The neural basis of human belief systems / edited by Frank Krueger and Jordan Grafman.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

What are beliefs? / Patricia S. Churchland and Paul M. Churchland -- The neuropsychology of belief formation / Robyn Langdon and Emily Connaughton -- A multiple systems approach to causal reasoning / Richard Patterson and Aron K. Barbey -- The neural bases of attitudes, evaluation, and behavior change / Emily B. Falk and Matthew D. Lieberman -- Interpersonal trust as a dynamic belief / Ewart de Visser and Frank Krueger -- The neural bases of moral belief systems / Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Roland Zahn, and Jorge Moll -- Neuroscientific approaches to 'mens rea' assessment / Ullrich Wagner and Henrik Walter -- The neural structure of political belief / Laura Moretti [and others] -- The neural basis of religion / Joseph Bulbulia and Uffe Schjoedt -- The neural basis of abnormal personal belief / Vaughan Bell and Peter W. Halligan -- I believe to my soul / Frank Krueger and Jordan Grafman.

Belief is one of the most commonly used, yet unexplained terms in neuroscience. Beliefs can be seen as forms of mental representations and one of the building blocks of our conscious thoughts. This book provides an interdisciplinary overview of what we currently know about the neural basis of human belief systems, and how different belief systems are implemented in the human brain. The chapters in this volume explain how the neural correlates of beliefs mediate a range of explicit and implicit behaviours ranging from moral decision making, to the practice of religion. Drawing inferences from philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, religion, and cognitive neuroscience, the book has important implications for understanding how different belief systems are implemented in the human brain, and outlines the directions which research on the cognitive neuroscience of beliefs should take in the future.