The Altruistic Urge

Ordinary people can perform acts of astonishing selflessness, sometimes even putting their lives on the line. A pregnant woman saw a dorsal fin and blood in the water—and dove right in to pull her wounded husband to safety. Remarkably, some even leap into action to save complete strangers: one New York man jumped onto the subway tracks to rescue a boy who had fallen into the path of an oncoming train. Such behavior is not uniquely human. Researchers have found that mother rodents are highly motivated to bring newborn pups—not just their own—back to safety. What do these stories have in common, and what do they reveal about the instinct to protect others? In The Altruistic Urge, Stephanie D. Preston explores how and why we developed a surprisingly powerful drive to help the vulnerable. She argues that the neural and psychological mechanisms that evolved to safeguard offspring also motivate people to save strangers in need of immediate aid. Eye-catching dramatic rescues bear a striking similarity to how other mammals retrieve their young and help explain more mundane forms of support like donating money. Merging extensive interdisciplinary research that spans psychology, neuroscience, neurobiology, and evolutionary biology, Preston develops a groundbreaking model of altruistic responses. Her theory accounts for extraordinary feats of bravery, all-too-common apathy, and everything in between—and it can also be deployed to craft more effective appeals to assist those in need.

The book is divided into chapters that deal with specific topics and can be either read through from beginning to end or as a reference book with separate chapters addressing specific interests. Separate chapters contain advice on how to approach and deal with the challenges from before marriage to partnership, marriage, pregnancy, parental challenges, child rearing, and financial and social aspects. If you have a question about the parenting or rearing of a child, by using the table of contents, you may find the appropriate chapter in which to find suggestions. The appendix has a list of valuable books that might go into greater detail with your specific problem. We believe that giving specific advice on how to raise children is impossible due to the uniqueness of each child. We are aware that it is equally impossible to give all the answers or advice and suggestions to those complex themes. However, the main challenges of raising children are presented and discussed.

Does belief in God yield the best understanding of value? Can we provide transcendental support for key moral concepts? Does evolutionary theory undermine or support religious moralities? Is divine forgiveness unjust? Can a wholly good God understand evil? Should philosophy of religion proceed in a faith-neutral way? Public and academic concerns regarding religion and morality are proliferating as people wonder about the possibility of moral reassurance, and the ability of religion to provide it, and about the future of religion and the relation between religious faiths. This book addresses current thinking on such matters, with particular focus on the relationship between moral values and doctrines of the divine. Leading scholars in the field test the scope of philosophy of religion, and engage with the possibilities and difficulties of attempting trans-faith philosophy. Chapters also relate to a number of cross-disciplinary contemporary debates: on evolution and ethics; politics, justice and forgiveness; and the relation between reason and emotions. Another set of chapters tests the coherence of Anselmian theism and concepts of an Omni-God in relation to divine knowledge and goodness. This book will be of interest to scholars and undergraduates in philosophy of religion, as well as moral philosophers, philosophers of science, theologians, and those working in theology and science.

A powerful, neuroscience-based approach to revolutionize early childhood learning through natural creativity, strong human connections, spontaneous free play, and more. All children are born wired to learn and to love. As young children explore the world and interact with others, their brains can naturally develop in incredible ways. And yet, despite our best intentions, early education often fails to fully encourage this natural learning and empathy. The Natural Laws of Children draws on current research in childhood development to share powerful insights on how to enhance learning for all kids, regardless of income or access to resources. This book tells the story of Céline Alvarez’s pioneering work in early childhood education. Over three years in a low-income school, Alvarez’s students achieved exceptional results in math and reading, as well as outstanding social and emotional skills. The Natural Laws of Children shares, in a clear and accessible way, the main scientific principles that underpin human learning to revolutionize early childhood education by supporting strong human connections, spontaneous free play, and more.

Striving only for material wealth is incompatible with our latent personal longing for love and recognition. Simons discourse identifies a remedy available to all of us, that of adopting an attitude of love, and then putting that love into action in whatever way is open to each of us. We admire and appreciate those among us who overcome the natural impulse toward individual comfort. Currently, the organization of Doctors Without Borders, people who have eschewed financial gain and devoted themselves to bringing medical care to others in disease-ridden and war-torn areas, accepting danger and poor living conditions as they do so, is an example. Two individuals, also, come to mind. The late Mother Theresa practiced love as few in history have done, and remained an outspoken advocate for the poor and oppressed throughout her life. Canadian Stephen Lewis, who works tirelessly for the people of Africa who suffer the consequences of the AIDS epidemic is another such person. But, few of us are able to enact such extreme values. We have our familial commitments, our societal demands, our need to ensure that we ourselves will not become a drain to others, and these hold us in a sense of impotent guilt and envy. The answer? Start small, with ourselves. Live in and through an attitude of love. Become channels through which Universal Love can flow toward our families, our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow people. Marnie Atkinson, M.A. Ed.

Why is the Golden Rule so central in almost every culture and religion? What is it that drives human beings to do good to others? Are altruism, compassion, and forgiveness natural forms of human behavior, or do they have to be learned and practiced in the neural context of our primal instincts for survival and self-defense? These are some of the questions that lie behind the study of Compassionate Love amongst people of color. Davis explores the patterns and contours of “other-love,” which he defines as a selfless regard for the well-being of others. He also examines the basis for distinctive modes of compassionate behavior enriched by “ebony grace” — a theological attribution for people of African descent. This text focuses especially on the historical, cultural, and religious heritage that inspires and empowers such attitudes, in spite of constant encounters with systemic negation, social alienation, and unrelenting racism. How is it that Black families in the home, school, and church still support, sustain, and succeed in the practice of unyielding love-in-compassion? That is the magic and mystery within contemporary Black cultural norms and moral values. This text is a powerful attempt to contribute to the debate on Christian altruism.

Learn the secrets of happiness. You’re no idiot, of course. You know how difficult to see the bright side of things when life seems to be a rut, much less in the face of adversity. But when you nurture a positive attitude, you also nurture your ability to find happiness in the moment—even if it doesn’t live up to your perfect expectations. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Psychology of Happiness offers insights into human nature and techniques that will help you regain the sense of joy. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • The power of optimism and humor to enhance your outlook. • The blissful benefits of engaging in playful behavior and artistic expression. • The importance of nurturing positive relationships among friends and family. • The power of exercise and meditation to simulate joyful chemical reactions within the body.

The British Study Edition of the Urantia Papers is based on the standard SRT text, but uses the metric system and adds a critical apparatus of textual variants and study notes.