Impulse : why we do what we do without knowing why we do it

"It seemed like a good idea at the time" has been the limp excuse of many a person whose actions later became cause for regret. Although we see ourselves as rational beings, we are far more likely to act according to impulse than logic. Nor is this always a bad thing, David Lewis suggests. __Impulse__ explores all the mystifying things people do despite knowing better, from blurting out indiscretions to falling for totally incompatible romantic partners. Informed by the latest research in neuropsychology, this eye-opening account explains why snap decisions so often govern--and occasionally enrich--our lives. Lewis investigates two kinds of thinking that occur in the brain: one slow and reflective, the other fast but prone to error. In ways we cannot control, our mental tracks switch from the first type to the second, resulting in impulsive actions. This happens in that instant when the eyes of lovers meet, when the hand reaches for a must-have product that the pocketbook can't afford, when "I really shouldn't" have another drink becomes "Oh why not?" In these moments, our rational awareness takes a back seat. While we inevitably lose self-control on occasion, Lewis says, this can also be desirable, leading to experiences we cherish but would certainly miss if we were always logical. Less about the ideal reasoning we fail to use than the flawed reasoning we manage to get by with, __Impulse__ proves there is more to a healthy mental life than being as coolly calculating as possible. The impulse that saved my life Impulses and your zombie brain Inside the impulsive brain The teenage brain : a work in progress Impulse and the senses The power of the visual Impulse and the risk-taking personality The love impulse : 'It only takes a moment' The overeating impulse : digging our graves with our teeth The buying impulse : the how and why of what we buy The imitation impulse : 'A beautiful place to die' Deplete us not into temptation Free will is a grand illusion. Impulse explores what people do despite knowing better, along with snap decisions that occasionally enrich their lives. This eye-opening account looks at two kinds of thinking--one slow and reflective, the other fast but prone to error--and shows how our mental tracks switch from the first to the second, leading to impulsive behavior.