The Earthquake that Catalyzed the “Humanitarian Big Bang”
In 1755, an earthquake in Lisbon forever changed the way we think about our place in the world and our obligation to others suffering, even in countries far away.
Michael McCullough is a professor of psychology at The University of California, San Diego, where he directs the Evolution and Human Behavior Laboratory. As a researcher, he is concerned with the evolutionary and cognitive underpinnings of prosocial behaviors and moral sentiments including forgiveness, revenge, gratitude, empathy, and trust. He also has a long-standing interest in the effects of religious belief on social behavior and moral judgment. He is the author of several other books, including Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct, and, most recently, The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral Code.
In 1755, an earthquake in Lisbon forever changed the way we think about our place in the world and our obligation to others suffering, even in countries far away.