Description:
An insightful look at the science of explanation, using psychology, philosophy, and stories to reveal surprising truths about how we make sense of ourselves and the world
Humans are explanation-seeking creatures. We wonder why there's traffic, why a friend behaved a certain way, why the sky is blue, and--in moments of existential reflection-- why we are here. Over the last twenty-five years, renowned cognitive scientist Tania Lombrozo has turned this explanation-seeking tendency back on itself to ask: Why do humans explain? What does explanation do for us? And, most important, how can we do it better?
In Why We Ask Why, Lombrozo takes readers on a journey into the depths of explanation, exploring the role that this fundamental cognitive process plays for each of us as we engage with others and the world around us. She reveals what makes some explanations more satisfying than others, why we seek simpler explanations (and whether we should), how explanations drive learning, and the role of explanations in creating meaning and igniting change. Along the way, she provides crucial tools to refine the craft of explanation--for ourselves, for others, and to build a better world.
Through scientific studies and lively stories, we come to appreciate that explanations aren't simply facts that describe the past--they're also mental acts that decide the future. Astute, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising, Why We Ask Why is a book that offers explanations for questions you didn't even know you had.
Brief description:
Tania Lombrozo is the Arthur W. Marks '19 Professor of Psychology at Princeton University. She holds degrees in cognitive science and philosophy from Stanford University and in psychology from Harvard University. Her award-winning research has explored the human drive for explanation in both children and adults. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her husband and two daughters.
Review Quotes:
"A fascinating pop-science primer. . . Lombrozo unpacks the psychology of explanations in rich detail and sharply analyzes how explaining can help and hinder. . . The result is a fresh, engrossing take on an important aspect of human behavior." - Publishers Weekly
"Tania Lombrozo has for a very long time been one of my absolute favorite cognitive scientists. Now she's written one of my absolute favorite books! Winningly personal, beautifully written, and exquisitely crafted, Why We Ask Why is a whirlwind tour of the science of explanation, led by a guide who knows it as well as anyone." - Angela Duckworth, Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and New York Times bestselling author of Grit
"Fascinating, insightful, and always engaging, Why We Ask Why explores the deeply human urge to understand what makes things happen, what makes things tick, and what makes things matter." - Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness
"Through engrossing stories and cutting-edge science, Why We Ask Why offers fresh insight into what drives our desire to explain the world around us. Lombrozo's fascinating book will change the way you think about curiosity, learning, persuasion, and human nature." - Katy Milkman, James G. Dinan Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author of How to Change
"Why We Ask Why is an engrossing tour of our species' cognitive superpower: the need to seek explanations. Lombrozo elegantly turns human curiosity back on itself, giving us a glimpse into how explanation drives everything from learning to meaning making. A delightful tour of how the mind works for anyone who's ever wondered about their own desire to wonder." - Laurie Santos, Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast
"In Why We Ask Why, Tania Lombrozo offers new and expansive ways to think about our own experiences as question-askers, explainers, and humans. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of the transformative power of our drive to explain." - Annie Duke, bestselling author of Quit and Thinking in Bets
"Why are pandas so fat? Why were women in a Vienna maternity clinic dying in childbirth? And why are humans so obsessed with asking why? In this fascinating and original book, Tania Lombrozo explores this defining feature of our species with wit, elegance, and deep insight. Her discussion is wide-ranging and provocative, engaging with debates in the philosophy of science, making the case that a good explanation is a lot like an orgasm, and warning of a world in which increasingly powerful A.I. systems work in ways that nobody can fully explain. Smart, funny, and full of surprises, Why We Ask Why is a gem." - Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University, and author of Psych
"Tania Lombrozo is one of the most eloquent and creative of cognitive scientists as well as one of the best writers. Her splendid new book takes on one of the most profound questions about the human mind--why do we ask why? What lies behind our restless quest for explanations? Lombrozo combines lucid analyses of science and philosophy with engaging examples from everyday life to figure out why we ask why and to say why it matters." - Alison Gopnik, Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and author of The Gardener and the Carpenter