Ian Leslie Books
Ian Leslie is a British author and journalist known for his works on psychology, behavior, and culture. He has written for publications such as The Economist, The Guardian, and The New Statesman.
Known for: Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit, Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It
Books by Ian Leslie
Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit
Born Liars explores the psychology and evolutionary roots of deception, arguing that lying is an essential part of human social life. Ian Leslie examines how and why people lie, the cognitive mechanis...
Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It
Curious explores the science and psychology of curiosity, arguing that it is one of the most important traits for success and fulfillment in the modern world. Ian Leslie examines how curiosity works, ...
Key Insights from Ian Leslie
The Evolutionary Roots of Deception
To understand why humans lie, one must look backward — deep into our evolutionary past. Deception did not begin with language or civilization; it began with survival. Many species, from cuttlefish to chimpanzees, employ deception as a weapon or a shield. The animal kingdom is rich with creatures tha...
From Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit
Childhood and the Development of Lying
One of the most revealing chapters in the science of deceit begins with children. When a toddler first tells a lie, parents often view it as a moral lapse — but psychologists recognize it as a cognitive milestone. To lie convincingly, a child must understand that others have separate minds and belie...
From Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit
The Evolutionary Roots of Curiosity
Imagine a world before language, before books, before Google. Our ancestors relied on curiosity as a survival tool. In evolutionary terms, curiosity wasn’t a luxury—it was adaptive behavior that helped our species learn about its environment, discover new resources, and avoid danger. I explore how c...
From Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It
The Science of Curiosity
Curiosity is not mystical; it is measurable. In this section, I dive into the psychology and neuroscience that explain how it works. Research from psychologists like Daniel Berlyne shows that curiosity arises from cognitive gaps—the realization that we don’t know something we want to know. These gap...
From Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It
About Ian Leslie
Ian Leslie is a British author and journalist known for his works on psychology, behavior, and culture. He has written for publications such as The Economist, The Guardian, and The New Statesman. His books often explore how human thinking and motivation shape society and personal success.
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Ian Leslie is a British author and journalist known for his works on psychology, behavior, and culture. He has written for publications such as The Economist, The Guardian, and The New Statesman.
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