Cover of Good Reasons for Bad Feelings

Book · 2019 · Medical

Good Reasons for Bad Feelings

Insights from the Frontier of Evolutionary Psychiatry

by Randolph M. Nesse, MD · Recommended by 1 person on 1 podcast

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Evolutionary Psychiatry, Good Feelings for Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Unreal. Yeah, really good. Nice primer as well it two two car garage with your one. Yeah, people should definitely go out and buy get both books for sure.
Chris Williamson · Modern Wisdom · Oct 2026 Listen at 17:59

Why people recommend it

Good Reasons for Bad Feelings by Randolph M. Nesse is a pioneering exploration of evolutionary psychiatry that investigates why natural selection left humans vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. The book received a strong endorsement on the Modern Wisdom podcast during an episode hosted by Chris Williamson and featuring guest Rob Kurzban, titled 35 Emotions Explained By Evolutionary Psychology. While examining Randy Nesse's foundational ideas in the field, Chris Williamson highlighted Good Reasons for Bad Feelings alongside Evolutionary Psychiatry by Riadh Abed and Paul St John-Smith. Williamson described both books as unreal and genuinely excellent, characterizing them as wonderful introductory primers on the subject. Emphasizing the practical and educational value of the material, he strongly urged listeners to go out and purchase both titles. The recommendation emphasized the unique perspective the book offers on mental health, framing psychiatric symptoms not merely as malfunctions, but as evolutionary defenses that gone awry. Through this discussion, the podcast brought renewed attention to Nesse's work, encouraging the audience to explore how evolutionary biology sheds light on the complex mysteries of human emotional suffering and psychological resilience.

Every mention

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Chris Williamson Evolutionary Psychiatry, Good Feelings for Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Unreal. Yeah, really good. Nice p… 1
Recommended
“Evolutionary Psychiatry, Good Feelings for Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Unreal. Yeah, really good. Nice primer as well it two two car garage with your one. Yeah, people should definitely go out and buy get both books for sure.”

Also mentioned in the same episodes

Portraits from Wikimedia Commons: Chris Williamson, CiaPeterson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).