“This has been the point of much of this book. The human brain is a machine designed by natural selection to respond in pretty reflexive fashion to the sensory input impinging on it. It is designed, in a certain sense,… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“Buddhist thought and modern psychology converge on this point: in human life as it’s ordinarily lived, there is no one self, no conscious CEO, that runs the show; rather, there seem to be a series of selves that take turns… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
Your brain may give birth to any technology, but other brains will decide whether the technology thrives. The number of possible technologies is infinite,… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" asked the Christian theologian Tertullian... Having received the revealed thruth via Christ, "we want no curious disputation."… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“A female in a high-MPI species may seek signs of generosity, trustworthiness, and, especially, an enduring commitment to her in particular.” — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“And don’t feel like you’re committing a felony-level violation of Buddhist dogma just because you think of yourself as being a self.” — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“The keen sensitivity with which people detect the flaws of their rivals is one of nature's wonders. It takes a Herculean effort to control… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“realizing you’re not king can be the first step toward getting some real power.” — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions and the discomfort of being ruled by them.” — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“They will, on the one hand, have sex with just about anything that moves, given an easy chance, like males in a low-MPI species.… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
Like a lawyer, the human brain wants victory, not truth; and, like a lawyer, it is sometimes more admirable for skill than virtue. — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“It may seem seem cynical to see all religion as basically self-serving, and indeed the idea has been put pithily by a famous cynic.… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“Brewer said the basic idea is to not fight the urge to, say, smoke a cigarette. That doesn’t mean you succumb to the urge… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
Humans have various ways of coping with extended stress, and one is the anticipation of a better time. Here, as with retribution, there is… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
God knows greed won't vanish. Neither will hatred or chauvanism. Human nature is a stubborn thing. But it isn't beyond control. Even if our… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
“natural selection didn’t design your mind to see the world clearly; it designed your mind to have perceptions and beliefs that would help take… — Robert Wright Copy Share Image
