The compassionate instinct : the science of human goodness

The compassionate instinct The science of human goodness

Book - 2010

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Subjects
Helping behavior.
Compassion.
Interpersonal relations.
Altruism.
Published
New York, N.Y. : W.W. Norton & Co c2010.
Language
English
Other Authors
Dacher Keltner (-), Jason Marsh, Jeremy Adam Smith, 1970-
Edition
1st ed
Physical Description
xx, 316 p. : ill. ; 21 cm
Bibliography
Includes index.
ISBN
9780393337280
  • Contributors
  • Part 1. The Scientific Roots of Human Goodness
  • Introduction
  • The Compassionate Instinct
  • The Evolution of Empathy
  • Peace among Primates
  • Hope on the Battlefield
  • Political Primates
  • The Forgiveness Instinct
  • The New Science of Forgiveness
  • Brain Trust
  • Pay It Forward
  • Wired to Be Inspired
  • Part 2. How To Cultivate Goodness In Relationships With Friends, Family, Coworkers, and Neighbors
  • Introduction
  • Feeling Like Partners
  • Love, Honor, and Thank
  • Stumbling toward Gratitude
  • The Choice to Forgive
  • Compassion across Cubicles
  • Are You a Jerk at Work?
  • A Feeling for Fiction
  • A Different View
  • Can I Trust You? A Conversation between Paul Ekman and His Daughter Eve
  • Hot to Help
  • Part 3. How To Cultivate Goodness in Society and Politics
  • Introduction
  • We Are All Bystanders
  • The Cost of Apathy: An Interview with Robert Reich
  • The Activism Cure
  • America's Trust Fall
  • The Power Paradox
  • Edible Ethics: An Interview with Michael Pollan
  • The Hot Spot
  • In Search of the Moral Voice
  • Making Peace through Apology
  • Truth + Reconciliation
  • Why Is There Peace?
  • The Morality of Global Giving: An Interview with Jan Egeland
  • Global Compassion: A Conversation between the Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman
  • The Heroine with One Thousand Faces
  • The Banality of Heroism
  • Illustration Credits
  • Index
Review by Booklist Review

Why would a Palestinian ambulance driver pledge to help a wounded Israeli soldier who had killed his brother? In contemplating the remarkable commitment of this ambulance driver and in dozens of other settings the contributors to this volume recognize an aspect of human nature that has long eluded scientific scrutiny. But in the 35 essays and interviews here collected (all originally published in Berkeley's Greater Good magazine), readers watch talented psychologists, neurologists, and primatologists investigate the riddles of human compassion. In the selections gathered in the first section, contributors probe the mysterious origins of human empathy, limning an evolutionary history that has primed the human brain for selflessness. In the second section, contributors explore ways to convert our biochemical potential for altruism into day-to-day behavior. Readers learn, for example, how wise management policies can promote caring collaboration even in the cubicle labyrinth. And in the final section, contributors outline strategies such as anti-bystander education for fostering ethical health in society as a whole. Though uneven, this collection stimulates serious reflection.--Christensen, Bryce Copyright 2009 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

Keltner (research director & cofounder, Greater Good Science Ctr., Univ. of California-Berkeley; Born To Be Good) and editors of Greater Good magazine Jason Marsh and Jeremy Adam Smith compile 35 short articles from the publication, beginning with scientific roots, taking up interpersonal relationships, and ending with society and politics. The short, accessible essays-with no references or bibliography-underscore empathy, forgiveness, gratitude, happiness, trust, and apology. Contributors include Jonathan Haidt, Alfie Kohn, Daniel Goleman, Meredith Maran, Steven Pinker, and Desmond Tutu. While encouraging, this collection is not Pollyannaish: experiments reveal the noxious effects of increased power, the ease with which people slip into bully and victim roles, and the difficulty of empathizing with strangers or with masses suffering as opposed to the grief of individuals. Dave Grossman's findings on soldiers' reluctance to kill, training methods used to bypass conscience, and the increase of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans make a startling, important, optimistic statement about compassion. Verdict A readable digest of current work in positive psychology for a general audience.-E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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