Nominated for the 2020 Pen/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, this book by Patricia S. Churchland explores two crucial questions: Why have all human social groups developed systems of moral values? And how are these systems shaped?
By combining data from neuroscience, genetics, and the study of the natural environment, Churchland attempts to explain how our brains are wired to form relationships, care for our children, and make judgments based on our personal sense of "right and wrong," while also investigating the case of psychopaths who lack morality.
The book offers readers a provocative yet captivating view on the origins of our moral beliefs. With insight and boldness, Churchland presents ideas that can challenge everything we thought we knew about "good behavior" in humans. She tackles topics that are often difficult to discuss in public spheres, shedding light on some of the most complex yet significant aspects of human existence: free will, conscientiousness, the transfer of values from generation to generation, and the foundation of societies based on the concept of morality.
