The Science of Good and Evil

Author: Michael Shermer
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1429996757
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 370

Book Description
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 Yanamamö, 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.

TIME the Science of Good and Evil

Author: The Editors of TIME
Publisher: Time Home Entertainment
ISBN: 1547848405
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 195

Book Description
One of the great enigmas of humanity is why we have such a devastating capacity for evil as well as such an enormous ability to do good. What makes some people commit violent harm, while others risk their lives to help those they may not even know? Now, to explore and navigate this essential question of human behavior, the editors at TIME bring you the special edition 'The Science of Good and Evil.' You'll examine "The Roots of Good and Evil," and consider the capacity for morality in animals. Then consider "What Makes Us Moral" by looking at the seemingly innate moral compass of human children and the role that nurturing plays in developing it. Follow modern neuroscience deep into the brain to see what it can tell us about where good and evil behavior might reside and what role genuine love plays in their development. Through it all, visit and analyze tales of senseless acts of violence and the profound acts of selflessness that occur in their wake. As destructive technologies and artificial intelligence continue to develop and strengthen, there has never been a more important time to understand the nature of our capacity for good and evil.

U-Turn

Author: Bruce Grierson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1582345872
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 354

Book Description
Drawing on hundreds of case studies, a look at the psychology of major midlife U-turns examines the life-transforming phenomenon from a philosophical, literary, scientific, and psychological perspective to explain why it occurs.

God: The Failed Hypothesis

Author: Victor J. Stenger
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 161592003X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 310

Book Description
Throughout history, arguments for and against the existence of God have been largely confined to philosophy and theology, while science has sat on the sidelines. Despite the fact that science has revolutionized every aspect of human life and greatly clarified our understanding of the world, somehow the notion has arisen that it has nothing to say about the possibility of a supreme being, which much of humanity worships as the source of all reality. This book contends that, if God exists, some evidence for this existence should be detectable by scientific means, especially considering the central role that God is alleged to play in the operation of the universe and the lives of humans. Treating the traditional God concept, as conventionally presented in the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, like any other scientific hypothesis, physicist Stenger examines all of the claims made for God's existence. He considers the latest Intelligent Design arguments as evidence of God's influence in biology. He looks at human behavior for evidence of immaterial souls and the possible effects of prayer. He discusses the findings of physics and astronomy in weighing the suggestions that the universe is the work of a creator and that humans are God's special creation. After evaluating all the scientific evidence, Stenger concludes that beyond a reasonable doubt the universe and life appear exactly as we might expect if there were no God. This paperback edition of the New York Times bestselling hardcover edition contains a new foreword by Christopher Hitchens and a postscript by the author in which he responds to reviewers' criticisms of the original edition.

Philosophy and the Christian Worldview

Author: David Werther
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1441112979
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 297

Book Description
Philosophy and the Christian Worldview is a collection of new essays written by fifteen philosophers of religion. Bringing together some of the leading lights in current academic philosophy of religion, including William Hasker, Charles Taliaferro and Keith Yandell, it offers a fresh perspective on four major areas of discussion: Religion and Epistemology; Religion and Morality; Religion and Metaphysics; and Religion and Worldview Assessment. United by the argument that the core claims of religion have metaphysical, epistemic and moral entailments, these essays represent a state of the art discussion in contemporary philosophy of religion.

Leaders Without Titles

Author: Stephen J. Sampson
Publisher: Human Resource Development
ISBN: 1599962500
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 209

Book Description
What does it mean to lead? Are there natural born leaders? Can leadership be taught? Throw out everything you thought you knew. Leaders Without Titles challenges the way we determine who our leaders should be and uncovers the factors that really influence the ability to lead.

The Secular Landscape

Author: Kevin McCaffree
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 331950262X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 300

Book Description
This book proposes a comprehensive theory of the loss of religion in human societies, with a specific and substantive focus on the contemporary United States. Kevin McCaffree draws on a range of disciplines including sociology, psychology, anthropology, and history to explore topics such as the origin of religion, the role of religion in recent American history, the loss of religion, and how Americans are dealing with this loss. The book is not only richly theoretical but also empirical. Hundreds of scientific studies are cited, and new statistical analyses enhance its core arguments. What emerges is an integrative and illuminating theory of secularization.

And Jacob Digged a Well

Author: Theodore M. Snider
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781475916959
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 408

Book Description
The subject of Christology has been a struggle for the church from the very beginning. It has resulted in divisions, crusades, inquisitions, persecutions, and a wide range of creeds. Each group claims it possesses the trutha truth revealed to them, a particular turn on belief they alone rightly proclaim. In And Jacob Digged a Well, author Pastor Theodore M. Snider provides a commentary on religionwhere its been, where its headed, and how it fits in the modern world. He seeks to answer this question: why do we believe what we believe? Snider discusses how scientific and technological discoveries have changed not only our worldviews but also our Godviews and how consciousness and brain research are altering the way we understand each other and how beliefs are formed. He compiles a diverse amount of information on topics relevant to both secular and religious audiences, including creationism, evolution, intelligent design, and artificial intelligence through historical, scientific, cognitive, and psychological avenues. And Jacob Digged a Well reminds us that natural may not be as clear as we once thought. Faith in the twenty-first century needs to look quite different from the past century.

The Top 10 Myths about Evolution

Author: Cameron M. Smith
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615921443
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 200

Book Description
In this concise, accessible, "myth-busters handbook," two renowned educators clearly dispel the ten most common myths about evolution. Using a refreshing, jargon-free style, they set the record straight that evolution is "just a theory." Illustrations.

The Goodness Paradox

Author: Richard Wrangham
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 1101870915
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 402

Book Description
“A fascinating new analysis of human violence, filled with fresh ideas and gripping evidence from our primate cousins, historical forebears, and contemporary neighbors.” —Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature We Homo sapiens can be the nicest of species and also the nastiest. What occurred during human evolution to account for this paradox? What are the two kinds of aggression that primates are prone to, and why did each evolve separately? How does the intensity of violence among humans compare with the aggressive behavior of other primates? How did humans domesticate themselves? And how were the acquisition of language and the practice of capital punishment determining factors in the rise of culture and civilization? Authoritative, provocative, and engaging, The Goodness Paradox offers a startlingly original theory of how, in the last 250 million years, humankind became an increasingly peaceful species in daily interactions even as its capacity for coolly planned and devastating violence remains undiminished. In tracing the evolutionary histories of reactive and proactive aggression, biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham forcefully and persuasively argues for the necessity of social tolerance and the control of savage divisiveness still haunting us today.