Biopsychologist Victor Johnston explores the origins of human emotions. Drawing on computer science, neurobiology, and evolutionary psychology, he argues that emotions are not an accident of nature, but are instead the basis of learning and reasoning, and help us to adapt to a complex, rapidly changing environment. In the process, he offers a new view of reality - what we see, hear, smell and feel is not an accurate representation of the world around us; rather, our feelings are illusions, shaped by millions of years of evolution.