An award-winning psychologist draws on years of research to unveil “a simple but persuasive hypothesis for a new way to think about evil.” -New York Times How can we explain both cruelty and kindness? To award-winning psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen, the explanation for cruelty is low levels of empathy, and the explanation for kindness is high levels of empathy. In The Science of Evil, Baron-Cohen draws on decades of research to develop a new, brain-based theory of human cruelty and kindness. He explores the social and biological factors that can influence our empathy levels, explains the key distinction between cognitive and affective forms of empathy, and shows how low empathy can lead to dehumanizing behavior. Updated with a new introduction by the author, The Science of Evil will continue to challenge our understanding of human cruelty. Reviews: “The Science of Evil contains a huge amount of useful information for a rather short read…it’s an important early step in building a more robust understanding of our species at its most horrific.”—Boston Globe “Rigorously researched…[Baron-Cohen’s] discussion of how parents can instill lifelong empathy in their children is particularly useful.”—Dorothy Rowe, The Guardian (UK) “Attractively humane…fascinating information about the relation between degrees of empathy and the state of our brains.”—Terry Eagleton, Financial Times “Short, clear, and highly readable. Baron-Cohen guides you through his complex material as if you were a student attending a course of lectures. He’s an excellent teacher; there’s no excuse for not understanding anything he says.”—The Spectator (UK) About the Author: Simon Baron-Cohen is a professor of developmental psychopathology and director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of more than six hundred scientific articles and four books, including The Pattern Seekers, The Science of Evil, and The Essential Difference. He lives in Cambridge, UK.
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