Do we have free will? What counts as justice in the Peruvian Amazon? Is Catherine Zeta-Jones objectively hotter than Drew Barrymore? These are just a few of the questions that philosopher Tamler Sommers attempts to answer in far-spanning interviews with ten acclaimed researchers in the burgeoning field of moral psychology. Philip Zimbardo talks about his famous “Stanford Prison Experiment” and how it relates to abuses of Abu Ghraib. Harvard neuroscientist Josh Greene reports on the ways our brains react to ethical dilemmas. Jonathan Haidt explains why we object to incest and how that relates to disagreements between conservatives and liberals. Renowned Primatologist Frans de Waal juxtaposes human behavior with that of the bonobo (a species he terms the "hippie ape.") And much more. A Very Bad Wizard is essential reading for anyone curious about the origins and inner workings of our moral lives.
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"An intellectual feast, completely engrossing."
— Ian McEwan
“A thought-provoking and entertaining tour of one of the frontiers of human knowledge — the roots of our moral sense.”
— Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought
“Tamler Sommers has become something of a legend in the world of philosophy, not only for his profound insights into human morality, but also for the almost supernaturally funny and engaging way he presents philosophical ideas.… These interviews give the reader a real sense for some of the most important new research in the cognitive science of morality, but they also do an amazing job of capturing some of the verve and excitement of this emerging new field.”
— Joshua Knobe, Assistant Professor, Program in Cognitive Science and
Department of Philosophy, Yale University
— Ian McEwan
“A thought-provoking and entertaining tour of one of the frontiers of human knowledge — the roots of our moral sense.”
— Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought
“Tamler Sommers has become something of a legend in the world of philosophy, not only for his profound insights into human morality, but also for the almost supernaturally funny and engaging way he presents philosophical ideas.… These interviews give the reader a real sense for some of the most important new research in the cognitive science of morality, but they also do an amazing job of capturing some of the verve and excitement of this emerging new field.”
— Joshua Knobe, Assistant Professor, Program in Cognitive Science and
Department of Philosophy, Yale University
From the Inside Flap
?Do we have free will? What counts as justice in the Peruvian Amazon? Does evolutionary theory make ethics a sham? Is Catherine Zeta-Jones objectively hotter than Drew Barrymore?
These are just a few of the questions that philosopher Tamler Sommers attempts to answer in his interviews with ten acclaimed researchers in the burgeoning field of moral psychology.
Philip Zimbardo discusses his famous Stanford Prison Experiment, why he had to stop the study after only six days, and how what happened sheds light on the abuses of Abu Ghraib. Harvard neuroscientist Joshua Greene and Liane Young use MRI machines to investigate the neuroscience behind moral judgment. Jonathan Haidt tells us why we think sleeping with our siblings is wrong and how this relates to the clash between liberals and conservatives. Renowned primatologist Frans de Waal explains what his research on chimpanzees and bonobos can tell us about love and war. And much more.
A Very Bad Wizard is essential reading for anyone curious about the origins and inner workings of our moral lives.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Well Edited, Informal Philosophy Book,
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This review is from: A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain (Paperback)
*A Very Bad Wizard* was a McSweeney's Book Release Club selection, and it took me a while to even pick this book up and start it because, frankly, it just didn't seem like it would be that interesting. But I was wrong - this relatively informal philosophy book is absolutely amazing. Here are nine casual, thought-provoking conversations covering the role of evolution in morality, the existence (or non-existence) of free will, moral relativism, etc.
This is a wonderfully edited, enjoyable, often humorous, fascinating read. This is the kind of book I am going to lend to a friend and then make sure I get it back so I can lend it again.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well Worth Your Time If You Care About The World of Ideas,
By Magicsparrow7 (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain (Paperback)
This is a fascinating book, without doubt. It will be found challenging by the very religious and by Rational Mind uber alles types alike (a good gift for both types of friends/family members). The interdisciplinary interview serial was a refreshing approach at illuminating a challenging topic. Rather than try for a comprehensive thesis which would inevitably be dry and incomplete (for some) Sommers has created an armature of thoughtful conversations about cutting edge research. From there, readers are invited to contemplate morality and free will and pursue their own musings from the conversation.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Philosophical Page-Turner Worth Multiple Readings,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain (Paperback)
Tamler Sommers collection of interviews with philosophers, psychologists, anthropologists, primatologists and more is a compelling book of ideas. Each interview explores the question of morality from a different angle, each conversation seems to build on the last, and the result is a page-turner that you want to read again as soon as you finish. Tamler Sommers asks complex philosophical questions ("Does free will exist?") with historical or real-world examples or thought experiments. The chapter with psychologist Philip Zimbardo takes the reader behind the scenes of the famous Stanford Prison Experiment -- and into the mind of Zimbardo, the experimenter, as he loses control of the experiment and himself.
I found only chapter eight (out of the nine chapters) to be slightly dry -- and I suspect I would appreciate it again on a second reading. You can find a few of these conversations available in full on the website for The Believer. The book also has the potential to lead people to think you're reading a Harry Potter knock-off. (Added bonus?)
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