind them is far weirder.

3.83

161

Great Myths of the Brain 95%

10% usage, right-brain creativity, five senses: all myths. The brain behind them is far weirder.

by Christian Jarrett 2014

3.83

161 ratings

The Disordered Mind

by Eric R. Kandel • 2018

Brain disorders are a natural experiment: they show what each neural circuit actually does.

4.13

3k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🏥 Neuropsychiatry 🩺 Brain Disorders 🔄 Neural Plasticity 💭 Consciousness Studies

The Disordered Mind 95%

Brain disorders are a natural experiment: they show what each neural circuit actually does.

by Eric R. Kandel 2018

4.13

3k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🏥 Neuropsychiatry 🩺 Brain Disorders 🔄 Neural Plasticity 💭 Consciousness Studies

Cognitive Neuroscience

by Richard Passingham • 2016

Seeing is not believing: your brain builds reality from parallel streams, then fact-checks itself.

3.71

318

🧠 Brain Science 📚 Cognitive Psychology 🧪 Neuropsychology 👁️ Perception Science 💾 Memory Systems

Cognitive Neuroscience 95%

Seeing is not believing: your brain builds reality from parallel streams, then fact-checks itself.

by Richard Passingham 2016

3.71

318 ratings

🧠 Brain Science 📚 Cognitive Psychology 🧪 Neuropsychology 👁️ Perception Science 💾 Memory Systems

The Ravenous Brain

by Daniel Bor • 2012

Consciousness is a biological trick evolution built, and its failures reveal mental illness.

3.91

427

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🔬 Cognitive Neuroscience 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 👁️ Attention And Awareness

The Ravenous Brain 95%

Consciousness is a biological trick evolution built, and its failures reveal mental illness.

by Daniel Bor 2012

3.91

427 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 🔬 Cognitive Neuroscience 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 👁️ Attention And Awareness

The Language Instinct

by Steven Pinker • 1994

Children don't learn language; they reinvent it, driven by grammar etched into the brain.

4.01

23k+

📝 Generative Linguistics 👶 Language Acquisition 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology ⚖️ Nature Vs Nurture 🧠 Psycholinguistics

The Language Instinct 95%

Children don't learn language; they reinvent it, driven by grammar etched into the brain.

by Steven Pinker 1994

4.01

23k+ ratings

📝 Generative Linguistics 👶 Language Acquisition 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology ⚖️ Nature Vs Nurture 🧠 Psycholinguistics

A User's Guide to the Brain

by John J. Ratey • 2001

Perception, movement, and social contact continuously rewire your brain. A guide for taking control.

4.04

2k+

🧠 Neuroplasticity 🏃 Embodied Cognition 👁️ Perception And Consciousness 🔍 Attention Management 💾 Memory Formation

A User's Guide to the Brain 95%

Perception, movement, and social contact continuously rewire your brain. A guide for taking control.

by John J. Ratey 2001

4.04

2k+ ratings

🧠 Neuroplasticity 🏃 Embodied Cognition 👁️ Perception And Consciousness 🔍 Attention Management 💾 Memory Formation

The Optimism Bias

by Tali Sharot • 2011

Your brain overestimates good outcomes; a neuroscientist reveals how this bias shapes memory.

3.78

2k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Cognitive Biases 🌈 Positive Illusions 💪 Emotional Resilience 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology

The Optimism Bias 95%

Your brain overestimates good outcomes; a neuroscientist reveals how this bias shapes memory.

by Tali Sharot 2011

3.78

2k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Cognitive Biases 🌈 Positive Illusions 💪 Emotional Resilience 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology

How Your Brain Works

by New Scientist • 2017

86 billion neurons construct your reality, rewrite your past, and scrub themselves clean each night.

3.92

353

🧠 Neuroscience Primers 👁️ Perception And Reality 💭 Memory Systems 🌌 Consciousness Studies 🔄 Brain Plasticity

How Your Brain Works 95%

86 billion neurons construct your reality, rewrite your past, and scrub themselves clean each night.

by New Scientist 2017

3.92

353 ratings

🧠 Neuroscience Primers 👁️ Perception And Reality 💭 Memory Systems 🌌 Consciousness Studies 🔄 Brain Plasticity

Projections

by Karl Deisseroth • 2021

How grief, mania, and psychosis reveal the ancient brain circuits that built human emotion.

4.00

2k+

🧠 Biological Psychiatry 💔 Affective Neuroscience 🔌 Neural Circuits 🛋️ Patient Narratives 🧬 Evolutionary Biology

Projections 95%

How grief, mania, and psychosis reveal the ancient brain circuits that built human emotion.

by Karl Deisseroth 2021

4.00

2k+ ratings

🧠 Biological Psychiatry 💔 Affective Neuroscience 🔌 Neural Circuits 🛋️ Patient Narratives 🧬 Evolutionary Biology

Sleights of Mind

by Stephen L. Macknik • 2010

Every magic trick exploits a specific neural shortcut. What sleight of hand reveals about the brain.

3.94

3k+

🪞 Perceptual Illusions 🧠 Cognitive Biases 👁️ Attention And Awareness 💭 Memory Distortion 💊 Placebo Effect

Sleights of Mind 95%

Every magic trick exploits a specific neural shortcut. What sleight of hand reveals about the brain.

by Stephen L. Macknik 2010

3.94

3k+ ratings

🪞 Perceptual Illusions 🧠 Cognitive Biases 👁️ Attention And Awareness 💭 Memory Distortion 💊 Placebo Effect

An Alchemy of Mind

by Diane Ackerman • 2004

A poet's tour of the brain: how 100 billion neurons invent your reality.

3.96

1k+

🧠 Neuroscience 🔬 Cognitive Science 💭 Consciousness Studies 🔄 Brain Plasticity 🪞 Memory And Identity

An Alchemy of Mind 95%

A poet's tour of the brain: how 100 billion neurons invent your reality.

by Diane Ackerman 2004

3.96

1k+ ratings

🧠 Neuroscience 🔬 Cognitive Science 💭 Consciousness Studies 🔄 Brain Plasticity 🪞 Memory And Identity

How the Mind Changed

by Joseph Jebelli • 2022

The human brain didn't just get bigger. It learned to cook, gossip, and hallucinate a self.

4.06

348

🧬 Human Evolution 🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🧩 Evolutionary Psychology 👥 Social Brain 🔮 Predictive Brain

How the Mind Changed 95%

The human brain didn't just get bigger. It learned to cook, gossip, and hallucinate a self.

by Joseph Jebelli 2022

4.06

348 ratings

🧬 Human Evolution 🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🧩 Evolutionary Psychology 👥 Social Brain 🔮 Predictive Brain

The Forgetting Machine

by Rodrigo Quian Quiroga • 2017

Your memory stores roughly 125 MB. The real marvel is what your brain decides to forget.

3.74

1k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧠 Constructive Memory 🧠 Role Of Forgetting 🧠 Neural Representation

The Forgetting Machine 95%

Your memory stores roughly 125 MB. The real marvel is what your brain decides to forget.

by Rodrigo Quian Quiroga 2017

3.74

1k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🧠 Philosophy Of Mind 🧠 Constructive Memory 🧠 Role Of Forgetting 🧠 Neural Representation

The Age of Magical Overthinking

by Amanda Montell • 2024

Your brain mistakes repetition for truth, confidence for skill, and the present for a crisis.

3.42

31k+

🧠 Cognitive Biases 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🪞 Self-Deception 📱 Information Overload 📊 Behavioral Economics

The Age of Magical Overthinking 95%

Your brain mistakes repetition for truth, confidence for skill, and the present for a crisis.

by Amanda Montell 2024

3.42

31k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Biases 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🪞 Self-Deception 📱 Information Overload 📊 Behavioral Economics

The Neuroscience of You

by Chantel Prat • 2022

Your brain isn't like anyone else's. Neuroscience finally has a field guide for that.

3.80

1k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🌈 Neurodiversity 🔄 Brain Plasticity ⚗️ Brain Chemistry ↔️ Left Brain Right Brain

The Neuroscience of You 95%

Your brain isn't like anyone else's. Neuroscience finally has a field guide for that.

by Chantel Prat 2022

3.80

1k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🌈 Neurodiversity 🔄 Brain Plasticity ⚗️ Brain Chemistry ↔️ Left Brain Right Brain

The Seven Sins Of Memory Updated Edition

by Daniel L. Schacter • 2001

Memory's worst habits are not bugs but features, and the seven failures that prove it.

3.88

2k+

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 🔬 Memory Science 📉 Forgetting ❓ Memory Biases 💭 False Memories

The Seven Sins Of Memory Updated Edition Summary

The Seven Sins Of Memory Updated Edition 95%

Memory's worst habits are not bugs but features, and the seven failures that prove it.

by Daniel L. Schacter 2001

3.88

2k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 🔬 Memory Science 📉 Forgetting ❓ Memory Biases 💭 False Memories

The Invisible Gorilla

by Christopher Chabris • 2010

Your memory rewrites the past, your confidence hides incompetence, and there's a gorilla nobody saw.

3.91

15k+

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👀 Attention Management 💭 Memory Fallibility 😎 Overconfidence 🔍 Scientific Skepticism

The Invisible Gorilla 95%

Your memory rewrites the past, your confidence hides incompetence, and there's a gorilla nobody saw.

by Christopher Chabris 2010

3.91

15k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👀 Attention Management 💭 Memory Fallibility 😎 Overconfidence 🔍 Scientific Skepticism

Synaptic Self

by Joseph E. LeDoux • 2002

Your self is built from synapses: how memory, emotion, and consciousness circuits create identity.

4.00

5k+

🧠 Neuroscience Of Self 🔄 Neuroplasticity 📸 Memory And Identity 😶 Unconscious Emotion 💡 Consciousness Studies

Synaptic Self 94%

Your self is built from synapses: how memory, emotion, and consciousness circuits create identity.

by Joseph E. LeDoux 2002

4.00

5k+ ratings

🧠 Neuroscience Of Self 🔄 Neuroplasticity 📸 Memory And Identity 😶 Unconscious Emotion 💡 Consciousness Studies

The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged)

by Adam Rutherford • 2021

Evolution shaped your brain for fitness, not truth. Science is the slow, conscious override.

4.11

2k+

The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) Summary

The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) 94%

Evolution shaped your brain for fitness, not truth. Science is the slow, conscious override.

by Adam Rutherford 2021

4.11

2k+ ratings

Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness

by Patrick House • 2022

Movement built consciousness. Nineteen scientific guesses at how the rest of your mind followed.

3.47

774

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Cognitive Neuroscience 🔮 Predictive Processing 🏃 Embodied Cognition

Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness Summary

Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness 94%

Movement built consciousness. Nineteen scientific guesses at how the rest of your mind followed.

by Patrick House 2022

3.47

774 ratings

🧠 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🔬 Cognitive Neuroscience 🔮 Predictive Processing 🏃 Embodied Cognition

The Experience Machine

by Andy Clark • 2023

Your brain guesses reality instead of recording it, and the mismatch shapes everything.

3.91

1k+

🧠 Predictive Processing 💭 Consciousness Studies 🦾 Embodied Cognition 🌐 Distributed Cognition ❤️ Embodied Emotion

The Experience Machine 94%

Your brain guesses reality instead of recording it, and the mismatch shapes everything.

by Andy Clark 2023

3.91

1k+ ratings

🧠 Predictive Processing 💭 Consciousness Studies 🦾 Embodied Cognition 🌐 Distributed Cognition ❤️ Embodied Emotion

Psych

by Paul Bloom • 2023

How the mind actually works: a tour from neurons to the biases that steer every decision.

4.14

2k+

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 📜 History Of Psychology 🪤 Cognitive Biases 🌑 Unconscious Mind 👶 Child Development

Psych 94%

How the mind actually works: a tour from neurons to the biases that steer every decision.

by Paul Bloom 2023

4.14

2k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Psychology 📜 History Of Psychology 🪤 Cognitive Biases 🌑 Unconscious Mind 👶 Child Development

Descartes' Error

by António Damásio • 1994

A railroad foreman's brain injury revealed that reason depends on emotion, not pure logic.

3.95

10k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 🦵 Embodied Cognition 🔗 Body-Mind Connection 🌌 Consciousness Studies

Descartes' Error 94%

A railroad foreman's brain injury revealed that reason depends on emotion, not pure logic.

by António Damásio 1994

3.95

10k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Philosophy Of Mind 🦵 Embodied Cognition 🔗 Body-Mind Connection 🌌 Consciousness Studies

Why We Believe What We Believe

by Andrew B. Newberg • 2006

Prayer dims the self, meditation sharpens focus: the neural signature of why you believe.

4.01

331

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👁️ Perception And Reality 🧱 Belief Formation 💊 Placebo Effect 🧘 Spiritual Experiences

Why We Believe What We Believe 94%

Prayer dims the self, meditation sharpens focus: the neural signature of why you believe.

by Andrew B. Newberg 2006

4.01

331 ratings

🧠 Cognitive Biases 👁️ Perception And Reality 🧱 Belief Formation 💊 Placebo Effect 🧘 Spiritual Experiences

Self Comes to Mind

by António Damásio • 2010

The self is a process built from body maps: three layers that turn mind into experience.

3.97

3k+

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🦴 Embodied Cognition 💓 Emotion And Reason

Self Comes to Mind 94%

The self is a process built from body maps: three layers that turn mind into experience.

by António Damásio 2010

3.97

3k+ ratings

🧠 Cognitive Neuroscience 🤔 Consciousness Studies 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 🦴 Embodied Cognition 💓 Emotion And Reason

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