ZOOM ONLY

Our species has a rare and perplexing combination of moral tendencies: We can be the nicest of species, and also the nastiest. We can present with heartwarming generosity and unspeakable viciousness. How to understand this? Evolution science provides insights into this contrariness, as do many religions, especially Roman Catholicism and Theravada Buddhism. We will consider the big question: How might the balance be shifted away from nasty, in favor of nice?

Suggested Book: Richard Wrangham. THE GOODNESS PARADOX: THE STRANGE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIRTUE AND VIOLENCE IN HUMAN EVOLUTION. Brief materials on Roman Catholicism and Thervada Buddhism will be distributed to the class via email.

Steve is an anthropologist who taught at Swarthmore College for 44 years and did field work in Thailand and the U.S. Religion has been a career-long interest for both his teaching and research. Since retirement, he has offered more than 30 courses at 4 of Maine's senior colleges.