null
Skip to main content

Black-And-White Thinking: The Burden of a Binary Brain in a Complex World

Hardcover
SKU: 9780374110345
Buy More - Save More. Below are the available bulk discount rates for each individual item when you purchase a certain amount
Quantity Price Savings
25 - 99 40%
100 - 249 42%
250 - 499 47%
500 - 999 49%
1000+ 51%

Format Sturdy and long-lasting. Ideal for libraries and classrooms, and a polished choice for corporate gifts, leadership programs, or event takeaways.

Price $28.00

Total for 25 copies:

Adding to cart… The item has been added
You can purchase this title directly online anytime! If you need a formal quote for budget approval, submit a request and we’ll get it to you quickly.
  • Free shipping over $95
  • Price Match Guarantee. Found a better price? Let us know! We’ll work to match it so you get the best value with BookPal.

Overview

A groundbreaking and timely book about how evolutionary biology can explain our black-and-white brains, and a lesson in how we can escape the pitfalls of binary thinking.

Several million years ago, natural selection equipped us with binary, black-and-white brains. Though the world was arguably simpler back then, it was in many ways much more dangerous. Not coincidentally, the binary brain was highly adept at detecting risk: the ability to analyze threats and respond to changes in the sensory environment―a drop in temperature, the crack of a branch―was essential to our survival as a species.

Since then, the world has evolved―but we, for the most part, haven’t. Confronted with a panoply of shades of gray, our brains have a tendency to “force quit:” to sort the things we see, hear, and experience into manageable but simplistic categories. We stereotype, pigeon-hole, and, above all, draw lines where in reality there are none. In our modern, interconnected world, it might seem like we are ill-equipped to deal with the challenges we face―that living with a binary brain is like trying to navigate a teeming city center with a map that shows only highways.

In Black-and-White Thinking, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton pulls back the curtains of the mind to reveal a new way of thinking about a problem as old as humanity itself. While our instinct for categorization often leads us astray, encouraging polarization, rigid thinking, and sometimes outright denialism, it is an essential component of the mental machinery we use to make sense of the world. Simply put, unless we perceived our environment as a chessboard, our brains wouldn’t be able to play the game.

Using the latest advances in psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, Dutton shows how we can optimize our tendency to categorize and fine-tune our minds to avoid the pitfalls of too little, and too much, complexity. He reveals the enduring importance of three “super categories”―fight or flight, us versus them, and right or wrong―and argues that they remain essential to not only convincing others to change their minds but to changing the world for the better. Black-and-White Thinking is a scientifically informed wake-up call for an era of increasing extremism and a thought-provoking, uplifting guide to training our gray matter to see that gray really does matter.

The book, Black-And-White Thinking: The Burden of a Binary Brain in a Complex World [Bulk, Wholesale, Quantity] ISBN# 9780374110345 in Hardcover by Kevin Dutton may be ordered in bulk quantities. Minimum starts at 25 copies. Availability based on publisher status and quantity being ordered.

Details

Author:
Kevin Dutton
Language:
English
Format:
Hardcover
Publication Date:
01/05/2021
Pages:
400
Publisher:
Farrar Straus Giroux

Customer Reviews

This product hasn't received any reviews yet. Be the first to review this product!

Need Books? BookPal Makes it Easy

  • Free Shipping

    Enjoy free ground shipping on us! Most orders over $95 qualify for free standard ground shipping.It takes an estimated 7-10 business days to deliver and may require additional processing time

    Learn More
  • Dedicated Account Managers

    At BookPal, we go beyond the transaction by providing personal support and a dedicated account manager for every customer.

    Learn More
  • Flexible Delivery Options

    We offer flexible delivery options such Free Ground Shipping (on most orders over $100), Expedited Premium, Expedited Express, International Shipping etc.

    Learn More
  • Sales Tax Exemption

    BookPal is a tax-exempt supplier for all 50 states. We can provide you with a tax-exempt certificate to use on your orders.

    Learn More
  • Price Match Guarantee

    With over 3 million book titles available, it's impossible to always be the lowest priced. If you find a lower price on a new title elsewhere that is available to ship in the quantity you need, we are happy to discount your books and match the lower price.

    Learn More
  • Multiple Payment Options

    BookPal accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and checks by mail, along with Purchase Orders upon approval. We also accept ACH payments and wire transfers.

    Learn More

We are here to help, reach out to our team anytime!

Connect With Us

Subscribe to our newsletter for $25 off your next order of $500+

Review Your Cart Close Close
Your cart is empty Your cart is empty Your cart is empty
Recently Viewed Recently Viewed
Back to top Back to top