Research Catalog

Title

Hardwired behavior : what neuroscience reveals about morality / Laurence R. Tancredi.

Author

Tancredi, Laurence R.

Publication

Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, c2005.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

Lawrence, Paul R.

Description

xiv, 226 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

Neuroscience research over the past twenty or more years has brought about a significant change in our perceptions of how the brain affects morality. Findings show that the mind and brain are very close, if not the same, and that the brain 'makes' the mind. This is bringing about a change of focus from examining mental activity ('mentalism') to the physical activity of the brain ('physicalism') to understand thinking and behavior. We are discovering that the physical features of the brain play the major role in shaping our thoughts and emotions, including the way we deal with 'moral' issues. This book sets out the historical framework of the transition from mentalism to physicalism, shows how the physical brain works in moral decisions, and then examines three broad areas of moral decision making: the brain in 'bad' acts, the brain in decisions involving sexual relations, and the brain in money decision making. Book jacket. Also includes information on free will, lying, decision making, evil, fairness, Ricky Green case history, serial killer case history, etc.

Subject

• Neurosciences
• Ethics
• Cognitive neuroscience
• Brain > physiology
• Mental Processes > physiology
• Morals

Genre/Form

Electronic books.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 177-210) and index.

Contents

Neuroscience and morality -- Morality and the mind -- Beyond the mind zone -- The moral brain -- Bad without conscience -- The biology of choice -- Sex and the single moral code -- Brain biology and sex -- Deception -- The biology of money -- The bad and the mad -- Creating a moral brain.

ISBN

0521860016 (hardback : alk. paper)

LCCN

• ^^2005051318
• 9780521860017

OCLC

• 61228745
• SCSB-10204247

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library