The bestselling history of and investigation into human error by beloved New Yorker writer Kathryn Schulz "Both wise and clever, full of fun and surprise about a topic so central to our lives that we almost never even think about it." —Bill McKibben, author of Earth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet To err is human. Yet most of us go through life assuming (and sometimes insisting) that we are right about nearly everything, from the origins of the universe to how to load the dishwasher. If being wrong is so natural, why is our grasp of the psychology of belief so flawed that we are bad at imagining our ideas could be mistaken, and why do we react to our errors with surprise, denial, defensiveness, and shame? In the tradition of The Wisdom of Crowds and Predictably Irrational, Being Wrong explores the fascinating human cognition behind what it means to be in error, and why homo sapiens tend to tacitly assume (or loudly insist) that they are right about most everything. Kathryn Schulz argues that error is the fundamental human condition and should be celebrated as such. Guiding the reader through the history and psychology of error, from Socrates to Alan Greenspan, Being Wrong will change the way you perceive screw-ups, both of the mammoth and daily variety, forever. This witty exploration of wrongology reveals: Our Surprising Fallibility: Schulz examines why being wrong is so natural, yet why we react to our own mistakes with surprise, denial, and shame. - The Certainty Trap: An investigation into why we go through life assuming we are right about nearly everything, from how to load the dishwasher to the origins of the universe. - A History of Error: A journey through the psychology and philosophy of being wrong, guided by thinkers and public figures from Socrates to Alan Greenspan. - The Case for Being Wrong: A compelling argument for why error is the fundamental human condition, and why our capacity to screw up should be celebrated, not condemned. “Kathryn Schulz has given us a brilliant and remarkably upbeat account of the long history of human error. If Being Wrong is this smart and illuminating, I don’t want to be right!” - Steven Johnson, bestselling author of THE GHOST MAP and EVERYTHING BAD IS GOOD FOR YOU “Engrossing.... In the spirit of Blink and Predictably Irrational (but with a large helping of erudition)... Schulz writes with such lucidity and wit that her philosophical enquiry becomes a page-turner.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Schulz draws on philosophers, neuroscientists, psychoanalysts and bit of common sense in an erudite, playful rumination on error.” - Washington Post “This book is both wise and clever, full of fun and surprise about a topic so central to our lives that we almost never even think about it. But for that reason this volume could also be enormously useful―there are very few problems we face, as individuals or as a society, that couldn’t be helpfully addressed if we we were willing to at least entertain the idea that we might not be entirely right.” - Bill McKibben, author of EAARTH: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet “An amazing book. . . . I don’t know when I last read a book as stimulating, as thoughtful, and as much fun to read.” - Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People “A mirthful and wise diagnosis of what ails us: Schulz dances us through science, psychology, and literature in a sparkling history of (and ode to) human error.” - Publishers Weekly “[A]n insightful and delightful discussion of the errors of our ways. . . . Schulz remains good company -- a warm, witty and welcome presence. . . . [S]he combines lucid prose with perfect comic timing. . . . Being Wrong is smart and lively.” - New York Times Book Review “Schulz possesses playfulness even as she brings the reader to tears... Being Wrong has a heartbeat.” - Huffington Post “Ms. Schulz’s book is a funny and philosophical meditation on why error is mostly a humane, courageous and extremely desirable human trait. She flies high in the intellectual skies, leaving beautiful sunlit contrails....It’s lovely to watch this idea warm in Ms. Schulz’s hands....She is epigrammatic. (”No one plans to end up on the wrong side of history.”) She has gobbled books and culture like Ms. Pac-Man. She’s comfortable with everyone from Jonathan Franzen to Heidegger, and from Pliny the Elder to Beyoncé. I don’t bring this up because it’s rare to find a range of reference in a work of popular philosophy. I bring it up because when she takes a detour into, say, “Hamlet,” it’s time not to groan but time to sit up. She’s thought about the play and has alert, persuasive and counterintuitive things to say about it.” - Dwight Garner, New York Times “A funny and philosophical meditation on why error is mostly a humane, courageous and extremely desirable human trait. [Schulz] flies high in the intellectual skies, leaving beautiful sunlit contrails....It’s lovely to watch this