The Evolution of Moral Sentiments

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Adam Smith argues that we want to earn the respect of other people. He doesn't think we're very benevolent or good-hearted to start with but he suggests that culture Encourages us to be less self-interested than we otherwise would be. We have mechanisms for convincing ourselves that we're good even when we're not.

Robert Wright, author of Why Buddhism Is True, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the psychotherapeutic insights of Buddhism and the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. Wright argues our evolutionary past has endowed us with a mind that can be ill-suited to the stress of the present. He argues that meditation and the non-religious aspects of Buddhism can reduce suffering and are consistent with recent psychological research.