The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Care, Share, and Follow the Golden Rule by Michael Shermer

The Science of Good and Evil: Why People Cheat, Gossip, Care, Share, and Follow the Golden Rule

Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer John Wagner Studios
Jan 2005
Audiobook
Audiobooks WSBN
0
Readers
0
Reviews
0
Discussions
0
Quotes
From bestselling author Michael Shermer, an investigation of the evolution of morality that is "a paragon of popularized science and philosophy" The Sun (Baltimore) . A century and a half after Darwin first proposed an "evolutionary ethics," science has begun to tackle the roots of morality. Just as evolutionary biologists study why we are hungry (to motivate us to eat) or why sex is enjoyable (to motivate us to procreate) , they are now searching for the very nature of humanity.. In The Science of Good and Evil, science historian Michael Shermer explores how humans evolved from social primates to moral primates; how and why morality motivates the human animal; and how the foundation of moral principles can be built upon empirical evidence. . Along the way he explains the implications of scientific findings for fate and free will, the existence of pure good and pure evil, and the development of early moral sentiments among the first humans. As he closes the divide between science and morality, Shermer draws on stories from the Yanamamo, infamously known as the "fierce people" of the tropical rain forest, to the Stanford studies on jailers' behavior in prisons. The Science of Good and Evil is ultimately a profound look at the moral animal, belief, and the scientific pursuit of truth.
Join the conversation

No discussions yet. Join BookLovers to start a discussion about this book!

No reviews yet. Join BookLovers to write the first review!

No quotes shared yet. Join BookLovers to share your favorite quotes!

Earn Points
Your voice matters. Every comment, review, and quote earns you reward points redeemable for Bitcoin.
Comment +5 pts Review +20 pts Quote +7 pts Upvote +1 pt
BookMatch Quiz
Find books similar to this one
About this book
Publisher Michael Shermer John...
Published 2005
Readers 0