Quick Review:
Descartes’ Error is a great book that shows the way emotions and feelings influence our decision process. It also shows the influence the body has on decision-making. One of the book’s main goal is to convince the reader into acknowledging an error in Descartes’ famous quote: “I think therefore I am”, Damasio accomplishes that task well through convincing evidence and arguments.
It’s not an easy book for someone that is not acknowledged in brain anatomy or functionality, nevertheless Damasio’s arguments reaches its peak for casual readers when showing the philosophical aspects of decisions and the influence in them by emotions.
What caught my eye to read this book?
Saw it mentioned when reading Mark Manson’s Everything is F*cked and was immediately interested in some of the arguments shown there.
Worth a Read? Hell yeah! Reading Descartes’ Error as more of a casual reader I was able to enjoy and question my own decision making. It changed the way I saw the human mind and arguments against pure rationality in human beings.
Quotes I highlighted (a selection):
“This was astounding. Try to imagine it. Try to imagine not feeling pleasure when you contemplate a painting you love or hear a favorite piece of music. Try to imagine yourself forever robbed of that possibility and yet aware of the intellectual contents of the visual or musical stimulus, and also aware that once it did give you pleasure. We might summarize Elliot’s predicament as to know but not to feel.”[1]
“Willpower is just another name for the idea of choosing according to long-term outcomes rather than short-term ones.”[2]
Random thoughts originated by the book:
The impact emotions and feelings have on decision may influence public opinion and could be used to an argument on how the repetition of lies or “fake news” can convince certain groups to blindly believe on certain policies despite being shown evidence that negates the belief.
Other highlights:
The Postscriptum in this book is beautifully written. When talking about doctor-patient relationships. I am not knowledgeable enough on how the teaching of medicine is applied in America and this country’s difference from other Western countries, but Damasio’s comments on how we observe a patient by their medical tab like a sickness checklist disregards human psychology. He believes it should be shown more like a biography or I believe there is a possibility that doctors are biased towards sick bodies and do not take into account other psychological traits patients may have.
Dr. Damasio also tells us about communication from the body to the mind. I’ve read some articles on the impact stomach and intestines may have over the mind. Studying and investigating this topic may give us a brighter light on the treatment and care for people. I think that food people ingest may be having a larger impact on the performance and well-being of people through it dominance over minds.
[1] Damasio, Antonio R.. Descartes' Error (p. 45). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
[2] Damasio, Antonio R.. Descartes' Error (p. 175). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
:)