| Contents |
What is altruism? The nature of altruism ; Extending altruism ; What is empathy ; From empathy to compassion in a neuroscience laboratory ; Love, supreme emotion ; The accomplishment of a twofold benefit, our own and others' ; Self-interested altruism and generalized reciprocity ; Selfless altruism ; The banality of good ; Altruistic heroism ; Unconditional altruism ; Beyond imitations, true altruism : an experimental investigation ; The philosophical arguments against universal selfishness -- The emergence of altruism. Altruism in theories of evolution ; Maternal love, foundation for extended altruism? ; The evolution of cultures ; Altruistic behavior among animals ; Altruism among children ; Prosocial behavior -- Cultivating altruism. Can we change? ; Training the mind : what the cognitive sciences have to say ; How to cultivate altruism : meditations on altruistic love, compassion, joy, and impartiality -- Contrary forces. Egocentrism and crystallization of the ego ; The spread of individualism and narcissism ; The champions of selfishness ; Having hatred or compassion for yourself ; The shortfall of empathy ; At the origin of violence : devaluing the other ; The natural repugnance to kill ; Dehumanizing the other : massacres and genocides ; Has war always existed? ; The decline of violence ; The instrumentalization of animals : a moral aberration ; Backfire : effects of the meat industry on poverty, environment, and health ; Institutionalized selfishness -- Building a more altruistic society. The virtues of cooperation ; An enlightened education ; Fighting inequality ; Toward a caring economy ; Voluntary, joyous simplicity ; Altruism for the sake of future generations ; Sustainable harmony ; Local commitment, global responsibility -- Daring altruism. |
