Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life

Abstract

Born to Be Good demonstrates that humans are not hardwired to lead lives that are 'nasty, brutish and short' - we are in fact born to be good. Dacher Keltner investigates an old mystery of human evolution: why we have evolved positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe and compassion that promote ethical action and are the fabric of cooperative societies. By combining stories of scientific discovery, personal narrative and Eastern philosophy, Keltner illustrates his discussions with more than fifty snapshots of human emotions. Born to Be Good is a profound study of how emotion is the key to living the good life and how the path to happiness goes through human emotions that connect people to one another.

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