Outraged why we fight about morality and politics and how to find common ground
A new framework for the moral mind that completely rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us. For a very long time, humans were considered "killer apes," apex predators. But when you're standing alone in the...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Books Print Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
New York :
Pantheon Books,
[2025]
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| Edition: | First edition. |
| Subjects: | |
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| Summary: | A new framework for the moral mind that completely rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us. For a very long time, humans were considered "killer apes," apex predators. But when you're standing alone in the forest, do you feel strong, ready to take on anything? Or do you feel vulnerable to every sound and movement? Chances are, it's the latter. We descend from a long line of hominids who were prey at least as often as they were predator. Our minds are hard-wired to perceive threats in the world around us, and we are quick to react. And this realization about our ancestors has profound implications for our moral psychology and why it is so easy to feel outraged.The received wisdom in moral psycology divides morality into different pillars, but Gray's grand unifying theory is that all morality stems from our perception of threat and harm, and who's being harmed in a given situation. It explains why we overreact to everything from minor irritations to perceived threats. It can also help explain why you're a Democrat or Republican and how each side sees the world differently. In all cases, moral outrage is the result of seeing someone acting in a way that causes harm, whether to ourselves, to those we care about, or to society.Outraged presents a fascinating, groundbreaking new view on moral conflict that explores why harm is so central to morality, why and how people disagree about perceptions of harm, and how understanding this fundamental principle can help us bridge moral divides. |
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| Physical Description: | viii, 356 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780593317433 9780593469422 |
| Author Notes: | With over 120 published scientific papers, he explores the psychology of morality, politics, religion and AI. Gray is the recipient of numerous early-career and best paper awards, and his findings has been featured in New York Times , the Economist , Scientific American , Wired , and Hidden Brain . He is a regular guest on podcasts and has spoken at multiple TEDx events. Gray is the co-author of the book The Mind Club: Who Thinks, What Feels and Why it Matters (Viking). He was almost a geophysicist, but a night trapped in the Canadian wilderness convinced him otherwise. |
