Ideas worth spreading

The evolution of compassion

331,361 views | Robert Wright • TEDSalon 2009 Compassion

Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.

Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Robert Wright

Journalist, philosopher

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The best-selling author of "Nonzero," "The Moral Animal" and "The Evolution of God," Robert Wright draws on his wide-ranging knowledge of science, religion, psychology, history and politics to figure out what makes humanity tick -- and what makes us moral.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.