"The precise way in which causes lead to effects is a notoriously difficult philosophical problem. Why, then, are we all convinced that we can learn the causes of past events by studying history? Alex Rosenberg suggests that we might just be fooling ourselves. In this provocative book, Rosenberg argues that minds and purposes aren't nearly as important as the stories of history would lead us to believe."
Sean Carroll, Author of The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning and the Universe Itself
"In How History Gets Things Wrong, Rosenberg presents a lively and quite devastating indictment of narrative history, demonstrating both its seductive power and damaging effects. Even those who are unconvinced by his argument for the radical falsity of our theory of mind will find plenty in the book that stands independently of that, and that adequately supports his main conclusions."
Peter Carruthers, Professor of Philosophy, University of Maryland
"Has narrative history long been held hostage to 'theory of mind,' and, thus, getting things all wrong? It has, and it is likely to continue doing so, as long as it reflexively accomodates itself to minds eager to be 'besotted by stories,' argues Alex Rosenberg in his thought-provoking new book that brings together social sciences, neuroscience, and cognitive evolutionary psychology and anthropology. It is a page-turner (Rosenberg knows how to tell a good story!) that starts an expertly and timely conversation about the role of cognitive adaptations in shaping academic and popular discourses."
Lisa Zunshine, Bush-Holbrook Professor of English, University of Kentucky; author of Getting Inside Your Head: What Cognitive Science Can Tell Us about Popular Culture
His patient frustration at humanity's persistent wrong-headedness nicely seasons well-judged chapters that carefully guide the non-scientist through a history – there is no other word for it – of 20th-century neurological discoveries that prove his point.
TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION
Rosenberg has written a fascinating and challenging book, one that every historian should read and take into account.
Choice
Alex Rosenberg, a professor of philosophy at Duke University, has written a thought provoking and intellectually unsettling book.
Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective
Rosenberg's thought-provoking book is to be praised for persuasively articulating the challenge of making sense of our cognitive practices once we have given up the idea of original representational contents.
Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
