Moral origins: the evolution of virtue, altruism, and shame
(Book)
Author:
Published:
New York : Basic Books, 2012.
Physical Desc:
vii, 418 pages ; 25 cm.
Status:
Carmichael
155.7 B671 2012
Description
From the age of Darwin to the present day, biologists have been grappling with the origins of our moral sense. Why, if the human instinct to survive and reproduce is "selfish," do people engage in self-sacrifice, and even develop ideas like virtue and shame to justify that altruism? Many theories have been put forth, some emphasizing the role of nepotism, others emphasizing the advantages of reciprocation or group selection effects. But evolutionary anthropologist Christopher Boehm finds existing explanations lacking, and in Moral Origins, he offers an elegant new theory. Tracing the development of altruism and group social control over 6 million years, Boehm argues that our moral sense is a sophisticated defense mechanism that enables individuals to survive and thrive in groups. One of the biggest risks of group living is the possibility of being punished for our misdeeds by those around us. Bullies, thieves, free-riders, and especially psychopaths — those who make it difficult for others to go about their lives — are the most likely to suffer this fate. Getting by requires getting along, and this social type of selection, Boehm shows, singles out altruists for survival. This selection pressure has been unique in shaping human nature, and it bred the first stirrings of conscience in the human species. Ultimately, it led to the fully developed sense of virtue and shame that we know today.A groundbreaking exploration of the evolution of human generosity and cooperation, Moral Origins offers profound insight into humanity's moral past — and how it might shape our moral future.
Copies
Location
Call Number
Status
Carmichael
155.7 B671 2012
On Shelf
More Copies In LINK+
Loading LINK+ Copies...
More Details
Format:
Book
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780465020485, 0465020488
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Reviews from GoodReads
Loading GoodReads Reviews.
Citations
APA Citation (style guide)
Boehm, C. (2012). Moral origins: the evolution of virtue, altruism, and shame. New York, Basic Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Boehm, Christopher. 2012. Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame. New York, Basic Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Boehm, Christopher, Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame. New York, Basic Books, 2012.
MLA Citation (style guide)Boehm, Christopher. Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame. New York, Basic Books, 2012.
Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Staff View
Grouped Work ID:
472218e1-5ea8-8045-0eb4-768c8d40cd54
QR Code
Record Information
Last Sierra Extract Time | Sep 26, 2024 11:29:08 PM |
---|---|
Last File Modification Time | Sep 26, 2024 11:29:26 PM |
Last Grouped Work Modification Time | Oct 09, 2024 02:11:21 AM |
MARC Record
LEADER | 01469cam 2200349 a 4500 | ||
---|---|---|---|
001 | sky245090634 | ||
003 | SKY | ||
005 | 20120426000000.0 | ||
008 | 111202t20122010nyu b 001 0 eng | ||
010 | |a 2011048896 | ||
020 | |a 9780465020485 | ||
020 | |a 0465020488 | ||
040 | |a DLC |b eng |c DLC |d BTCTA |d YDXCP |d BDX |d MLN | ||
042 | |a pcc | ||
049 | |a JRSA | ||
050 | 0 | 0 | |a BJ1311 |b .B645 2012 |
082 | 0 | 0 | |a 155.7 |2 23 |
099 | |a 155.7 B671 2012 | ||
100 | 1 | |a Boehm, Christopher. | |
245 | 1 | 0 | |a Moral origins : |b the evolution of virtue, altruism, and shame / |c Christopher Boehm. |
260 | |a New York : |b Basic Books, |c 2012. | ||
300 | |a vii, 418 p. ; |c 25 cm. | ||
504 | |a Includes bibliographical references and index. | ||
505 | 0 | |a Darwin's inner voice -- Living the virtuous life -- Of altruism and free riders -- Knowing our immediate predecessors -- Resurrecting some venerable ancestors -- A natural Garden of Eden -- The positive side of social selection -- Learning morals across the generations -- Work of the moral majority -- Pleistocene ups, downs, and crashes -- Testing the selection-by-reputation hypothesis -- The evolution of morals -- Epilogue: humanity's moral future. | |
650 | 0 | |a Ethics, Evolutionary. | |
650 | 0 | |a Virtue. | |
650 | 0 | |a Altruism. | |
650 | 0 | |a Shame. | |
907 | |a .b21075670 | ||
945 | |y .i65827302 |i 33029095879433 |l carag |s - |k |u 16 |x 1 |w 0 |v 30 |t 3 |z 05-10-12 |o - | ||
948 | |a Featured List 8/12 | ||
998 | |e - |d a |f eng |a car |