Includes bibliographical references (pages 373-396) and index.

We all have a rage circuit we can't fully control once it is engaged. The headlines are filled with examples of rational people with no history of violence or mental illness suddenly snapping in a domestic dispute, barroom brawl, or road-rage attack. We all wish to believe that we are in control of our actions, but the truth is that the right trigger in the right circumstances can unleash a fit of rage in almost anyone. Neurophysiologist R. Douglas Fields reveals and details for the first time the nine triggers that cause us to snap and how we can defuse them. But there's a twist: the same pathways in the brain that can result in violent outbursts also enable us to act heroically and altruistically before our conscious brain realizes what we are doing. A stranger dives into a frigid winter lake to save a drowning child, or a man fights off a group of muggers to protect his family .... Dr. Fields shows that the rage circuit is a doorway into the amazing abilities of human cognition and the greatest mysteries of human behavior. Ultimately, what does this science mean tor how we can all get along better than we do? Readers will find a groundbreaking new perspective, riveting stories, and practical advice, making this book an essential tool in the pursuit of social harmony in our troubled world.--,Adapted from book jacket.