EA Book+ Discussions: The Righteous Mind
Join us for a discussion about The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt. This thought-provoking book explores the moral foundations that shape our beliefs and behaviours, offering a framework for understanding why people with differing worldviews often clash. How do our moral intuitions influence our approach to doing good? Are these instincts helpful, or do they sometimes mislead us when prioritising causes? Could recognising these moral differences make the EA community more inclusive, or might it risk diluting its focus on evidence and impact?
For a different perspective, you may also consider the new book of Kurt Gray "Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground". Gray is probably the most important critic of Haidt.
We understand that you might not have time to read the entire book, so we’ve curated a list of shorter resources for you to read, listen to, or watch as an alternative:
🎥 (40min) Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2APK3tlPL_0
📖 (10min) Book Summary/Review
https://mindful.technology/jonathan-haidt-righteous-mind/
📖 (40min) Book Review
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/iBDkwir2FsG4DAiDh/book-review-the-righteous-mind-3
🎧 (1h) Podcast (not just about the book but highly recommended)
http://rationallyspeakingpodcast.org/252-understanding-moral-disagreements-jonathan-haidt
Kurt Gray (critic) in an interview with Michael Shermer: https://youtu.be/P8VLcHVReFQ?si=TGgPg-4Dtwxuc-HD