Bending The Rules: Morality In The Modern World - From Relationships To Politics And War
by Robert A. Hinde /
2007 / English / PDF
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Everywhere people share certain moral principlesit is bad to steal, to kill, to lieand yet we often subvert these rules. As Robert Hinde points out in this provocative book, the politician will vote with his party instead of his conscience, a lawyer will argue a point that he or she personally abhors. And this constant bending the rules ultimately endangers our world.
Hinde, an eminent Cambridge biologist and psychologist, here presents a new approach to moralitycombining insights from evolutionary science with observations on how people actually behave. Featuring contributions by Nobel Peace Laureate Sir Joseph Rotblat, the book illuminates how rule-bendinghardening in-group boundaries, putting duty over other moral obligations, and much moreoccurs within personal relationships, law, science, medicine, politics, business, and war. Hinde argues that many of the world's problems are related to the disregard of moral rulesfor instance, racism, religious intolerance, excessive consumerism, and global warming. With growing reliance on nuclear weapons, we are heading for a world ruled by threat and fear, instead of one ruled by law and mutual understanding. We need a new understanding of morality, its nature, sources, and importance for communal living. This book helps to provide that understanding.
