Why do we do the things we do? attempts to answer that question, looking at it from every angle. He hops back in time, in stages, ultimately ending up at the deep history of our species and its evolutionary legacy. The result is a dazzling tour of the science of human , a majestic synthesis that harvests cutting-edge research across a range of disciplines to provide a subtle and nuanced perspective on why we ultimately do the things we do-- for good...

Modern culture is rewiring our brains and damaging our health. We immerse ourselves in foods whenever we want; enter an enticing world of digital media; buy goods and services with voice commands. This life poses serious risks to our physical and mental states, our connections to others, and even to the world at large. The Perlmutters believe our brains are being gravely manipulated, resulting in behaviors that leave us more lonely, anxious, depressed,...

A developmental psychologist evaluates the ways in which reading and writing have transformed the human brain, in an anecdotal study that reveals the significant changes in evolutionary brain physiology throughout history.