The Decisive Moment : How the brain makes up its mind

If you believe rational thought is the foundation of wisdom and that the best decisions are based on logic not emotion, think again.

Our decisions are products of an intricate mix of reason, intuition and emotion. If we relied on reason alone we’d be almost incapable of deciding anything at all.

The Decisive Moment tells the amazing story of what goes on in the brain when we make a decision. In lucid and accessible prose Lehrer presents cutting-edge neuroscience and sychological research. He uncovers the debate occurring between different parts of the brain when we face a choice—a debate we are almost always unaware of and often have no control over.

It’s a must read for anyone interested in the human mind and how scientific discovery changes the way we think about ourselves.

Praise for The Decisive Moment:

‘Incisive and thoughtful, yet sensitive and modest…a special pleasure.’

Oliver Sacks

‘Do you ever think about how you think? Have you ever wondered why you’re a slave to logic, or cursed the fact that you’re a creature of emotion? If so, you’ll find plenty for your frontal lobe to chew on in Jonah Lehrer’s incisive and insightful The Decisive Moment…and if not, you should read it anyway—it might make you a little more self-aware. …the author never lets his book stray into the realms of inaccessibility. Instead, incredibly, The Decisive Moment is a fast-paced and addictive exploration of our psyches that is packed with fascinating anecdotes and easily digestible science and psychology…told with a crisp and compelling prose style that makes The Decisive Moment a brain-jolting joy from start to finish.’

Courier Mail

‘In this fascinating excursion into the way the mind works, Lehrer weighs up the benefits of impulse versus rational thought, and his conclusions are surprising…a funny and original book…accessible scientific writing in the tradition of Richard Dawkins and Oliver Sacks.’

Sunday Telegraph