Book Review: Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human by Dr. Guy Leschziner- Behavioral Sciences

Hello, dear Readers,

Below is my book review of Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human by Dr. Guy Leschziner.

Title: Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Behavioral Sciences

Author: Dr. Guy Leschziner

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: December 03, 2024

Language: English

Hardcover: 384 Pages

Meet the Author: Guy Leschziner

Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Seven Deadly Sins will explore the underlying nature of the seven deadly sins, their neuroscientific and psychological basis, and their origin in our genes.

Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Envy. Lust. Anger. These are The Seven Deadly Sins, the vices of humankind that define immorality. But do these sins really represent moral failings, or are they simply important and useful biological functions that humans need to survive? Instead of being acts of immorality, are they really just a result of how our bodies, our psyches, and our brains in particular, are wired? In Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human, Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology, dares to turn much of what society thinks of as morality on its head and to ask these controversial questions.

Leschziner takes readers on an exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins as he looks at their neuroscientific and psychological bases, their origin in our genes, and, crucially, how certain medical disorders may give rise to them. He introduces us to patients whose physical and psychological conditions have given rise to behaviours that have for centuries been labelled as “sin” and how these behaviours might actually be evolutionary imperatives that preserve the tribe and ensure the wellbeing of our societies. In Seven Deadly Sins, a book certain to cause debate and raise controversy, Guy Leschziner, a writer who has explored the mysteries of our sleeping brains and the odd crossed wires of our five senses, asks whether these traits truly represent sin, or simply reflect our intrinsic drive to survive and thrive.

My Thoughts

This book was not what I was expecting at all, in a good way. I expected a purely religious approach to the sins, but it was more than that. I was surprised at how informative and easy to understand Dr. Guy's thoughts and explanations are. Thought-provoking and very unique. Overall, a good book.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy