Book details

Book description

An immensely fascinating look at the origins and evolutionary purpose of human pleasure

From our enjoyment of music to our cravings for chocolate, from our love for children and family to our attraction to things of beauty, this book embarks on an intriguing and accessible exploration of the purpose of pleasure in our lives and in human history. How did pleasure evolve and why? How does it develop in children? How does the pursuit of pleasure play a critical role in brain development? The Pleasure Instinct explores everything we need to know about our urge to feel good. Gene Wallenstein, Ph. D., is an internation-ally recognized neuroscientist and expert on the biology of emotions. He is a pioneer in the emerging field of cognitive neurobiology, and for the last decade his research on the evolution of emotions has been featured in leading scientific journals, establishing him as one of the prominent figures shaping this new field. Formerly a Fellow at Harvard University and an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Utah, he is now the Director of Global Outcomes Research at Pfizer Global Research and Development.