Being wrong is an inescapable part of being alive. And yet, we go through life t
acitly assuming (or loudly insisting) that we are right about nearly everything
- from our political beliefs to our private memories, from our grasp of scientif
ic fact to the merits of our favourite team. Being Wrong looks at why this convi
ction has such a powerful grip on us, what happens when this conviction is shake
n, and how we interpret the moral, political and psychological significance of b
eing wrong.Drawing on philosophies old and new and cutting-edge neuroscience, Ka
thryn Schulz offers an eloquent exploration of the allure of certainty and the n
ecessity of fallibility in four main areas: in religion (when the end of the wor
ld fails to be nigh); in politics (where were those WMD?); in memory (where did
I leave my keys?); and in love (when Mr or Miss Right becomes Mr or Miss Wrong).
