But the more we understand how we make decisions, the better we can manage them.

Science is not going to produce anytime soon a formula for good decision making or for manipulating people’s decisions (the hype surrounding “neuromarketing” notwithstanding). Using scanning devices that measure the brain’s activity, scientists can glimpse how the different parts of our brain, ancient and modern, collaborate and compete when we make decisions. But not a second goes by that our ancient dog brains aren’t conferring with our modern cortexes to influence their choices-for better and for worse-and without us even knowing it. This cortex is an evolutionarily recent invention that plans, deliberates, and decides. We have dog brains, basically, with a human cortex stuck on top, a veneer of civilization. The closer scientists look, the clearer it becomes how much we’re like animals. What they’re finding may not be what you want to hear, but it’s worth your while to listen. Though we may have no idea how decision making happens, neuroscientists peering into our brains are beginning to get the picture.

Then we’ll pull a brilliant decision out of thin air-and wonder how we did it. We can be too impulsive or too deliberate for our own good one moment we hotheadedly let our emotions get the better of us, and the next we’re paralyzed by uncertainty. When we make decisions, we’re not always in charge.

Switch on your brain book review