The Moral Landscape

How Science Can Determine Human Values

By: Sam Harris

Narrated by: Sam Harris

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Sam Harris’s first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most people—from religious fundamentalists to nonbelieving scientists—agree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the most common justification for religious faith. It is also the primary reason why so many secularists and religious moderates feel obligated to "respect" the hardened superstitions of their more devout neighbors.

In this explosive new book, Sam Harris tears down the wall between scientific facts and human values, arguing that most people are simply mistaken about the relationship between morality and the rest of human knowledge. Harris urges us to think about morality in terms of human and animal well-being, viewing the experiences of conscious creatures as peaks and valleys on a "moral landscape". Because there are definite facts to be known about where we fall on this landscape, Harris foresees a time when science will no longer limit itself to merely describing what people do in the name of "morality"; in principle, science should be able to tell us what we ought to do to live the best lives possible.

Bringing a fresh perspective to age-old questions of right and wrong and good and evil, Harris demonstrates that we already know enough about the human brain and its relationship to events in the world to say that there are right and wrong answers to the most pressing questions of human life. Because such answers exist, moral relativism is simply false—and comes at increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, there can be no Christian or Muslim morality.

©2010 Sam Harris (P)2010 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Sam Harris breathes intellectual fire into an ancient debate. Reading this thrilling, audacious book, you feel the ground shifting beneath your feet. Reason has never had a more passionate advocate.” (Ian McEwan)

“A lively, provocative, and timely new look at one of the deepest problems in the world of ideas. Harris makes a powerful case for a morality that is based on human flourishing and thoroughly enmeshed with science and rationality. It is a tremendously appealing vision, and one that no thinking person can afford to ignore.” (Steven Pinker, Harvard College Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and The Blank Slate)

Overall is good

I was expecting a stronger argument to disproof religious claims that morality has roots in a deity or religion. Was a bit disappointed but overall its a good book.

a bit short but Good material

a bit of fluff scattered about such as grim details of evils. took a few times to get through it. just skip the first parts. there is good content to be read

Amazing

This book is really amazing. Although I don’t agree with all of the content, it is clear from this book that Sam Harris is a very thought provoking and intelligent writer. Sam Harris provides an excellent account of objective morality outside of an external source that is generally thought to be the only way to account for it. Truly well done!

Read it

This will probably go down in history as a sentinal piece of literature. Harris is extremely capable with the English language and introduces many ideas and arguments in this book that require quite a bit of thought to digest fully. I am about to start the audiobook again. In short, this is a must listen.

Having said that, there are a few warnings I would add to temper ones expectations. First, I think he would have been better off to give the narration over to a professional reader rather than do it himself. I have heard Sam Harris give public speaches, and he is a fine speaker. However, he is a bit monotone here and at times comes across a little lifeless when it would seem to have been easy for him to be more entertaining. Second, some of the material is so intellectually dense, that you will feel like stopping the tape to ponder and think. Third, his overuse of "etc" is maddening.

Minor quibbles with a ground breaking book. Listen to or read this book!

Fantastic, but...

First of all, I enjoyed this book and thought that Sam made an excellent case for reason-based morality. The first few chapters where he lays out his thinking for the moral landscape and talks about the philosophical debate between Deontology and Consequentialism was extremely interesting and I would have been 100 percent satisfied if the book continued this way and he had made more of a case against Deontology, but that didn't happen. He instead decides to make a case that religious morality is flawed and superseded by reason. This is all well and good but it was the better part of the second half of the book. Instead of throwing his intellectual weight against Kant he throws it against religion yet again. I think his arguments were good and think that if he had split the second half between the railing against religion and dismantling Kant's Deontology the book would have been better off for it and I would have given it 5 stars. All so he is a great speaker and he did his book justice with his performance. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

Brilliant

Sam Harris is over of the great intellectuals of our time. misunderstood by many on the right and the left but for those willing to really listen, he is a fascinating and enlightening.

Another great book

Loved it, very deep and intellectual, heavier read than other Sams books. But all in all a must.

A Moral Masterpiece

In the Moral Landscape, Harris makes a detailed argument for a new science of morality. Speaking like a philosopher, he lays out the relevant details- our sphere of moral concern, the state of neuroscience on human wellbeing, the imperative to approach moral questions with reason, etc. - with incisive wit and probing clarity. In my favorite paragraph, Harris discusses the "intellectual suicide" of creationist scientist Francis Collins: "the corpse dangles in ghastly discomposure even now - and yet polite people everywhere continue to celebrate the great man's health."

No Longer an Atheist

After listening to this book, I'm convinced there is a god, and his name is Sam Harris.

The Moral Landscape, can change the world.

I didn't expect to see the book narrated by Sam Harris himself, it's a great decision they made because it connects you to him. The concepts and distinctions presented in the book are not for beginners (I think), I had to repeat some of the content to better understand it. The book has the potential to change the world. I don't know how a believer can stay a faith believer after reading the book. :)