On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not |  | Author: Robert Burton
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Category: Book
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Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
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Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8
ISBN: 031254152X
Dewey Decimal Number: 612
EAN: 9780312541521
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Product Description
You recognize when you know something for certain, right? You "know" the sky is blue, or that the traffic light had turned green, or where you were on the morning of September 11, 2001--you know these things, well, because you just do. In On Being Certain, neurologist Robert Burton shows that feeling certain—feeling that we know something--- is a mental sensation, rather than evidence of fact. An increasing body of evidence suggests that feelings such as certainty stem from primitive areas of the brain and are independent of active, conscious reflection and reasoning. In other words, the feeling of knowing happens to us; we cannot make it happen. Bringing together cutting-edge neuroscience, experimental data, and fascinating anecdotes, Robert Burton explores the inconsistent and sometimes paradoxical relationship between our thoughts and what we actually know. Provocative and groundbreaking, On Being Certain challenges what we know (or think we know) about the mind, knowledge, and reason. Robert Burton, M.D. graduated from Yale University and University of California at San Francisco medical school, where he also completed his neurology residency. At age 33, he was appointed chief of the Division of Neurology at Mt. Zion-UCSF Hospital, where he subsequently became Associate Chief of the Department of Neurosciences. His non-neurology writing career includes three critically acclaimed novels. He lives in Sausalito, California. In On Being Certain, neurologist Robert Burton challenges the notions of how we think about what we know. He shows that the feeling of certainty we have when we "know" something comes from sources beyond our control and knowledge. In fact, certainty is a mental sensation, rather than evidence of fact. Because this "feeling of knowing" seems like confirmation of knowledge, we tend to think of it as a product of reason. But an increasing body of evidence suggests that feelings such as certainty stem from primitive areas of the brain, and are independent of active, conscious reflection and reasoning. The feeling of knowing happens to us; we cannot make it happen. Bringing together cutting-edge research in neuroscience, experimental data, and fascinating anecdotes, Robert Burton explores the inconsistent and sometimes paradoxical relationship between our thoughts and what we actually know. On Being Certain, will challenge what you know (or think you know) about the mind, knowledge, and reason. “A fascinating read. Burton’s engaging prose takes us into the deepest corners of our subconscious, making us question our most solid contentions. Nobody who reads this book will walk away from it and say `I know this for sure’ ever again."—Sylvia Pagán Westphal, science reporter, The Wall Street Journal “A fascinating read. Burton’s engaging prose takes us into the deepest corners of our subconscious, making us question our most solid contentions. Nobody who reads this book will walk away from it and say `I know this for sure’ ever again."—Sylvia Pagán Westphal, science reporter, The Wall Street Journal
“One of the startling implications of Burton’s thesis is that we ultimately cannot trust ourselves when we believe we know something to be true. 'We can't afford to continue with the outdated claims of a perfectly rational unconscious or knowing when we can trust gut feelings,' he writes. On Being Certain challenges our understanding of the very nature of thought and provokes readers to ask what Burton calls 'the most basic of questions': How do we know what we know?”—Scientific American Mind
"The day after the space shuttle Challenger disaster, a psychology professor named Ulric Neisser had his students write precisely where they'd been when they heard about the explosion. Two and a half years later, he asked them for the same information. While fewer than one in ten got the details right, almost all were certain that their memories were accurate, and many couldn't be dissuaded even after seeing their original notes. For neurologist Robert A. Burton, the Challenger study is emblematic of an essential quality of the human mind and evocative of the psychology underlying everything from nationalism to fundamentalism. In his brilliant new book, Burton systematically shows that certainty is a mental state, a feeling like anger or pride that can help guide us, but that doesn't dependably reflect objective truth. Evidence for Burton's fascinating insight is everywhere around us, and On Being Certain expertly weaves together studies from Science and The New England Journal of Medicine, as well as the front page of The New York Times, to consider the myriad ways in which the brain constructs a useful worldview—often by manipulating details for the sake of consistency—and sometimes, as in the case of schizophrenia, takes untenable liberties. Faced with the inherent unreliability of the human mind, a lesser author might become cynical. Burton, however, is able to appreciate the cultural worth of unjustified certainty, which fuels the impulsive creativity of scientists and artists alike. Equally important, he argues that 'if science can shame us into questioning the nature of conviction, we might develop some degree of tolerance and an increased willingness to consider alternative ideas' . . . On Being Certain ought to be required reading."—Jonathon Keats, Forbes
“Burton provides a compelling and thought-provoking case that we should be more skeptical about our beliefs. Along the way, he also provides a novel perspective on many lines of research that should be of interest to readers who are looking for a broad introduction to the cognitive sciences.”—Seed Magazine
“Neurologist Robert A. Burton, MD has written a gem of a book. The author is a neurologist who is also a novelist and a columnist for Salon.com. This well-written book is the result of many years of cogitation by a wise clinician. If there’s anything you think you're certain of, read this book and you may change your mind.”—Skeptical Inquirer
“It's a wonderful book, easy to read, full of ideas and its highlighting the 'feeling of certainty' as a topic of study is quite new, fertile, and genuinely unsettling.”—John Campbell, Willis S. and Marion Slusser Professor of Philosophy, UC Berkeley, and author of Reference and Consciousness
“What do we do when we recognize that a false certainty feels the same as certainty about the sky being blue? A lesser guide might get bogged down in nail-biting doubts about the limits of knowledge. Yet Burton not only makes clear the fascinating beauty of this tangled terrain, he also brings us out the other side with a clearer sense of how to navigate. It's a lovely piece of work; I'm all but certain you'll like it."—David Dobbs, author of Reef Madness: Charles Darwin, Alexander Agassiz, and the Meaning of Coral
“Burton has a great talent for combining wit and insight in a way both palatable and profound.”—Johanna Shapiro, PhD, professor of Family Medicine at UC Irvine School of Medicine
“This could be one of the most important books of the year. With so much riding on `certainty,’ and so little known about how people actually reach a state of certainty about anything, some plain speaking from a knowledgeable neuroscientist is called for. If Gladwell's Blink was fascinating but largely anecdotal, Burton's book drills down to the real science behind snap judgments and other decision-making.”—Howard Rheingold, author of Smart Mobs
“A new way of looking at knowledge that merits close reading by scientists and general readers alike.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
 I can't be certain you'll love this book, but I sure did. April 4, 2008
Madeleine L. Vanhecke (USA)
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
As an avid reader of authors such as Stephen Pinker (How the Mind Works), Malcolm Gladwell (Blink), Richard Restak (The Brain Has a Mind of Its Own) and Timothy Wilson (Strangers to Ourselves), I found Burton's book On Being Certain a riveting read. Trying to understand how the mind works feels to me as if we are putting together a huge jigsaw puzzle, knowing that we only have 20 or 30% of the pieces. On Being Certain provides a key piece that for me shifted all the others into a more meaningful pattern.
Burton argues eloquently for the power that the feeling of certainty that we are right has over us. I agree; and also find that this book triggered the reverse in me: a sense of uncertainty,the feeling that I'm not sure what I believe about some of the issues Burton raises. And that can be an exhilarating experience as well. As one wit said, "Being certain is nice, but it's doubt that gets you an education."
Burton uses very creative analogies, practical examples, and reader-friendly illustrations to convey the intricacies of what he is describing, and he links what might otherwise seem to be esoteric issues to questions about self and the meaning of life that have haunted humantity for eons. I thought this was a super book.
Well thought out March 11, 2008
Tom Carpenter (Marysville, OH)
27 out of 32 found this review helpful
Like another reviewer, I am often amazed how people can be "certain" of a massive outcome when there is no humanly possible way they could know everything they need to know to be certain. This proves true for both those of a theistic mindset and those of an atheistic mindset. I can understand the agnostic's honesty that he simply doesn't know, but I cannot fathom the theist who says his idea of God is perfect and there's no way it is flawed or the atheist who says there is definitely no God and there's no way he's wrong. Can either side really be certain of this or are they simply trusting other people who share their primary model of thinking or that they "feel" a rapport with?
This is why, though I am a theist, my guiding principle in life is, "when I'm wrong I don't know it". This is the nature of deceit and that's what this book is all about. How do we become convinced that something is right or wrong? Is if by facts? Is it internal or external? The reality is that this books shows that mental stability can be reached in an instant, which shows that it is not particularly related to the whole of information, but maybe to a way that the information can be seen to cooperate with our worldview or the view we hope to hold.
The author helps you understand why you are certain about some things and not about others and even helps you feel certain that you can trust the information in the book, which is particularly important since the whole book is about certainty not always being accurate.
His discussions on rational thinking and objectivity have placed in words what I've been feeling for years. This very experience, which I encountered while reading the book, is itself an expression of "knowing". The modern research, the author informs us, shows that it is impossible to disengage irrelevant parts of the brain in a decision process and, therefore, decisions are always made based on both factual information and other factors (biases, emotions, etc.) that we cannot control. He then suggests the possibility of partial objectivity, which he also suggests is not itself very logical.
All-in-all, you'll like this book if you are OK with walking away and being real with yourself, because you'll have to admit you can't be arrogant in your ideas. Me, I've had teenagers to help me do that, so I had a bit of a leading advantage.
Engaging and Challenging Exploration of Belief October 16, 2008
David D
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
As an avid reader of books in this category, I was pleased to find something new in Robert Burton's book: a head-on engagement with the infrastructure of belief. The question Burton asks is on the face of it a simple one, but in its implications extremely complex: how do we know what we know? As a matter of practical observation, Burton asks why are some people so utterly convinced that their positions are correct while others consistently entertain doubt? From this starting point, Burton takes us through an entertaining and challenging tour -- part neuroscience, part psychology, and part philosophy. The interconnections between these disciplines are elegant and form the tapestry of a convincing argument. In my library I have a selection of books that have influenced my thinking, and among those are a select few that I revisit for insights over and over again. "On Being Certain" is among that select few, and I give it my highest recommendation.
Good writing, interesting content May 28, 2009
Marcy L. Thompson (Sammamish, WA USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
When I judge a non-fiction book, I look for three things:
Is it well-written? Yes, this is a very fluently written book.
Is the content interesting and well-supported? Yes, there are interesting ideas and (perhaps more importantly) the bringing together of ideas I'd read about elsewhere and examining the light and shadows they shed on one another.
And finally, does the book change the way I view the world in some substantial way? In this case, I'll have to say, yes, sort of. In other words, the author has put into more concise terms ideas and notions I'd picked up other places (Steven Pinker, among others), and drawn a couple conclusions I hadn't reached, but with which I basically agree.
Based on the answers to these three questions, I'd like to give this book 4 1/2 stars because the change to my world view was more a matter of bringing some stuff into focus than a matter of opening a new window. However, it's closer to 5 stars than 4, so I'm going with 5.
I found it was very important to read the early part of the book carefully, even though it was largely setting up the arguments of the second half. In that part of the book, we meet people who experience a disconnect between what they "know to be true" and what logic and empirical observation tells them. For instance, the woman who can see that her heart is beating yet believes she is dead. And the man who knows and understands and accepts all the evidence of evolution, but chooses to be a creationist because he believes that to be true. And the man who agrees that the evidence is that the furniture in his room is the same as it ever was, but lacks the ability to know it is the same, and so believes it must be different. Some of these examples go by very quickly, and then are referred to later.
The second half of the book is a solid analysis of the factual content laid out in the first half, and provides some startling insights into what it means to be certain of something (and also, what it does not mean). I suspect that this book will gradually change how I experience certainty in my own life, but I also suspect that will take some time. It's entirely possible that I will think this is a fully 5-star book a year from now, or that I will wish I had given it only 4 stars. All I know is that I am not certain how that will play out.
In the meantime, it's a good book with lots of food for thought in it. Recommended as a fairly light non-fiction read.
You can't agree with my review unless you already agree with my review July 24, 2009
Don McGowan
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
There are many books on topics that seem similar to this one - Blink being the best-known. The difference with Burton is that he's a medical doctor and he approaches things like a medical doctor would. He provides clinical reviews and not just anecdotes. The bigger point he's making, that there is probably a biological underpinning to the feeling that you know something to be true that runs parallel to the part of the brain that underlies the actual knowledge of the fact, would explain a lot of the behavior patterns we see in people. To Burton you can try to convince people they are wrong but that doesn't make them change their minds because you haven't caused them to change the part of the brain that's wired to think the other beliefs are true, and that part of the brain is difficult to change.
Burton doesn't use this example but I will: think of Saul on the road to Damascus. Why did he change his position as to the truth of the gospels? Not because he learned new facts, but because he found he no longer believed the old conclusions from the old facts to be true, and he drew new conclusions from the old facts. Most people don't change their minds just by learning new facts, they change their minds by realizing that the facts they know (whether combined with new ones or not) no longer feel true. Burton provides a compelling explanation for this phenomenon
So I guess what I'm saying is "I like this book because what it says feels like it's true." But saying that demonstrates the whole point of the book...
Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
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