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  • The Moral Landscape

  • How Science Can Determine Human Values
  • Written by: Sam Harris
  • Narrated by: Sam Harris
  • Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (250 ratings)

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The Moral Landscape

Written by: Sam Harris
Narrated by: Sam Harris
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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.

What the critics say

“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)

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A worthy ambition, but...

Harris is too ignorant of the Western philosophical and religious tradition to offer a rational and intelligent critique of it. His desire to show that morality is rational is good, and it's refreshing to see a secular writer criticize moral relativism, but Harris could have saved himself the time and looked up one of the numerous books on natural law that defend morality without invoking divine authority - he might also learn something from those books about the tradition he so casually dismisses.

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    3 out of 5 stars

An interesting take on Morality

The moral landscape provides an ethical code for people who don't conform to the traditional idea of a God.

While quite emotionally persuasive, the fundamental logic underlying the book is flawed in my opinion. Dr. Harris suggests that it is "well being" that ultimately grounds morality and we can scientifically come to know what is best for humanity. However, he doesn't logically justify why that is the case, or why we should listen to science on the issue. He justifies this by rather emotional arguments. It seems that he assumes that human flourishing is the bases of what makes an act moral without realizing that is a radical view in the history of ethics. The word "objective" in objective morality means "apart from human opinion or preferences" and so trying to prove that objective morality can be based on something that is subject to preference is self defeating.

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First Two Chapters are amazing

If you are already atheist the railing against religion in this book is very repetitive. The philosophy component of this book is very enlightening and a Sam Harris does a great job of justifying a traditionally extreme view of morality.

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Sam Harris kills it, as usual

Incredibly well reasoned and very thorough arguments. This is a masterclass in thinking from first principles.

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The best of the best

This is the best of Sam Harris I’ve listened to yet. Thought provoking. Highly recommend

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Powerful Stuff Here

It's not often that someone can present a new and bold idea I don't agree with, convince me and then do it again multiple times. Sam Harris has changed my world view.

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Fantastic book.

I really enjoyed listening to this book, it gets you thinking about life and the way you conduct yourself. And just seeing the world through a new lense.

Compared to Sam's other books, I appreciate that he read it himself since the previous narrator didn't do it justice and seemed like he disagreed with what he was reading in the book.

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Sam Harris is a Timeless Intellectual

Sam Harris is one of thr greatest thinkers of our time. Hes concise, specific, illuminating and extremely articulate. The Moral Landscape clearly shows a correlation between the scientific method and our understanding and use of morality.

This is a must read for all atheists and anyone who cares about the word 'morality'.

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A must read pillar for a modern intelligent person

A must read pillar for any modern intelligent person. If this was taught to young adults the world would be a better place.

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eye opening

Thank you so much Sam for your ideas and your voice, perfect combination for intellectual ideas and the voiced opinion. Again thank you.
Ian Shannon

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