The Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty Audiobook

" Sexy title for scholarly work which says some people have a screw loose. "

" Simon Baron-Cohen asks the reader to look scientifically at "evil," and to see it as a lack of empathy caused by deficits in the "empathy circuit" of our brains. I found it very interesting to learn about different sections of the brain that work together to create feelings of empathy. Baron-Cohen argues that empathy is humanity's greatest asset, and that more effort needs to be put into cultivating empathy in children. I feel smarter having read this book! "

" The only part that is difficult for the layman to grasp is when the author discusses the different parts of the hypothetical empathy circuit. In the end, one comes away with a picture that is only slightly more enlightened on the neuroscience than before. The clinical studies and psychological stuff makes intuitive sense but doesn't seem as substantial as one might like. "

" It was really interesting how Baron-Cohen operationalized "evil" in terms of empathy, and discussed empathy as a scale. I could have done with more case studies, but all in all this was a nice read! "

" I only ready 1/3 of this book before giving up. I wanted to mark it as read in case I thought about reading it again. Don't do it Jeannette! It's not about evil, but about different levels of empathy. It was a dry, super sciencey book that a doctor might enjoy, but not for consumption by the average Joe. "

" Intriguing treatise on the explanation of evil as a lack of empathy and its psychological and neurological roots in the brain. The author explores borderlines, psychopaths, and narcissists and both the biological (genetic) and environmental factors that cause people to develop such disorders. The author also presents into his own research on the subject of empathy, outlining the areas of the brain that have been found to play a significant part in the "empathy circuit" as he calls it. This book is definitely geared toward the scientifically inclined, as the parts on actual brain regions can be a little dry to an average reader, but the questions raised and argued are fascinating. Great read for those interested in psychology, neuroscience, or those curious about why humans are capable of cruelty. "

" read this awhile back, was very interesting :) "

" Loved the way the author attempts to approach the problem of evil objectively. A true eye-opener! "

" Great topic, but not nearly enough answers. It left me wanting more information and asking a lot more questions. "

" This is a provocative text. If one might step back, it is quite logical to think of empathy coming in gradations, a bell curve. Might we find ways be they learned or genetically to help those with zero or low empathy rather than incarcerating them... "

" Very thought-provoking and provides another way to understand "evil." "

" It had some interesting facts, but he editorialized a lot and stepped pretty far outside the boundaries of his discipline with some amateurish philosophizing. "

" Understanding human cruelty. Great book. "

" Good distillation of the role empathy plays in mental health and our definitions of insanity and evil. "

" Nothing earth shattering here. Interesting, but a bit redundant and off topic. Never discussed the origins of cruelty. In fact, this book was all about empathy and what is and isn't. "

" Author makes a solid argument for empathy & is mindful to explain different reasons people may lack empathy. Presents the problem, but doesn't address or give ideas for solutions. "

" Baron-Cohen is an important scientist (in the field of autism) but this book is really not good. I found some parts interesting, but overall his approach is reductionist to the point of absurdity. "

" Was pretty repetitive. But a good read. "

" Way too fluffy, way too many vague overgeneralizations. "

" Loved the way the author attempts to approach the problem of evil objectively. A true eye-opener! "

" Nothing earth shattering here. Interesting, but a bit redundant and off topic. Never discussed the origins of cruelty. In fact, this book was all about empathy and what is and isn't. "

" Sexy title for scholarly work which says some people have a screw loose. "

" This was a very interesting book. I found the definitions of the personality types very fascinating, I did find the medical definitions of the brain a bit hard to follow. <br/> <br/>If you are interested in the why of cruelty this is a good read even though it doesn't answer the question. "

" Way too fluffy, way too many vague overgeneralizations. "

" Author makes a solid argument for empathy &amp; is mindful to explain different reasons people may lack empathy. Presents the problem, but doesn't address or give ideas for solutions. "

" Much more technical than I was expecting but an interesting look at the relationship between empathy (or lack thereof) and evil acts. "

" Another of those fascinating books showing how much of how we think, feel, and relate in the world is actually based on our brain chemistry. I love these kinds of books as, I believe, they help us get past blaming and shaming, and on to how we make the most of how we are born. "