Haidt defines “righteous” as being “just, upright, virtuous” (xiii). He notes that two of the most divisive and vexing topics are politics and religion (xii). He begins by stating, “This book is about why it is so hard for us to get along” (xi). He explores influential studies and theories and provides some interesting conclusions. He also tries to comprehend why certain people value one type of “fairness,” whereas another group prizes a different aspect of fairness. As an evolutionist, he seeks to understand how people determine what is right or wrong. In this book, Haidt examines why people hold such radically different views on religion and politics. But it is interesting to see how honest scientists are often led to similar conclusions as people who accept the Bible as truth. Therefore, I don’t agree with all his conclusions. In fact, he would most likely claim to be a Liberal atheist. I have also read his books The Happiness Hypothesis(affiliate link) and The Coddling of the American Mind (affiliate link), both of which were also very good. Jonathan Haidt is an interesting writer who draws heavily upon his own and other scientific studies.
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