Why Everyone (Else) Is a Hypocrite

Acknowledgments ix Prologue 1 Chapter 1: Consistently Inconsistent 4 Chapter 2: Evolution and the Fragmented Brain 23 Chapter 3: Who Is "I"? 45 Chapter 4: Modular Me 57 Chapter 5: The Truth Hurts 76 Chapter 6: Psychological Propaganda 98 Chapter 7: Self-Deception 132 Chapter 8: Self-Control 151 Chapter 9: Morality and Contradictions 186 Chapter 10: Morality Is for the Birds 206 Epilogue 218 Notes 221 References 245 Index 267

Robert Kurzban is associate professor of psychology and founder of the Pennsylvania Laboratory for Experimental Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2008, he won the inaugural Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society.

Bolstered by recent studies and research, Kurzban makes a convincing and coherent ... case for the modular mind, greatly helped by humorous footnotes and examples... Taking on lofty topics, including truth and belief, Kurzban makes a successful case for changing--and remapping--the modern mind. -- Publishers Weekly Using humour and anecdotes, [Kurzban] reveals how conflict between the modules of the mind leads to contradictory beliefs, vacillating behaviours, broken moral boundaries and inflated egos. He argues that we should think of ourselves not as 'I' but as 'we'--a collection of interacting systems that are in constant conflict. -- Nature Robert Kurzban believes that we are all hypocrites. But not to worry, he explains, hypocrisy is the natural state of the human mind. In his book Why Everyone (Else) Is a Hypocrite: Evolution and the Modular Mind, Kurzban asserts that the human mind consists of many specialized units, which do not always work together seamlessly. When this harmony breaks down, people often develop contradictory beliefs. -- Victoria Stern, Scientific American Mind Kurzban is a luminary in the growing discipline of evolutionary psychology... [P]rovocative... Kurzban devotes much space to explicating and demonstrating ways in which his theory plays out in our everyday lives. -- Library Journal With wit, wisdom, and occasional hilarity, Robert Kurzban offers explanations for why we do the things we do, such as morally condemning the sale of human organs and locking the refrigerator at night to keep from snacking... Kurzban touches on some complex topics in a manner that's both smart and accessible. He incorporates a plethora of psychological studies to support his theories but the narrative is never dry... By challenging common assumptions about habits, morality, and preferences, Kurzban keeps readers both entertained and enlightened. -- Foreword Reviews [Kurzban] argues that ... internal conflicts are not limited to extreme cases; they occur in