Skip to Main Content (Press Enter) Toggle side nav

Descartes' Error

Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain

Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain

By Antonio Damasio

By Antonio Damasio

By Antonio Damasio

By Antonio Damasio

Best Seller

Category: Psychology

Category: Psychology

Paperback $19.00

Sep 27, 2005 | ISBN 9780143036227

Ebook $4.99

Sep 27, 2005 | ISBN 9781101640135

All Formats
+
    Descartes' Error by Antonio Damasio
    Paperback $19.00
    Sep 27, 2005 | ISBN 9780143036227

    Also available from:

    See All Formats (1) +

    Paperback
    –

    • Paperback $19.00

      Sep 27, 2005 | ISBN 9780143036227

      Also available from:

    Ebook
    +

    • Ebook

      Sep 27, 2005 | ISBN 9781101640135

      Available from:

    Buy the Ebook:

    About Descartes’ Error

    Since Descartes famously proclaimed, “I think, therefore I am,” science has often overlooked emotions as the source of a person’s true being. Even modern neuroscience has tended, until recently, to concentrate on the cognitive aspects of brain function, disregarding emotions. This attitude began to change with the publication of Descartes’ Error in 1995. Antonio Damasio—”one of the world’s leading neurologists” (The New York Times)—challenged traditional ideas about the connection between emotions and rationality. In this wondrously engaging book, Damasio takes the reader on a journey of scientific discovery through a series of case studies, demonstrating what many of us have long suspected: emotions are not a luxury, they are essential to rational thinking and to normal social behavior.

    About Descartes’ Error

    Since Descartes famously proclaimed, “I think, therefore I am,” science has often overlooked emotions as the source of a person’s true being. Even modern neuroscience has tended, until recently, to concentrate on the cognitive aspects of brain function, disregarding emotions. This attitude began to change with the publication of Descartes’ Error in 1995. Antonio Damasio—”one of the world’s leading neurologists” (The New York Times)—challenged traditional ideas about the connection between emotions and rationality. In this wondrously engaging book, Damasio takes the reader on a journey of scientific discovery through a series of case studies, demonstrating what many of us have long suspected: emotions are not a luxury, they are essential to rational thinking and to normal social behavior.

    Read An Excerpt

    Read An Excerpt

    Also by Antonio Damasio

    The Strange Order of Things
    Self Comes to Mind
    See all books by Antonio Damasio

    Also by Antonio Damasio

    The Strange Order of Things
    Self Comes to Mind
    See all books by Antonio Damasio

    About Antonio Damasio

    ANTONIO DAMASIO is University Professor; David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Philosophy; and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. Awards he has received include the Prince of Asturias Prize in Science and Technology,… More about Antonio Damasio

    About Antonio Damasio

    ANTONIO DAMASIO is University Professor; David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Philosophy; and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. Awards he has received include the Prince of Asturias Prize in Science and Technology,… More about Antonio Damasio

    Product Details

    Category: Psychology

    Paperback | $19.00
    Published by Penguin Books
    Sep 27, 2005 | 336 Pages | 5-1/16 x 7-3/4 | ISBN 9780143036227

    Category: Psychology

    Ebook | $4.99
    Published by Penguin Books
    Sep 27, 2005 | 336 Pages | ISBN 9781101640135

    Inspired by Your Browsing History

    Buy other books like Descartes’ Error

    ‹ ›
    You Are Now Less Dumb
    You Are Now Less Dumb
    David McRaney
    The Blank Slate
    The Blank Slate
    Steven Pinker
    Stumbling on Happiness
    Stumbling on Happiness
    Daniel Gilbert
    Subliminal
    Subliminal
    Leonard Mlodinow
    The Psychology Book
    The Psychology Book
    DK
    Irresistible
    Irresistible
    Adam Alter
    Reclaiming Conversation
    Reclaiming Conversation
    Sherry Turkle
    The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
    The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
    Erving Goffman
    The Sociology Book
    The Sociology Book
    Sarah Tomley and Mitchell Hobbs
    Shop Class as Soulcraft
    Shop Class as Soulcraft
    Matthew B. Crawford
    Wisdom
    Wisdom
    Stephen S. Hall
    Musicophilia
    Musicophilia
    Oliver Sacks
    Incognito
    Incognito
    David Eagleman
    Memories, Dreams, Reflections
    Memories, Dreams, Reflections
    C. G. Jung
    Moral Tribes
    Moral Tribes
    Joshua Greene
    Thank You for Arguing, Third Edition
    Thank You for Arguing, Third Edition
    Jay Heinrichs
    The Brain That Changes Itself
    The Brain That Changes Itself
    Norman Doidge
    The Undiscovered Self
    The Undiscovered Self
    C. G. Jung
    A Whole New Mind
    A Whole New Mind
    Daniel H. Pink
    The Stuff of Thought
    The Stuff of Thought
    Steven Pinker
    Hallucinations
    Hallucinations
    Oliver Sacks
    The Soul's Code
    The Soul’s Code
    James Hillman
    Where Is the Mango Princess?
    Where Is the Mango Princess?
    Cathy Crimmins
    Words Can Change Your Brain
    Words Can Change Your Brain
    Mark Robert Waldman and Andrew Newberg
    Awakenings
    Awakenings
    Oliver Sacks
    A General Theory of Love
    A General Theory of Love
    Richard Lannon, Fari Amini and Thomas Lewis
    The Personality Brokers
    The Personality Brokers
    Merve Emre
    The Narcissist Next Door
    The Narcissist Next Door
    Jeffrey Kluger
    Thinking in Bets
    Thinking in Bets
    Annie Duke
    Social
    Social
    Matthew D. Lieberman
    The Psychopath Inside
    The Psychopath Inside
    James Fallon
    Just Babies
    Just Babies
    Paul Bloom

    Praise

     

    Table Of Contents

    Introduction xi

    PART I

    Unpleasantness in Vermont 3

    Gage’s Brain Revealed 20

    A Modern Phineas Gage 34

    In Colder Blood 52

    PART II

    Assembling an Explanation 83

    Biological Regulation and Survival 114

    Emotions and Feelings 127

    The Somatic-Marker Hypothesis 165

    PART III

    Testing the Somatic-Marker Hypothesis 205

    The Body-Minded Brain 223

    A Passion for Reasoning 245

    Postscriptum 253

    Notes and References 269

    Further Reading 293

    Acknowledgments 299

    Index 301

    Be the first to know!
    More from Antonio Damasio and book picks sent right to your inbox
    More from Antonio Damasio and book picks sent right to your inbox
    By clicking SIGN UP, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
    Dismiss
    Thanks!
    Something awesome is on its way.
    Back to Top

    Visit other sites in the Penguin Random House Network

    Raise kids who love to read

    Brightly

    Raise kids who love to read
    An online magazine for today’s home cook

    TASTE

    An online magazine for today’s home cook
    The eBooks you want at the lowest prices

    LitFlash

    The eBooks you want at the lowest prices
    Read it first. Pass it on!

    Read it Forward

    Read it first. Pass it on!