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The Irrational Ape

Why Flawed Logic Puts us all at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World

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About this listen

 THE IRISH TIMES TOP FIVE BESTSELLER

'A beautifully reasoned book about our own unreasonableness' Robin Ince

In 1983, the reasoning of one unsung Russian narrowly averted nuclear war, proving that critical thinking can save the world. Today, facing unprecedented tides of disinformation, we’re frequently misled, to our detriment. The Irrational Ape explores the reasons why we get things so wrong, illustrated with incredible stories from the comical to the catastrophic.

With a cast including murderous popes, conspiracy theorists, snake-oil salesmen, dubious celebrities and superstitious pigeons, The Irrational Ape delves into how reasoning errors, skewed perceptions and even our own psychology render us so susceptible to falsehood – and how we can improve our reasoning to ensure we avoid being taken in.
Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Social Psychology & Interactions Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

'From anti-vaxxers to Dunning-Kruger, from homeopathy and astrology to “false balance” (what I call the BBC Fallacy), from misused statistics to nuclear brinkmanship, our irrationality could be our undoing. A book exposing the irrational ape and teaching us to mend our ways might so easily have become all preachy and teachy. Instead, such is David Robert Grimes’s storytelling skill, his book is an unstoppable page-turner. If our leaders were forced to read this book, the world would be a safer place' (Richard Dawkins)
'Grimes’s book addresses an all-too-urgent contemporary political question: how do we protect our societies and ourselves from charlatans and fools?...It brings a fresh perspective, and has been painstakingly researched. This spirited cocktail of data leavened with anecdotes is served up in Grimes’s trademark provocative, combative style...a highly creditable debut from a skilled communicator.' (John Gibbons)
All stars
Most relevant
Fabulous book. In a world of faith and illogical thinking this is essential reading, if for nothing more than a glimpse into what you dont know and how smart you are not. Well writern, well read. Wellworth the time and money.

Superb!

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Good, but I wish it contained more actual examples of irrational incidents and less theory behind irrational thinking.

Good

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My headline above might seem harsh but a lot of humans are stupid. And this well written and well read book gives many examples. The most emotional and saddest part of the book was when discussing the utterly irrational anti-vaccine movement and how it seriously damaged the uptake of the BPV vaccine in in Ireland. This is the sort of book which people who can think critically and analystically will read/listen to and be bewildered by how some people's ability to think a health benefit like a vaccine is really an evil plot, even when people then start dying due to the lack of vaccine.

A brilliant, well written book that is also very well read by the author.

A brilliantly insight into human stupidity.

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over dense, muddled, but full of interesting thought provoking stuff, maybe needed more editing.

lacking clarity, but full of content

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Needed in the world of dis and mid information
I enjoyed the stories and analysis
I will question what I read and check my facts
And apply the analytical thinking suggested

Prescribed reading!

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