Why we believe

In response to a question about the evolutionary basis of how we manage to be deluded, I don't know what Marvin Harris might have said about it, but here's a review of James Alcock's new book.

You can also read his article in Skeptical Inquirer from back in 1995. In a nutshell, the brain mechanisms that kept our ancestors alive on the African savanna don't always work so well in the present day. That's why we need to learn, and mindfully practice, critical thinking.