Paul Bloom

New York Post Best Book of 2016. We often think of our capacity to experience the suffering of others as the ultimate source of goodness. Many of our wisest policy-makers, activists, scientists, and philosophers agree that the only problem with empathy is that we don’t have enough of it. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues Yale researcher Paul Bloom. In Against Empathy, Bloom reveals empathy to be one of the leading motivators of inequality and immorality in society. Far from helping us to improve the lives of others, empathy is a capricious and irrational emotion that appeals to our narrow prejudices. It muddles our judgment and, ironically, often leads to cruelty. We are at our best when we are smart enough not to rely on it, but to draw instead upon a more distanced compassion. Basing his argument on groundbreaking scientific findings, Bloom makes the case that some of the worst decisions made by individuals and nations—who to give money to, when to go to war, how to respond to climate change, and who to imprison—are too often motivated by honest, yet misplaced, emotions. With precision and wit, he demonstrates how empathy distorts our judgment in every aspect of our lives, from philanthropy and charity to the justice system; from medical care and education to parenting and marriage. Without empathy, Bloom insists, our decisions would be clearer, fairer, and—yes—ultimately more moral. Brilliantly argued, urgent and humane, Against Empathy shows us that, when it comes to both major policy decisions and the choices we make in our everyday lives, limiting our impulse toward empathy is often the most compassionate choice we can make.

“This book will challenge you to rethink your vision of a good life. With sharp insights and lucid prose, Paul Bloom makes a captivating case that pain and suffering are essential to happiness. It’s an exhilarating antidote to toxic positivity.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife One of Behavioral Scientist 's "Notable Books of 2021" From the author of Against Empathy , a different kind of happiness book, one that shows us how suffering is an essential source of both pleasure and meaning in our lives Why do we so often seek out physical pain and emotional turmoil? We go to movies that make us cry, or scream, or gag. We poke at sores, eat spicy foods, immerse ourselves in hot baths, run marathons. Some of us even seek out pain and humiliation in sexual role-play. Where do these seemingly perverse appetites come from? Drawing on groundbreaking findings from psychology and brain science, The Sweet Spot shows how the right kind of suffering sets the stage for enhanced pleasure. Pain can distract us from our anxieties and help us transcend the self. Choosing to suffer can serve social goals; it can display how tough we are or, conversely, can function as a cry for help. Feelings of fear and sadness are part of the pleasure of immersing ourselves in play and fantasy and can provide certain moral satisfactions. And effort, struggle, and difficulty can, in the right contexts, lead to the joys of mastery and flow. But suffering plays a deeper role as well. We are not natural hedonists—a good life involves more than pleasure. People seek lives of meaning and significance; we aspire to rich relationships and satisfying pursuits, and this requires some amount of struggle, anxiety, and loss. Brilliantly argued, witty, and humane, Paul Bloom shows how a life without chosen suffering would be empty—and worse than that, boring .

Yale psychologist Paul Bloom presents a striking new vision of the pleasures of everyday life.The thought of sex with a virgin is intensely arousing for many men. The average American spends over four hours a day watching television. Abstract art can sell for millions of dollars. Young children enjoy playing with imaginary friends and can be comforted by security blankets. People slow their cars to look at gory accidents, and go to movies that make them cry. In this fascinating and witty account, Paul Bloom examines the science behind these curious desires, attractions, and tastes, covering everything from the animal instincts of sex and food to the uniquely human taste for art, music, and stories. Drawing on insights from child development, philosophy, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, How Pleasure Works shows how certain universal habits of the human mind explain what we like and why we like it.

From John Locke to Sigmund Freud, philosophers and psychologists have long believed that we begin life as blank moral slates. Many of us take for granted that babies are born selfish and that it is the role of society—and especially parents—to transform them from little sociopaths into civilized beings. In Just Babies, Paul Bloom argues that humans are in fact hardwired with a sense of morality. Drawing on groundbreaking research at Yale, Bloom demonstrates that, even before they can speak or walk, babies judge the goodness and badness of others’ actions; feel empathy and compassion; act to soothe those in distress; and have a rudimentary sense of justice.Still, this innate morality is limited, sometimes tragically. We are naturally hostile to strangers, prone to parochialism and bigotry. Bringing together insights from psychology, behavioral economics, evolutionary biology, and philosophy, Bloom explores how we have come to surpass these limitations. Along the way, he examines the morality of chimpanzees, violent psychopaths, religious extremists, and Ivy League professors, and explores our often puzzling moral feelings about sex, politics, religion, and race.

A Next Big Idea Club Must-ReadA compelling and accessible new perspective on the modern science of psychology, based on one of Yale’s most popular courses of all timeHow does the brain—a three-pound wrinkly mass—give rise to intelligence and conscious experience? Was Freud right that we are all plagued by forbidden sexual desires? What is the function of emotions such as disgust, gratitude, and shame? Renowned psychologist Paul Bloom answers these questions and many more in Psych, his riveting new book about the science of the mind.Psych is an expert and passionate guide to the most intimate aspects of our nature, serving up the equivalent of a serious university course while being funny, engaging, and full of memorable anecdotes. But Psych is much more than a comprehensive overview of the field of psychology. Bloom reveals what psychology can tell us about the most pressing moral and political issues of our time—including belief in conspiracy theories, the role of genes in explaining human differences, and the nature of prejudice and hatred.Bloom also shows how psychology can give us practical insights into important issues—from the treatment of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety to the best way to lead happy and fulfilling lives. Psych is an engrossing guide to the most important topic there is: it is the story of us.

All humans see the world in two fundamentally different even babies have a rich understanding of both the physical and social worlds. They expect objects to obey principles of physics, and they're startled when things disappear or defy gravity. Yet they can also read emotions and respond with anger, sympathy, and joy. In Descartes' Baby , Bloom draws on a wealth of scientific discoveries to show how these two ways of knowing give rise to such uniquely human traits as humor, disgust, religion, art, and morality. How our dualist perspective, developed throughout our lives, profoundly influences our thoughts, feelings, and actions is the subject of this richly rewarding book.

How do children learn that the word dog refers not to all four-legged animals, and not just to Ralph, but to all members of a particular species? How do they learn the meanings of verbs like think, adjectives like good, and words for abstract entities such as mortgage and story? The acquisition of word meaning is one of the fundamental issues in the study of mind. According to Paul Bloom, children learn words through sophisticated cognitive abilities that exist for other purposes. These include the ability to infer others' intentions, the ability to acquire concepts, an appreciation of syntactic structure, and certain general learning and memory abilities. Although other researchers have associated word learning with some of these capacities, Bloom is the first to show how a complete explanation requires all of them. The acquisition of even simple nouns requires rich conceptual, social, and linguistic capacities interacting in complex ways.This book requires no background in psychology or linguistics and is written in a clear, engaging style. Topics include the effects of language on spatial reasoning, the origin of essentialist beliefs, and the young child's understanding of representational art. The book should appeal to general readers interested in language and cognition as well as to researchers in the field.

Description needed

Describes some of the activities that occur in the school library, including asking a librarian for help, using the computer, reading, being quiet, and taking out a book.

Explains the rules that keep students safe and happy aboard a school bus.

Zloty srodek. O przyjemnosciach cierpienia i poszukiwaniu sensu

The playground is meant for fun, but it's also important to follow the rules. There are rules for the games young readers play--like hopscotch or basketball. These rules ensure everyone has fun and there are no arguments. Through accessible text and vibrant photographs early readers learn that playground rules are also meant to keep people safe! This book's simple yet important message is a must for any early reading collection.

For some, gym class is the best time of the day. The games and sports are a great way to get some exercise and play with friends. But it's important to follow the rules to stay safe and make sure no one gets hurt. Readers will learn that the gym teacher can teach them the right way to play some of their favorite sports, and also help them learn how to respect their classmates and learn good sportsmanship along the way.

Explains some of the rules students should follow in the classroom, including listening to the teacher, working hard, being nice, and following directions.

Explains some of the rules students should follow in the cafeteria at lunch, including being polite, cleaning up after eating, and throwing away garbage.

Rules are designed to keep people safe, and learning to follow the rules is an important part of a childs early education. This invaluable series presents young readers with different situations and settings at school where they need rules to stay safe and keep things in order. From how to handle food in the cafeteria to keeping quiet in the library, readers will learn all about basic school rules. Full-color photographs help illustrate how students should conduct themselves in the classroom and beyond.

WYCHOWANIE - Pakiet dwóch ksiazek o wychowaniu w atrakcyjnej cenie"Test Marshmallow. O pozytkach plynacych z samokontroli" Walter MischelBadacz pokazuje dziecku slodka pianke marshmallow i daje mu wybó mozesz zjesc te pianke od razu albo zaczekac i dostac dwie pianki za jakis czas. Co zrobi badane dziecko? Jakie beda implikacje tego wyboru dla jego przyszlego zycia?Legendarny test Waltera Mischela, okreslany mianem testu cukierkowego, dowiódl, ze zdolnosc do odraczania gratyfikacji jest warunkiem udanego, satysfakcjonujacego samokontrola nie tylko wiaze sie z wyzszymi wynikami w testach wiedzy i kompetencji szkolnych, lepszym funkcjonowaniem spolecznym i poznawczym oraz wiekszym poczuciem wlasnej wartosci, ale takze pomaga nam w radzeniu sobie ze stresem, osiaganiu celów i przezwyciezaniu bolesnych emocji. Czy sila woli jest wrodzona, czy tez mozna sie jej nauczyc?"Test marshmallow" zmieni nasz sposób myslenia o tym, kim jestesmy i kim mozemy sie stac."Twoje wyobrazenie na temat natury ludzkiej diametralnie sie zmieni pod wplywem lektury tej znakomitej ksiazki"- DANIEL KAHNEMAN, autor ksiazki Pulapki myslenia. O mysleniu szybkim i wolnym"Walter Mischel jest uwazany za jednego z najbardziej wplywowych psychologów XX wieku, a Test Marshmallow uczyni go jednym z najwazniejszych równiez w tym stuleciu.- STEVEN PINKER, profesor psychologii na Uniwersytecie Harvarda, autor ksiazki The Better Angels of Our Nature"Fascynujaca ksiazka. Tak kuszaca, ze czytajac ja, stracilem samokontrole.WALTER MISCHEL jest profesorem psychologii na Uniwersytecie Columbia, autorem ponad dwustu artykulów naukowych i wspólautorem ksiazki Introduction to Personality (która do tej pory doczekala sie osmiu wydan)."To tylko dzieci. O narodzinach dobra i zla" Paul BloomWybitny psycholog poznawczy Paul Bloom twierdzi, ze zdolnosc do odrózniania dobra i zla jest w czlowieku gleboko zakodowana.Przez wieki, od Johna Locke'a po Zygmunta Freuda, filozofowie i psychologowie uwazali, ze pod wzgledem moralnym czlowiek przychodzi na swiat jako tabula rasa, niezapisana tablica.Paul Bloom przekonuje, ze poczucie moralnosci towarzyszy nam juz od najwczesniejszego dziecinstwa. Powolujac sie na przelomowe badania prowadzone na Uniwersytecie Yale, wykazuje, ze niemowleta, zanim jeszcze zaczna mówic czy chodzic, oceniaja postepowanie innych jako dobre lub zle, odczuwaja empatie, okazuja wspólczucie, pocieszaja strapionych, a takze maja elementarne poczucie sprawiedliwosci.W swych rozwazaniach nad moralnoscia dzieci i doroslych autor odrzuca modny dzis poglad, ze odpowiedzialnoscia za wybory moralne mozemy obciazyc instynktowne odczucia czy nieswiadome uprzedzenia.Ta porywajaca, blyskotliwa i wnikliwa ksiazka oferuje zupelnie nowe spojrzenie na nasza moralnosc.,,Bloom to przyklad wybitnego naukowca, który potrafi laczyc sprzeczne wyniki badan, ogromna erudycje i prawdziwie ludzkie podejscie, tworzac pelen niuansów i chwilami zaskakujacy portret natury ludzkiej, który budzi przerazenie i zachwyt."JONATHAN HAIDT, autor ksiazki Prawy umysl.,,Odkrycie, jak bogate jest poznawcze i moralne zycie malych dzieci, to fascynujace osiagniecie psychologii XXI wieku. Paul Bloom wnikliwie, a zarazem przystepnie i elegancko wyjasnia, w jaki sposób przyczynia sie ono do lepszego rozumienia natury ludzkiej."STEVEN PINKER, autor ksiazki Piekny stylPaul Bloom jest profesorem psychologii na Uniwersytecie Yale.

Why do we fall in?b Why do we fall into music, cling to things, and touch with stories?Why food, sex, art, shopping, movies, and sports fascinate us?The achievements of philosophy, psychology, and behavioral economics Amazing Stories That Come Together for the First Time bThe same wine tastes different depending on the brand, and the same picture turns out to be the work of a famous artist. . In the blind tasting that distinguishes Pepsi and Coca-Cola, the taste was determined not by the taste of coke but by the brand. Beauty is easy to fall for an ordinary-looking man, and the poisonous neighbor lady looks attractive. Mark McGuires home run ball sells for $ 3 million and the car slows down to see the terrible accident scene.Books that explain the real reasons why food, art, sex, things, movies, stories, and other things can give pleasure to human beings, and experiment with how experiments captivate people and move peoples psychology. to be. Lets meet new insights into human psychology with this extraordinary experiment by Professor Yales professor Paul Bloom, who studies human psychology.

6 volumes of the Journal of Behavioral and Brain Sciences for the year 2003. Volume 26 published by Cambridge University Press. An International Journal of Current Research and Theory with Open Peer Commentary.