Why We Think What We Think

Name: Why We Think What We Think
Price: 36.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781529153859

The Unexpected Origins of Our Deepest Beliefs

Turi Munthe

$36.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Hutchinson Heinemann
14 July 2026

Sociology; Business communication & presentation

An eye-opening journey through the secret forces shaping our opinions, this book reveals why we think what we think - and why disagreement matters

'Lively

and

fascinating' Julian Baggini, Financial Times

'This book is always fascinating but frequently mind-blowing' Marina Hyde, Guardian columnist and co-host of The Rest Is Entertainment

'Urgent' Telegraph

'Fizzing with insights and ideas... I loved it' Jenny Kleeman, author of The Price of Life

'Intriguing... Munthe explains why robust debate is essential for a creative and healthy society' Timothy Garton Ash, author of Free Speech and Guardian columnist

An eye-opening journey through the secret forces shaping our opinions, this book reveals why we think what we think - and why disagreement matters

Our opinions - whether we believe in God or in ghosts, our views on sex or animal rights or immigration, our basic sense of what's good or fair - are shaped by a breathtaking web of hidden forces. The age-old idea that our views are forged by reason and evidence alone is wrong- we are influenced by everything from the quirks of distant history, through the geology of where we grew up, to the lines of our genetic code.

This astounding book takes us through culture, biology, geography, history, psychology and much more to uncover the hidden DNA of our opinions. It reveals-

why the descendants of rice farmers have different values to the descendants of grain farmers how our physical appearance shapes the way we see the world - and why conventionally attractive people tend to support the free market why liberals think pineapple should go on pizza, and why conservatives prefer smooth peanut butter to crunchy why hot and humid countries favour authoritarian leaders, and drought-prone ones prefer authoritarian gods

Packed with extraordinary stories and counterintuitive discoveries, Why We Think What We Think asks a fundamental question of ourselves. If we are predisposed to our beliefs, how can we escape the bounds of our own perspective? The answer lies in disagreement. Argument is how we reason, how we think our way to a better world. To thrive, as individuals and societies, we need the other side.

By: Turi Munthe
Imprint: Hutchinson Heinemann
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 153mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 700g
ISBN: 9781529153859
ISBN 10: 1529153859
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 14 July 2026
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , General/trade , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Turi Munthe is a journalist and policy analyst turned media entrepreneur, who has written for the Economist, the Guardian and the TLS and appeared on the BBC, CNN and Fox News. He founded Demotix, the largest network of photojournalists in the world, and Parlia, an encyclopaedia of opinion. He lives in Milan.

Reviews for Why We Think What We Think: The Unexpected Origins of Our Deepest Beliefs

Fascinating, incredibly valuable and accessible – Munthe knits together the wide and deep influences on our perceptions into a compelling view of why we see the world and each other the way we do * Bobby Duffy, author of The Perils of Perception * In this lively and indispensable exploration of the origins of our opinions and the nature of our beliefs, Munthe reveals that engaging our differences is essential to human flourishing. A compelling defence of reasoned, civil disagreement * Robert B. Talisse, Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University *