The Moral Animal

This book by Robert Wright was genuinely recommended once in the episodes we index, on Lex Fridman. The people who vouched for it on air: Chris Williamson. It comes up in conversations about addiction & recovery, meditation & mindfulness, relationships. Every quote below is verbatim, attributed, and linked to the exact second it was said. Sourced expert opinion, not medical advice.

Every so often the world of ideas is shaken by what the philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn famously dubbed a "paradigm shift." As Robert Wright shows in this pathbreaking book, such a shift is occurring now - one that will change the way people see their lives and the way they choose to live their lives. From the work of evolutionary biologists and of scholars all across the social sciences, a new science called evolutionary psychology is emerging, and with it a radically revised view of human nature and the human mind. In its light, the oldest and most basic questions look different and wholly new questions arise.

• “I would say the moral Animal by Robert Wright again moral Animal by Robert Wright the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stewart-Williams”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “favorite evolutionary biology books”
  Chris Williamson · Lex Fridman Podcast · Jan 202301:07:37

  Said during "600k Q&A - Masculinity Crisis, Woke Pushback & Lex Fridman". The episode features Chris Williamson: Host of the Modern Wisdom podcast; former club promoter and reality TV personality turned long-form interviewer known for evolutionary psychology, self-improvement, and culture conversations. Chris Williamson answers fan questions for Modern Wisdom's 600k subscriber milestone, covering masculinity, sobriety, dating, podcasting, and personal growth.