The Science Of Sin (why We Do The Things We Know We Shouldn't)

By (author) Lewis, Jack
Description:

A look at the science behind temptation - and how to overcome it.

''Entertaining and enlightening ... offers ways to temper our anti-social tendencies.'' Dr Michael Mosley, science journalist and TV presenter

It can often seem that we are utterly surrounded by temptation, from the ease of online shopping and the stream of targeted advertising encouraging us to greedily acquire yet more stuff, to the coffee, cake and fast-food shops that line our streets, beckoning us in to over-indulge in all the wrong things. It can feel like a constant battle to stay away from the temptations we know we shouldn’t give in to.

Where exactly do these urges come from? If we know we shouldn’t do something, for the sake of our health, our pockets or our reputation, why is it often so very hard to do the right thing?

Anyone who has ever wondered why they never seem to be able to stick to their diet, anyone to whom the world seems more vain and self-obsessed than ever, anyone who can''t understand why love-cheats pursue their extra-marital affairs, anyone who struggles to resist the lure of the comfy sofa, or anyone who makes themselves bitter through endless comparison with other people, anyone who is addicted to their smartphone – this book is for you.

The Science of Sin brings together the latest findings from neuroscience research to shed light on the universally fascinating subject of temptation – where it comes from, how to resist it and why we all succumb from time to time. With each chapter inspired by one of the seven deadly sins, neurobiologist Jack Lewis illuminates the neural battles between temptation and restraint that take place within our brains, suggesting strategies to help us better manage our most troublesome impulses with the explicit goal of improving our health, our happiness and our productivity – helping us to say ‘no!’ more often, especially when it really counts.

Table of contents:

Chapter 1: In the Beginning
Chapter 2: Pride
Chapter 3: Gluttony
Chapter 4: Lust
Chapter 5: Sloth
Chapter 6: Greed
Chapter 7: Envy
Chapter 8: Wrath
Chapter 9: Save Our Souls
Chapter 10: Beyond Temptation
Appendix 1: Desiderata by Max Ehrman
Appendix 2: Online Resources
Glossary
Select References
Acknowledgements
Index

Review quote:
Raises some interesting questions about the brain''s role in bad behaviour.
Review quote:
Offers entertaining and enlightening insights into the neurobiology behind some of our favourite sins. It combines fascinating contemporary and historical stories with cutting edge science and offers ways to temper our anti-social tendencies.
Review quote:
This book is a rollercoaster ride through the brain in search of what actually causes the dark side of human nature. It brings together science, religion and philosophy in a way that casts light on everyone’s battle with temptation.
Review quote:
Writing with breadth, clarity and wisdom, Jack Lewis takes us through the religious antecedents. Each ‘sin’ is treated in the same careful and systematic way; highlighting their glory and their devastating consequences, their origins and what it means to commit them – or not. The way that difficult issues are underwritten by deeply informed neuroscience lends the book a reassuring authority.
Review quote:
The neurological circuits responsible [for our sins] are named and shamed.
Biographical note:

Jack Lewis is a neurobiologist and television presenter. He earned a PhD in neuroscience from University College London, continuing his research using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to investigate how human brains integrate sound and vision as a post-d