In “The Righteous Mind”, Jonathan Haidt delves into the human psyche to explore what motivates us to behave morally. He argues that our actions are driven by six innate moral instincts: compassion, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity and liberty. Haidt convincingly demonstrates that regardless of political affiliation or religious beliefs, we all share these instincts and use them to make judgments about right and wrong.
For who is this book for ?
If you’re interested in understanding more about what motivates human behavior, then “The Righteous Mind” is a great read. Haidt’s exploration of the moral instincts that drive us will leave you with a better comprehension of why people do the things they do.
Pros :
- “The Righteous Mind” offers a fresh perspective on morality and provides insight into why we behave the way we do.
- Jonathan Haidt is an engaging writer who makes complex concepts easy to understand.
- The book is well researched and contains extensive footnotes.
Cons :
- It could be argued that Haidt paints too rosy a picture of human nature, ignoring the darker aspects of our character.
- Some readers may find the book’s scientific approach to morality dry and difficult to follow.
- The Righteous Mind is quite long, totaling over 500 pages.
Learn more about the author
Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University Stern School of Business. He has written for The Atlantic, TIME, Slate, and the Huffington Post.
Reader Reviews
“The Righteous Mind”
“The Righteous Mind”
“A masterpiece… If you want to read one book on human morality, this is it.”
“This is an astonishingly intelligent and insightful book about the origins of morality. It’s a page-turner because it’s so relevant to contemporary controversies, but it would be equally fascinating to anyone interested in human nature or the history of ideas.”
