«The time has come to formulate, through the lens of evolutionary thought, a general theory of deception and self-deception that applies to all species—and primarily to our own. We are passionate liars, even to ourselves. Language, the most valuable possession of our species, not only enhances our ability to lie but greatly expands its scope. We can lie about events distant in space and time, about the details and meanings of other people's behaviors, about our innermost thoughts and desires, and so on. But what is the purpose of self-deception? Why do we have such marvelous sensory organs for detecting information if we are going to distort incoming information as soon as it reaches our minds? […]

«I wrote this book with a specific logical sequence in mind. First, I develop the evolutionary logic and provide a concise overview of deception in Nature. Then I address, in turn, the neurophysiological characteristics of deception, the resulting self-deception, the deceptive phenomena in family and gender relationships, the immunological and socio-psychological implications of self-deception, and its effects on everyday life and its various manifestations, including aviation and space disasters, false historical narratives, war, religion, and the social sciences. I conclude with a few thoughts on how we can combat self-deception in our personal lives. […]»

—From the Preface of the book

What they said about the book:

• «A great book by a uniquely gifted scientist. Robert Trivers has a long tradition of generating extraordinarily original ideas that have opened various research avenues. His Darwinian theory of self-deception is perhaps his most challenging and interesting idea to date. Enriched with Trivers' vivid and clear writing style, the book is a source of enjoyment. I highly recommend it.» — Richard Dawkins, Emeritus Professor of Biology, University of Oxford

• «Great books include significant new ideas, and this one is no exception. However, what makes Trivers' book unusual even by the standards of great books is the density of new ideas. Like other great popular science books, The Folly of Fools presents a significant new idea in an enjoyable and understandable way. But the book does not stop there; it offers dozens of new hypotheses for those of us who have been working in the field for the past twenty years. In this sense, it is not merely a science book for the general public but represents a significant contribution to the scholarly scientific literature.» — William von Hippel, Professor of Psychology, University of Queensland

• «This is a topic very few scientists tackle, perhaps because the degree of self-deception's penetration into our lives is, in itself, a subject of strong denial mechanisms. Nevertheless, Robert Trivers, one of the brightest minds in evolutionary biology, leaves us no escape. There is no doubt; reading the book will open your eyes.» — Frans de Waal, Professor of Ethology, Emory University

• «Robert Trivers has written a delightful, profound book about how our minds systematically create distorted perceptions of reality and how these, in turn, distort the way we present ourselves to others. This is a great contribution to psychology and the social sciences in general, and it will undoubtedly spark further scientific exploration of these important issues.» — David Haig, Professor of Biology, Harvard University

• «Why self-deception is favored by natural selection is a fascinating yet enigmatic question. In his effort to elucidate the phenomenon, Robert Trivers draws examples from the world of insects to the world of international relations. The result is an original and significant book capable of inspiring a thorough discussion, from corner to corner of the globe, on a topic that interests not only specialists but each one of us.» — Richard Wrangham, Professor of Biological Anthropology, Harvard University

Some of the book's contents:

1. THE EVOLUTIONARY LOGIC OF SELF-DECEPTION

2. DECEPTION IN NATURE

3. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY AND INDUCED SELF-DECEPTION

4. SELF-DECEPTION IN THE FAMILY AND THE DIVIDED SELF

5. THE IMMUNOLOGY OF SELF-DECEPTION

6. DECEPTION, SELF-DECEPTION, AND GENDER

7. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SELF-DECEPTION

8. SELF-DECEPTION IN DAILY LIFE

9. SELF-DECEPTION IN AVIATION AND SPACE DISASTERS

10. FALSE HISTORICAL NARRATIVES

11. SELF-DECEPTION AND WAR

12. RELIGION AND SELF-DECEPTION

13. SELF-DECEPTION AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

14. COMBATING SELF-DECEPTION IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES