48 pages • 1 hour read
António R. DamásioDescartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Descartes’ Error by António R. Damásio examines the intertwined roles of emotion and reason in human decision-making, challenging the Cartesian mind-body duality. Through the analysis of patients with prefrontal cortex damage, including the famous case of Phineas Gage, Damasio develops his "somatic-marker hypothesis," positing that emotions are crucial for rational thinking and survival.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
António R. Damásio's Descartes' Error receives praise for its groundbreaking exploration of the interplay between emotion and reason in human cognition. Reviewers commend its accessible writing and profound implications for understanding the mind. Some critics, however, find the arguments occasionally repetitive and the scientific explanations overly simplified. Overall, a thought-provoking and influential work.
Who Should Read Descartes' Error?
Readers fascinated by the integration of neuroscience with philosophy will find António R. Damásio's Descartes' Error compelling. Those who enjoyed Oliver Sacks' The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow will appreciate this exploration of the mind-body connection and emotional reasoning.