The Moral Arc

How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom

By: Michael Shermer

Narrated by: Michael Shermer, Melody Zownir

Length: 19 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

We are living in the most moral period of our species’ history. Best-selling author Michael Shermer’s most accomplished and ambitious book to date demonstrates how the scientific way of thinking has made people, and society as a whole, more moral. Ever since the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment thinkers consciously applied the methods of science to solve social and moral problems. The experimental methods and analytical reasoning of science created the modern world of liberal democracies, civil rights and civil liberties, equal justice under the law, open political and economic borders, free minds and free markets, and prosperity the likes of which no human society in history has ever enjoyed. More people in more places have greater rights, freedoms, liberties, literacy, education, and prosperity - the likes of which no human society in history has ever enjoyed. In this provocative and compelling book - that includes brief histories of freedom rights, women’s rights, gay rights, and animal rights, along with considerations of the nature of evil and moral regress - Shermer explains how abstract reasoning, rationality, empiricism, skepticism - scientific ways of thinking - have profoundly changed the way we perceive morality and, indeed, move us ever closer to a more just world.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2015 Michael Shermer (P)2015 Michael Shermer

Critic reviews

“...It’s an honest, clear account of morality and justice that makes those theoretical concepts come alive as ubiquitous real-life choices.” (Jared Diamond, Pulitzer-prize-winning author of the best-selling books Guns, Germs, and Steel, Collapse, and The World Until Yesterday)

“A thrilling and fascinating book, which could change your view of human history and human destiny.” (Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University)

“Science can’t, by itself, tell you right from wrong. But there’s no better tool for the purpose than the style of moral philosophy that’s inspired by science, and Michael Shermer is a master of that style.” (Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene and The God Delusion)

A well-researched analysis of human development

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes

What did you like best about this story?

Historical perspective

Did Michael Shermer and Melody Zownir do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

yes

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

I did not care for Michael Schermer's style of narration which sounded like he was reading from a script, which of course he was. A good narrator, however, makes the listener feel as if he's in an initmate conversaton.

Thoughtful but with some flaws

Shermer presents a survey of moral attitudes over time arguing, quite convincingly, that morals are improving with time and scientific advancement. There are chapters focusing on different topic areas tied together under the theme of a moral arc. While generally convincing to this listener, there are some flaws in his conclusions. For example, in the chapter on animal rights, the value of these magnificent sentient beings is laid out and the horror of factory farms pointed out. His conclusion, buy meat from local farms. As if that makes much of a difference to the exploited and killed animals. Shermer is behind the moral arc in that case.

Troubling

I have a strong bias which has me distrust any vision of an arc of history. It seems easy to define them, and then just as easy to get derailed. Look at the shift from the relative peace of the late 19th to the horror of the early 20th Century. I found much of what was on offer to be empirically grounded and seemingly sound. Where I was challenged was in the notion of a move towards more local political autonomy as an answer to many of our current ills. However, I don't think he addressed, at all, the power and efficiency of large organizations. Big businesses don't get larger for no reason or for reasons of government preference, but, because of efficiencies that can be obtained as a larger organization. A larger organization can allow for more specialization in tasks, which allows for better, overall, decision making, because you have the internal expertise to understand thing better. I work in the tech world, and it's the ability, in large organizations, to have well trained and well paid specialists, who can do more efficient implementations of various technologies. Now, when you create these small organizations they simply can't afford the specialists. And, it's not like government is the only source of power within a society. Businesses influence us, and when you have a huge disparity in power and resource, then you disadvantage the smaller organization, so the city-state is at an extreme disadvantage to the Walmarts of the world. And, while changing our morality is a good goal, you want some catch all to create a floor for behavior. I don't think Somalia is any more immoral than any where else, yet there is no local power to create order, and secure the rights of the citizen. I'd be curious to explore more deeply with the author what multi-national corporations will look like, and what will keep them in line? And how will we know when the get out of line?

Outstanding!

Shermer's commanding erudition successfully defends his thesis by artfully weaving common threads of moral evolution through multiple disciplines. Shermer picks up in an outstanding fashion where Steven Pinker left off in Better Angels of Our Nature. My only critique would be that Shermer does not integrate or touch upon Sam Harris' arguments or propositions outlined in The Moral Landscape, or at least not in any conspicuous way. In any case, I highly highly recommend this book. Outstanding.

thorough and uplifting

Shermer always manages to combine thorough and well sequenced research and logic with infectious humanism

Humbling and thought provoking.

Shermer's best work to date, he does a great job of illuminating and obtaining insight from humanity's past, present, and future.

clear, concise, responsive

absolutely fantastic. extremely thorough, and most importantly, an encouraging work of inspiration. do yourself a favor and absorb this information.

Fantastic!

What a fantastic book. Recommended to all readers (or listeners.) Kindly and thoughtfully written. I will reread in the future.

moral history

very enjoyable and enlightening book. from the evolutionary beginnings of proto-morality to mondern sensibilities. with a rather optimistic view of the future.

Very fascinating and pleasantly optimistic

Very fascinating book. Lots of interesting data about how we are genetically programmed with some basic morals.