COMMENT:Argues that a propensity for illusion and credulity is shared by humans, as a structural, even hardwired, cognitive flaw. Our intelligence gives us an awareness of the human condition, including death, and delusions are a protective device to cope with reality. Culture is composed of commonly shared illusions. Delusions are those cognitive disorders which are not widely shared. This theme is not wholly novel, but it is entertainingly and insightfully presented, even if there is too much reliance on a single explanation. Paranormal beliefs enable us to retain the advantages of amplified consciousness while coping with its distressing consequences. Schumaker's major influences seem to be Ernest Becker, 1973, <cite>The Denial of Death</cite>; and Henri Bergson, 1935, <cite>Two Sources of Morality and Religion</cite>.
