A grand, sweeping history of the evolution of morality across the entire existence of humankind
Hardcover
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Summary
A grand, sweeping history of the evolution of morality across the entire existence of humankind
Description
For almost five million years, humans have been locked in a relationship with morality, inventing and reinventing the concepts of 'Good' and 'Evil', and weaving them into our cities, laws and customs. Morality is a concept that can feel joyless and claustrophobic, associated with restraint and coercion, restriction and sacrifice, inquisition, confession and a guilty conscience. For many, it is a device used to shame us into compliance. This impression is not necessarily incorrect, but it is most certainly incomplete. Hanno Sauer traces humanity's fundamental moral transformations from our earliest ancestors through to the present day, when it can often seem that we have never disagreed more over what it means to be good, and what it means to be right. But we can use our past as a basis for a new understanding of our future. Our current political disagreements may feel like the end of the world, but where will the evolution of morality take us next?
Critic Reviews
'Sauer's comprehensive history of morality from the origins of humanity until today provides a solid basis for contemporary debates - cleverly written, entertaining, and an invitation to rethink one's beliefs' - German Non-Fiction Award Jury
'A tour de force through the history of our values' - Der Standard, Austria
'One of the best non-fiction books of the year' - El Mundo, Spain
'Elegant, confident, eloquent and smart' - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany
'This look into the past is very entertaining, versatile, interestingly presented and at the same time razor-sharp and full of surprises.' - Munchner Merkur, Germany
About the Author
Dr Hanno Sauer is an Associate Professor of Ethics at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and a member of the Ethics Institute at Utrecht University, The Netherlands. His current research takes an interdisciplinary approach to ethics, involving empirically informed metaethics that blends fields of neuroscience, cognitive science politics and social psychology.
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