Paul Bloom is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology at Yale University. He is the author or editor of six books, including the acclaimed" How Pleasure Works." He has won numerous awards for his research and teaching, and his scientific and popular articles have appeared in "The New York Times Magazine, Nature, The""New Yorker, The""Atlantic, Science, Slate," "The Best American Science Writing," and many other publications. He lives in New Haven with his wife and two sons. Visit his website at paulbloomatyale.com and follow him on Twitter at @paulbloomatyale.
A "New York Times Book Review" Editor's Choice
"Insightful [and] frequently funny...Bloom manages to translate
abstract principles into clear, readable prose, making complex
material accessible to the layperson without oversimplifying. His
voice is witty, engaging, and candidly quirky...Reveals striking
truths about the nature of morality and humanity."
" --""Boston Globe"
"Fascinating."
"--The Atlantic"
"Bloom has a talent for distilling scholarly work (his and others')
into accessible, appealing prose...He writes with both an authority
and an openness that suggest he would enjoy a lively discussion
with any skeptics."
"--Washington Post"
"Bloom -- an elegant, lucid and economical writer -- makes an
excellent guide...He's an observer and evaluator who's not
ideologically invested in any one interpretation of the evidence...
If he takes exception with moral philosophy's fixation on
depersonalized thought problems, he is just as leery of the notion
that morality is entirely based on feelings derived from our
evolutionary past. The hard-wired stuff is just the beginning,
Bloom points out, and reason has an essential part to play in our
moral development, as well."
"--"Laura Miller, "Salon"
"In a lively, accessible style, Bloom...draws on research into
adults from many societies, including the extant hunter-gatherer
tribes. And he tackles the moral claims of philosophy and religion,
arguing that we understand how the 'amoral force of natural
selection' may have instilled the foundations for moral thought and
action."
"--New Scientist"
"Brisk and authoritative...[Bloom's] discussion of disgust is
particularly good...the experiments he describes are nifty."
--"Nature"
"One comes to Paul Bloom for his unfailingly brilliant
psychological research; one stays for the wise and relaxed way he
writes about it."
--Jim Holt, author of "Why Does the World Exist?" "An Existential
Detective Story
"
"The rich cognitive and moral life of babies is among the most
fascinating discoveries of twenty-first-century psychology. Paul
Bloom explains how this work illuminates human nature, and does it
with his trademark clarity, depth, discernment, and graceful
style."
--Steven Pinker, professor of psychology, Harvard University;
author of "How the Mind Works"
"Take a tour through the latest and most amazing research in child
psychology, and come back with a better understanding of the
strange things adults do. Bloom shows us how a first rate scientist
integrates conflicting findings, broad scholarship, and deep
humanity to draw a nuanced and often surprising portrait of human
nature, with all its beauty, horror, and wonder."
--Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership,
New York University Stern School of Business; author of "The
Happiness Hypothesis" and "The Righteous Mind"
""Just Babies" is an extremely important book. Today it is received
wisdom that morality is unreal: our evolutionary instincts are
purely selfish. We're also told that human society is built on
irrational impulses, that reason and choice count for nothing. A
leading experimental psychologist, but also a skilled reader of
philosophy, Bloom authoritatively punctures both of these errors.
Lively and deftly argued, with admirably fair treatment of opposing
views, Just Babies shows that humans inherit a rich basis for
morality, but also some disturbing tendencies. Making the best of
the good and doing what we can to inhibit the bad is the job of
history, culture and reason."
--Martha C. Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor
of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago; author of "Political
Emotions"
"Wonderfully clear and entertaining...If you want to understand
yourself, your children, and the psychopath in the next cubicle
better than you do at present--read this book."
--Sam Harris, author of "Free Will" and "The End of Faith"
""Just Babies "is a fascinating, original exploration of our sense
of right and wrong. Bloom and his colleagues plumb the mysteries of
morality by playing games with babies, and in this witty, elegant
book, he demonstrates the profound lessons we can gain from their
responses. After finishing it, you'll never look at an infant the
same way again."" "
--Carl Zimmer, author of "Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the
Brain and How it Changed the World"
"In "Just Babies," Paul Bloom provides a wonderful, in-depth look
at how our morality develops from infancy onward, making the strong
case for the subtle interplay of genes and environment in the way
we turn out -- a must for social science enthusiasts and
parents."
--Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral
Economics;
author of "Predictably Irrational"
"Paul Bloom's engaging explorations of the moral preferences of
infants set the stage for a book that isn't really 'just babies'
because it goes deeply into the nature of morality itself, for all
of us. This is a book for everyone who wants to know more about the
kind of moral beings we are."
--Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton
University; author of "The Life You Can Save"
"Paul Bloom has such an interesting mind, and it's a rare treat to
follow as he tracks the origins of human morality. With clarity and
wit, Bloom shows that babies have an incredible amount to teach
us--and in these masterful pages, the lessons are full of surprise
and delight."
--Emily Bazelon, author of "Sticks and Stones: Defeating the
Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and
Empathy"
"'The Origins of Good and Evil' is an ambitious subtitle, but this
book earns it. Paul Bloom combines graceful, witty writing with
intellectual rigor to produce a compelling account of how and why
people are so wonderful and so horrible. Drawing on his own
pioneering work and the work of many other psychologists, Bloom
shows that, from infancy on, the imprint of our creator, natural
selection, is evident: we are in some sense moral animals, complete
with compassion and a sense of justice, but our "moral compass" can
be self-serving, sometimes to gruesome effect. Still, transcendence
of a sort is possible; Bloom rightly emphasizes the edifying power
of reason and self-reflection, and notes how these tools of
enlightenment have led to genuine moral progress. This book, by
fostering self-reflection, is itself a tool of enlightenment, and
can help humanity take another step toward the good."
--Robert Wright, author of "The Moral Animal "and "The Evolution of
God"
""Just Babies" is exactly the combination of penetrating insight,
cutting-edge science, and elegant prose that readers have come to
expect from one of psychology's best writers and sharpest
minds."
--Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard
University;
author of "Stumbling on Happiness"
"Paul Bloom is a scientist who knows how to tell a fascinating and
charming story. As a new parent, I found Just Babies not only full
of insights into my son's developing moral sense but also a great
pleasure to read."
--Joshua Foer, author of "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and
Science of Remembering Everything"
"That morality is bred into us is clear from the evolutionary
continuity with other species as well as the reactions of young
infants long before we can expect moral reasoning and logic. In his
lively, personable style Paul Bloom reviews the spectacular new
evidence for the early emergence of the human sense of right and
wrong."
--Frans de Waal, author of "The Bonobo and the Atheist"; C. H.
Candler Professor and Director of the Living Links Center at the
Yerkes Primate Center
"Without God does anything go? No, because we have an evolved moral
nature that gives us a sense of right and wrong. But when does this
sense develop? Thanks to Paul Bloom and this remarkable and
important book, we have an answer--very early childhood. "Just
Babies" is a vital contribution to the scientific study of morality
that fills in a major gap in our understanding of human nature, and
as a bonus it's a riveting read!"
--Michael Shermer, publisher of "Skeptic" magazine and author
of
"The Science of Good and Evil"
" "
"Paul Bloom is one of the best psychologist-writers today. In Just
Babies he combines hard data with charming anecdote and incisive
analysis to explore one of the most profound questions that's ever
confronted mankind: how we become moral beings. He makes an erudite
and impassioned case for the primacy of deliberation and reason in
our lives-a truth given short shrift in pop psychology."
--Sally Satel, M.D., coauthor of "Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal
of Mindless Neuroscience "
"
""Bloom makes a convincing case that morality demands compassion
but sometimes also overrides it ... An engaging examination of
human morality."
"--Kirkus Reviews"
"With wit and passion, Yale psychology professor Bloom ("How
Pleasure Works") explores the nature of morality, drawing on
current research in psychology, evolutionary biology, and
philosophy while discussing which factors appear to be innate and
which are culturally determined. Bloom convincingly establishes
that the nature of morality is open to scientific
investigation."
"--Publishers Weekly"
"With his account sharply tuned to the general reader, Bloom skims
along assuredly through the research. He uses the findings to
nimbly springboard into discussions of philosophy and psychology,
exploring the bases of large moral debates, such as acceptable
sexual practices or when killing is justified. Of interest both to
parents curious about the inner lives of their little ones and to
those seeking a more general, thought-provoking examination of
morality, the book offers remarkable insight into our first baby
steps as moral beings."
--"Booklist"
"Insightful [and] frequently funny...Bloom manages to translate
abstract principles into clear, readable prose, making complex
material accessible to the layperson without oversimplifying. His
voice is witty, engaging, and candidly quirky...Reveals striking
truths about the nature of morality and humanity."
--"Boston Globe
"
"Fascinating."
"--The Atlantic"
"Bloom -- an elegant, lucid and economical writer -- makes an
excellent guide...He's an observer and evaluator who's not
ideologically invested in any one interpretation of the evidence...
If he takes exception with moral philosophy's fixation on
depersonalized thought problems, he is just as leery of the notion
that morality is entirely based on feelings derived from our
evolutionary past. The hard-wired stuff is just the beginning,
Bloom points out, and reason has an essential part to play in our
moral development, as well."
"--"Laura Miller, "Salon"
"In a lively, accessible style, Bloom...draws on research into
adults from many societies, including the extant hunter-gatherer
tribes. And he tackles the moral claims of philosophy and religion,
arguing that we understand how the 'amoral force of natural
selection' may have instilled the foundations for moral thought and
action."
"--New Scientist"
"Brisk and authoritative...[Bloom's] discussion of disgust is
particularly good...the experiments he describes are nifty."
--"Nature"
"One comes to Paul Bloom for his unfailingly brilliant
psychological research; one stays for the wise and relaxed way he
writes about it."
--Jim Holt, author of "Why Does the World Exist?" "An Existential
Detective Story
"
"The rich cognitive and moral life of babies is among the most
fascinating discoveries of twenty-first-century psychology. Paul
Bloom explains how this work illuminates human nature, and does it
with his trademark clarity, depth, discernment, and graceful
style."
--Steven Pinker, professor of psychology, Har
"In a lively, accessible style, Bloom...draws on research into
adults from many societies, including the extant hunter-gatherer
tribes. And he tackles the moral claims of philosophy and religion,
arguing that we understand how the 'amoral force of natural
selection' may have instilled the foundations for moral thought and
action."
"--New Scientist"
"Brisk and authoritative...[Bloom's] discussion of disgust is
particularly good...the experiments he describes are nifty."
--"Nature"
"One comes to Paul Bloom for his unfailingly brilliant
psychological research; one stays for the wise and relaxed way he
writes about it."
--Jim Holt, author of "Why Does the World Exist?" "An Existential
Detective Story
"
"The rich cognitive and moral life of babies is among the most
fascinating discoveries of twenty-first-century psychology. Paul
Bloom explains how this work illuminates human nature, and does it
with his trademark clarity, depth, discernment, and graceful
style."
--Steven Pinker, professor of psychology, Harvard University;
author of "How the Mind Works"
"Take a tour through the latest and most amazing research in child
psychology, and come back with a better understanding of the
strange things adults do. Bloom shows us how a first rate scientist
integrates conflicting findings, broad scholarship, and deep
humanity to draw a nuanced and often surprising portrait of human
nature, with all its beauty, horror, and wonder."
--Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership,
New York University Stern School of Business; author of "The
Happiness Hypothesis" and "The Righteous Mind"
""Just Babies" is an extremely important book. Today it is received
wisdom that morality is unreal: our evolutionary instincts are
purely selfish. We're also told that human society is built on
irrational impulses, that reason and choice count for nothing. A
leading experimental psychologist, but also a skilled reader of
philosophy, B
"One comes to Paul Bloom for his unfailingly brilliant
psychological research; one stays for the wise and relaxed way he
writes about it."
--Jim Holt, author of "Why Does the World Exist?" "An Existential
Detective Story
"
"The rich cognitive and moral life of babies is among the most
fascinating discoveries of twenty-first-century psychology. Paul
Bloom explains how this work illuminates human nature, and does it
with his trademark clarity, depth, discernment, and graceful
style."
--Steven Pinker, professor of psychology, Harvard University;
author of "How the Mind Works"
"Take a tour through the latest and most amazing research in child
psychology, and come back with a better understanding of the
strange things adults do. Bloom shows us how a first rate scientist
integrates conflicting findings, broad scholarship, and deep
humanity to draw a nuanced and often surprising portrait of human
nature, with all its beauty, horror, and wonder."
--Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership,
New York University Stern School of Business; author of "The
Happiness Hypothesis" and "The Righteous Mind"
""Just Babies" is an extremely important book. Today it is received
wisdom that morality is unreal: our evolutionary instincts are
purely selfish. We're also told that human society is built on
irrational impulses, that reason and choice count for nothing. A
leading experimental psychologist, but also a skilled reader of
philosophy, Bloom authoritatively punctures both of these errors.
Lively and deftly argued, with admirably fair treatment of opposing
views, Just Babies shows that humans inherit a rich basis for
morality, but also some disturbing tendencies. Making the best of
the good and doing what we can to inhibit the bad is the job of
history, culture and reason."
--Martha C. Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor
of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago; author of "Political
Emotions"
"Wonderfull
"'The Origins of Good and Evil' is an ambitious subtitle, but this
book earns it. Paul Bloom combines graceful, witty writing with
intellectual rigor to produce a compelling account of how and why
people are so wonderful and so horrible."
- Robert Wright, author of "The Moral Animal "and "The Evolution of
God"
" "
""Just Babies "is a fascinating, original exploration of our sense
of right and wrong. Bloom and his colleagues plumb the mysteries of
morality by playing games with babies, and in this witty, elegant
book, he demonstrates the profound lessons we can gain from their
responses. After finishing it, you'll never look at an infant the
same way again."" "
- Carl Zimmer, author of "Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the
Brain and How It Changed the World"
"Take a tour through the latest and most amazing research in child
psychology, and come back with a better understanding of the
strange things adults do. Bloom shows us how a first rate scientist
integrates conflicting findings, broad scholarship, and deep
humanity to draw a nuanced and often surprising portrait of human
nature, with all its beauty, horror, and hope."
- Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership,
New York University Stern School of Business; author of "The
Righteous Mind"
" "
""Just Babies" is exactly the combination of penetrating insight,
cutting-edge science, and elegant prose that readers have come to
expect from one of psychology's best writers and sharpest
minds."
- Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard
University;
author of "Stumbling on Happiness"
""Just Babies" is an extremely important book...Lively and deftly
argued, with admirably fair treatment of opposing views, "Just
Babies" shows that humans inherit a rich basis for morality, but
also some disturbing tendencies. Making the best of the good and
doing what we can to inhibit the bad is the job of history, culture
and reason."
- Martha C
""Just Babies" is exactly the combination of penetrating insight,
cutting-edge science, and elegant prose that millions of readers
have come to expect from one of psychology's best writers and
sharpest minds."
--Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard
University; author of "Stumbling on Happiness"
"'The Origins of Good and Evil' is an ambitious subtitle, but this
book earns it. Paul Bloom combines graceful, witty writing with
intellectual rigor to produce a compelling account of how and why
people are so wonderful and so horrible. Drawing on his own
pioneering work and the work of many other psychologists, Bloom
shows that, from infancy on, the imprint of our creator, natural
selection, is evident: we are in some sense moral animals, complete
with compassion and a sense of justice, but our 'moral compass' can
be self-serving, sometimes to gruesome effect. Still, transcendence
of a sort is possible; Bloom rightly emphasizes the edifying power
of reason and self-reflection, and notes how these tools of
enlightenment have led to genuine moral progress. This book, by
fostering self-reflection, is itself a tool of enlightenment, and
can help humanity take another step toward the good."
--Robert Wright, author of "The Moral Animal "and "The Evolution of
God"
""Just Babies" is an extremely important book. Today it is received
wisdom that morality is unreal: our evolutionary instincts are
purely selfish. We're also told that human society is built on
irrational impulses, that reason and choice count for nothing. A
leading experimental psychologist, but also a skilled reader of
philosophy, Bloom authoritatively punctures both of these errors.
Lively and deftly argued, with admirably fair treatment of opposing
views, "Just Babies" shows that humans inherit a rich basis for
morality, but also some disturbing tendencies. Making the best of
the good and doing what we can to inhibit the bad is the job of
history, culture and reason."
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