The Battle for Human Nature: Science, Morality and Modern Life

By Barry Schwartz

Book Overview

Out of the investigations and speculations of contemporary science, a challenging view of human behavior and society has emerged and gained strength. It is a view that equates "human nature" utterly and unalterably with the pursuit of self-interest. Influenced by this view, people increasingly appeal to natural imperatives, instead of moral ones, to explain and justify their actions and those of others.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393304450
• ISBN13: 9780393304459
• Release Date: August 1987
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Thought provoking - loved it.

A thought-provoking analysis of how language (especially the technical vocabularies of Economics, Sociology, and Science) affects the social perception and conversation of what it means to be human. I highly highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys discussing the big contemporary social issues...

This is an excellent book

Whomever wrote the other review probably only read the first page of the book. This book provides a very comprehensive analysis of the disciplines of economic theory, sociobiology and behavior theory. Barry Schwartz does an excellent job of illustrating the continuity between the three disciplines and gives an extensive theoretical analysis of them from within a modern conceptualization of the "good life." It is a pity that the other "patron" of this book did not find it quite so helpful as he had hoped. Perhaps it would be more appreciated if it was read with a willingness to admit to that which is true and to challenge that which seemed flawed. By no means does this book provide a perfect referential framework, but it is extremely insightful and brilliantly written.

First Rate!! Thoughtful, clear, compelling, and readable.

This book is well written, with a clear and compelling premise, and very thoughtful analyis. It discusses many issues that affect our day-to-day existence, at the same time that it addresses more theoretical questions of who we are and who we think we should be.