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The Science of Evil
- On Empathy and the Origins of Cruelty
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins
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Editorial reviews
Famed British psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen has spent the last 25 years publishing his research on theories of mind, consistently demonstrating that he is one of the most experimental and cutting-edge specialists in the field of cognition. The Science of Evil, published abroad as Zero Degrees of Empathy, brings together several strands of Baron-Cohen's work into a unified theory of human cruelty that describes empathy as a brain-based and therefore scientifically accessible phenomenon. East Sussex actor Jonathan Crowley does a superb job of conveying how groundbreaking and interesting Baron-Cohen's premise truly is. A frequent voice worker and recent winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, Crowley is no stranger to the invigorating possibilities of scientific non-fiction narration. The psychologist makes it easy on him, with clear writing that explains cognition in everyday terms and with a view toward the practical applications of his theory.
Essentially, there are three diagnoses that have a lack of empathy in common: borderline personality disorder, narcissism, and psychosis. Each of these mental states is missing either the ability to recognize the feelings or others, or the ability to respond to those feelings, or both. This is Baron-Cohen's fundamental argument about the cause of human cruelty. Cruelty is only possible given a lack of empathy, and he devotes a chapter to each of these diagnoses. He devotes additional chapters to autism, the subject around which the majority of Baron-Cohen's research has long orbited. Because autistics are highly systematizing thinkers, they generally develop strong moral rules and a sense of injustice that is not premised upon having empathy, which is a characteristic they lack.Crowley's lively rendering of the case studies for each type of person having zero degrees of empathy is deeply engrossing. Listeners will be shocked to recognize bits and pieces of their own less than understanding moments embedded in the anecdotal evidence provided here. The book concludes with a hint of the larger implications for a complete study of empathy as a brain-based behavior. Crowley delivers Baron-Cohen's final plea with all the earnest optimism it deserves: if we could use science to isolate the biological sources of empathy, we could eliminate cruelty, and voila -- world peace. —Megan Volpert
Publisher's summary
Borderline personality disorder, autism, narcissism, psychosis, Asperger's: All of these syndromes have one thing in common---lack of empathy. In some cases, this absence can be dangerous, but in others it can simply mean a different way of seeing the world. In The Science of Evil, Simon Baron-Cohen, an award-winning British researcher who has investigated psychology and autism for decades, develops a new brain-based theory of human cruelty. A true psychologist, however, he examines social and environmental factors that can erode empathy, including neglect and abuse. Based largely on Baron-Cohen's own research, The Science of Evil will change the way we understand and treat human cruelty.
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Story
What makes good people do bad things? How can moral people be seduced to act immorally? Where is the line separating good from evil, and who is in danger of crossing it? Social psychologist Philip Zimbardo has the answers. He explains how - and the myriad reasons why - we are all susceptible to the lure of "the dark side". Drawing on examples from history as well as his own trailblazing research, Zimbardo details how situational forces and group dynamics can make monsters out of decent men and women.
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Zimbardo Comes Clean...
- By Douglas on 11-21-11
By: Philip Zimbardo
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Without Conscience
- The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us
- By: Robert D. Hare
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Most people are both repelled and intrigued by the images of cold-blooded, conscienceless murderers that increasingly populate our movies, television programs, and newspaper headlines. With their flagrant criminal violation of society's rules, serial killers like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy are among the most dramatic examples of the psychopath. Individuals with this personality disorder are fully aware of the consequences of their actions and know the difference between right and wrong....
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When I gave up on books that supposedly would...
- By Douglas on 03-01-12
By: Robert D. Hare
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Making a Psychopath
- My Journey into Seven Dangerous Minds
- By: Mark Freestone
- Narrated by: David Wayman
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Dr. Mark Freestone has worked on some of the most interesting, infamous, and disturbing cases of psychopathology in recent years. His expertise has led to a consultant role on several TV series, helping them accurately portray their fictional villains. Now, he shares his phenomenal insight into the minds of some of the world's most violent real-life criminals.
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Okay...a little too sympathetic
- By lissa on 03-05-22
By: Mark Freestone
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Forensic Psychology
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: David Canter
- Narrated by: Ken Kliban
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Lie detection, offender profiling, jury selection, insanity in the law, predicting the risk of re-offending, the minds of serial killers, and many other topics that fill news and fiction are all aspects of the rapidly developing area of scientific psychology broadly known as forensic psychology. This fascinating Very Short Introduction discusses all the aspects of psychology that are relevant to the legal and criminal process as a whole.
By: David Canter
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The Elephant in the Brain
- Hidden Motives in Everyday Life
- By: Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson
- Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus, we don't like to talk, or even think, about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain".
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Let Me Save You the Credit
- By Evert on 03-16-19
By: Kevin Simler, and others
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The Psychopath Whisperer
- The Science of Those Without Conscience
- By: Kent A. Kiehl
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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We know of psychopaths from chilling headlines and stories in the news and movies - from Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy to Hannibal Lecter and Dexter Morgan. As Dr. Kent Kiehl shows, psychopaths can be identified by a checklist of symptoms that includes pathological lying; lack of empathy, guilt, and remorse; grandiose sense of self-worth; manipulation; and failure to accept one’s actions. But why do psychopaths behave the way they do? Is it the result of their environment - how they were raised - or is there a genetic component to their lack of conscience?
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An autobiography with splatter of neuropsychology.
- By DORIS H. on 08-16-14
By: Kent A. Kiehl
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Forensics
- What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime
- By: Val McDermid
- Narrated by: Sarah Barron
- Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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The dead talk - to the right listener. They can tell us all about themselves: where they came from, how they lived, how they died, and, of course, who killed them. Forensic scientists can unlock the mysteries of the past and help serve justice using the messages left by a corpse, a crime scene, or the faintest of human traces.
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Crime Seen
- By Mark on 09-02-16
By: Val McDermid
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Riveted
- The Science of Why Jokes Make Us Laugh, Movies Make Us Cry, and Religion Makes Us Feel One with the Universe
- By: Jim Davies
- Narrated by: Matthew Josdal
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Professor Jim Davies's fascinating and highly accessible book, Riveted, reveals the evolutionary underpinnings of why we find things compelling. Drawing on work from philosophy, anthropology, religious studies, psychology, economics, computer science, and biology, Davies offers a comprehensive explanation to show that in spite of the differences between the many things that we find compelling, they have similar effects on our minds and brains.
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Fun and excellent listen!
- By Alejandro Franco on 04-13-18
By: Jim Davies
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The Complacent Class
- The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream
- By: Tyler Cowen
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Since Alexis de Tocqueville, restlessness has been accepted as a signature American trait. Our willingness to move, take risks, and adapt to change have produced a dynamic economy and a tradition of innovation from Ben Franklin to Steve Jobs. The problem, according to legendary blogger, economist, and best-selling author Tyler Cowen, is that Americans today have broken from this tradition - we're working harder than ever to avoid change.
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MUST READ
- By RJW on 05-06-17
By: Tyler Cowen
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Pantanjali Yoga Sutras
- By: Swami Vivekananda
- Narrated by: Varsha Samtani
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Patanjali Yoga Sutras is an age-old treatise written on the four-fold path of yoga. It delves into the workings of our mind, body and spirit. Originally written in Sanskrit, this book is by Swami Vivekananda, detailing each sutra, simultaneously guiding us on ways to reach our goals. Starting from the very basics like concentration and meditation, to higher goals like attaining liberation and self-realization, these sutras are meant to teach us ways that help elevate lives and spirits.
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Retaining the mind of the Yoga Sutras by an expert!
- By Jeremy Snowden on 07-21-24
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The Psychology of Notorious Serial Killers
- The Intersection of Personality Theory and the Darkest Minds of Our Time
- By: Todd Grande PhD
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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The science of personality theory has advanced dramatically in recent years clearing the way for this useful and edifying speculation about the inner workings of horrific serial killers. Applying personality theory to more than a dozen of the most notorious serial killers in modern history, the mystery surrounding their crimes begins to unravel. What drives them to commit horrific crimes? How does sexual desire fit into their motivation? Why do some stop killing while others escalate? What are the different types of serial killers based on personality theory?
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Fabulous
- By Gina Shemeth on 05-03-21
By: Todd Grande PhD
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The Anatomy of Motive
- The FBI's Legendary Mindhunter Explores the Key to Understanding and Catching Violent Criminals
- By: John Douglas, Mark Olshaker
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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The Anatomy of Motive offers a dramatic, insightful look at the development and evolution of the criminal mind. The famed former chief of the FBI's Investigative Support Unit, John Douglas was the pioneer of modern behavioral profiling of serial criminals. Working again with acclaimed novelist, journalist, and filmmaker Mark Olshaker, and using cases from his own fabled career as examples, Douglas takes us further than ever before into the dark corners of the minds of arsonists, hijackers, bombers, poisoners, serial killers, and mass murderers.
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Smuckers jelly narration. Still good.
- By Thad Ames on 11-07-17
By: John Douglas, and others
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Outsmarting the Sociopath Next Door
- How to Protect Yourself Against a Ruthless Manipulator
- By: Martha Stout Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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While the best way to deal with a sociopath is to avoid him or her entirely, sometimes circumstance doesn't allow for that. What happens when the time comes to defend yourself against your own child, a ruthless ex-spouse, a boss, or another person in power? Using the many emails and letters she has received over the years, Dr. Martha Stout uncovers the psychology behind the sociopath’s methods and provides concrete guidelines to help navigate these dangerous interactions.
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Misleading Title, disappointing content
- By Brandon nieves on 11-03-20
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Games People Play
- The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis
- By: Eric Berne
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Over 40 years ago, Games People Play revolutionized our understanding of what really goes on during our most basic social interactions. More than five million copies later, Dr. Eric Berne's classic is as astonishing and revealing as it was on the day it was first published. We play games all the time---sexual games, marital games, power games with our bosses, and competitive games with our friends.
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Great book but not suited for audio
- By Griggah on 05-10-15
By: Eric Berne
What listeners say about The Science of Evil
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Dorthea Brooks
- 01-30-12
New take on a fascinating subject (i.e. evil)
Any additional comments?
Novel take on empathy, particularly for those of us who have studied psychology and are familiar with the disorders he's referring to. I had never thought of borderlines as lacking in empathy before -- I work with quite a few of them -- and it's a point of view worth considering. Not so sure that it adequately covers the subject of evil, though -- or perhaps it's just that it takes the punch out. If you want to get back on steady footing, watch Ted Bundy's swan song interview where he blames his crimes on the proliferation of pornography, saying he was just an
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2 people found this helpful
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- Kate
- 01-31-16
Powerful Information!
A must book when trying to understanding where evil comes from. Very insightful. Powerful message about empathy.
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- PrettyCreepy
- 12-02-18
All About Empathy
Interesting book, however it was all about the psychology of empathy and not much on evil.
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- Erin t
- 02-02-12
very interesting, excellent reading
Would you listen to The Science of Evil again? Why?
I might, because there was a lot of detail in places. There is a long section about which brain regions are responsible for empathy, which was hard to keep track of in an audio format if you're interested in that kind of thing.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Science of Evil?
There were character studies of people who exhibited particular types of zero-empathy disorders (psychopathy, borderline, narcissism) that were moving and sometimes frightening.
Any additional comments?
This book can really change your way of looking at the world. It's well-argued and well-written. Very rare and fascinating. The reading is also excellent. I recommend it highly.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Neuron
- 04-15-13
Juicy, interesting and scientifically sound
Simon Baron Cohen’s fundamental idea is that in order to prevent evil we must first understand its causes. How was Josef Fritzl capable of locking up his own daugter in his basement and then rape her on a daily basis for more than a decade? The typical reaction to this type of story is that Josef Fritzl is an evil man, and he did what he did because he was evil. But what does it mean when you say that someone is evil, and does deeming someone as an evil person have any positive side effects?
These are of course difficult questions and I don’t think that Baron Cohen provides a complete answer to them (which would have been a lot to hope for). What Baron Cohen does claim is that if we want to prevent evil we must first understand it. He further suggests that individuals, such as Fritzl, who commit horrendous acts probably suffers from a lack of empathy, that is a lacking ability to see the world from another persons perspective. Borderline patients, psychopaths and narcissists are three mental disorders that have a common feature, namely zero empathy. In other words they are more or less incapable of seeing the world from another persons perspective and therefore they may not get the same “gut response” when they hear about Fritzl.
Many people lack empathy, but not all of them endorse in “evil”. Other factors such as upbringing and attachments to caregivers can influence whether a person born with deficient empathy becomes an offender or learns how to follow the rules of society despite lacking some of the intuitions that derives from having empathy.
Simon Baron Cohen’s expertize lies in the field of autism which is another mental dissorders characterized by a lack of empathy. Individuals that have a autism spectrum dissorder (this category includes those with asperger syndrome), also behave in ways that reveal a lack of empathy, however, they are often good at systematizing, that is seeing relationships between various variables in the world. Because of this special ability they have benefited the world in many ways
Rather than deeming individuals evil, we should try to understand why evil acts are committed. To look at people with a severe lack of empathy is a good and plausibly fruitful starting point for such an endeavour.
Simon Baron Cohen, is a terrific writer with the ability to convey complex ideas and complex research findings in an accessible and easy to understand way. This book as well as “The essential difference” show that this is indeed the case.
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13 people found this helpful
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- George Karoutsos
- 02-26-16
Possibly the best book I've ever read/heard...?
Learned so much about myself & others from this informative work. Thank you, Simon Baron-Cohen!
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- Dianne
- 12-10-23
Two major problems with this
Interesting book, yes. But in my view there are two major problems, one with the science, one with an assertion he spent too much time trying to explain. First the science…the irony of literally torturing animals to study empathy is so lost to this man it’s alarming. It made me wonder if it was his own lack of empathy that drove his interest in this topic to begin with. Some of the tests he blandly described were so cruel I had to skip through. Second problem was listening to him make excuses for Adolf Eichman, suggesting he may have had something like Aspergers. And he extended the notion to many of the Nazis, because at trial they said they were “just following orders”, and following orders is a trait of ASD. Never mind that they all said that to divert responsibility for their crimes. He also suggested that an ASD guy was not culpable for assaulting a woman. But what can you expect from Psychologists who say animal torture is a sign of psychopathy, then turn around and contrive horrifically cruel situations to throw an animal into, some of them baby animals, then shock the hell out of the poor thing to see what it will do. I hate that I wasted a few hours of my life listening to this guy. The narrator was excellent though.
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- Tina
- 07-28-12
detailed, intelligently presented and interesting
if you are interested in the why people do what they do aspect of life, this is an interesting take on the definition of evil and what may make them fall into this category. i don't agree that evil is equated with a lake of empathy, but Baron-Cohen has a compelling argument and research to back it up. He has done a good job of guiding you through what makes people lack empathy and what the impacts of it are in their lives/actions.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Thomas J. Fitzgerald
- 04-09-15
Very interesting and informative.
Presented a scientific case for evil that gave me a completely new perspective. Nonmember kg tot Togo. Ogle goal rod
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- Acteon
- 01-22-14
Well worth it
Would you listen to The Science of Evil again? Why?
Probably. To retain some of the details.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Made me think, which is no doubt more important.
Any additional comments?
The subject is an extremely important one that touches us all.
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