Stumbling on Happiness

Stumbling on Happiness
Daniel Gilbert

* Why are lovers quicker to forgive their partners for infidelity than for leaving dirty dishes in the sink?- Why will sighted people pay more to avoid going blind than blind people will payto regain their sight? – Why do dining companions insist on ordering different meals instead of getting what they really want? – Why do pigeons seem to have such excellent aim; why can’t weremember one song while listening to another; and why does the line at the grocery store always slow down the moment we join it?In this brilliant, witty, and accessible book, renowned Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbertdescribes the foibles of imagination and illusions of foresight that cause each of us to misconceive our tomorrows and misestimate our satisfactions. Vividly bringing to life the latest scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Gilbert reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, and about our capacity to predict how much we will likeit when we get there. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become. “Fromthe Trade Paperback edition.”