This book is a provocative contribution to contemporary ethical theory challenging foundational conceptions of character that date back to Aristotle. John Doris draws on behavioral science, especially social psychology, to argue that we misattribute the causes of behavior to personality traits and other fixed aspects of character rather than to the situational context. More often than not it is the situation not the nature of the personality that really counts. The author elaborates the ph...

John M. Doris has been a leading proponent of interdisciplinary approaches to moral psychology since their rise to prominence in the 1990's. His work has helped foster a methodological reorientation in the field, and has had a transformative effect on the way philosophers approach questions of character, virtue, and agency. This volume collects a selection of Doris' work spanning 20 years, focusing on the ways in which human personality orders (and fails to order) moral cognition and behav...

John M. Doris presents a new account of agency and responsibility, which reconciles our understanding of ourselves as moral agents with psychological research on the unconscious mind. Much philosophical theorizing maintains that the exercise of morally responsible agency consists in judgment and behavior ordered by accurate reflection. On such theories, when human beings are able to direct their lives in the manner philosophers have dignified with the honorific 'agency', it's because they ...

Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone investigates our profound intrigue with mass-murderers. Exploring existential, ethical and political questions through an examination of real and fictional serial killers, philosophy comes alive via an exploration of grisly death.Presents new philosophical theories about serial killing, and relates new research in cognitive science to the minds of serial killersIncludes a philosophical look at real serial killers suc...

They terrify us, and yet we love to read about them, to watch films about them, and some even fantasize about meeting them; this is the horror-pleasure reaction to serial killers whose gruesome acts hold a deep and disturbing lure. Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone offers a philosophical examination of real and fictional serial killers, and investigates our profound intrigue with serial-murderers. Authors from various academic fields, as well as true crime writers and police officer...

How does the situation we're in influence the way we behave and think? Professors Ross and Nisbett eloquently argue that the context we find ourselves in substantially affects our behavior in this timely reissue of one of social psychology's classic textbooks.

From public transportation and education to adequate access to buildings, the social impact of disability has been felt everywhere since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. And a remarkable groundswell of activism and critical literature has followed in this wake.Claiming Disability is the first comprehensive examination of Disability Studies as a field of inquiry. Disability Studies is not simply about the variations that exist in human beh...

Elizabeth Barnes argues compellingly that disability is primarily a social phenomenon--a way of being a minority, a way of facing social oppression, but not a way of being inherently or intrinsically worse off. This is how disability is understood in the Disability Rights and Disability Pride movements; but there is a massive disconnect with the way disability is typically viewed within analytic philosophy. The idea that disability is not inherently bad or sub-optimal is one that many phil...

This volume examines the psychological, social-relational, and cultural foundations of the most basic moral commitments. It begins by looking at the seminal writings of Augusto Blasi, whose writings on moral cognition, the development of self-identity, and moral personality have transformed the research agenda in moral psychology. This work is now the starting point of all discussion about the relationship between self and morality; the developmental grounding of the moral personality; and...

Not simply another "how-to" book, this provocative collection of readings does not advance a single viewpoint or approach to group work. Instead, the 25 selections present the full spectrum of classic and current perspectives, providing student and practitioner alike with a sound basis for evaluating contemporary practice and for formulating a personal approach to social group work. The historical and conceptual roots of modern social group work methods are examined in Part I, "Conceptual ...

Jerome S. Bruner (1915- ) is one of the best known and most influential psychologists of the twentieth century. He has made significant contributions to cognitive psychology and educational theory. This book presents a brief introduction to Jerome Bruner’s educational ideas and details their influences on our educational discourse and practice. It examines Bruner’s ideas in the context of some key educational issues in the United States since the early twentieth century. Jerome Bruner: Dev...

Designated a Doody's Core Title!Does your teaching style need a "make-over" or at the very least a "touch-up"?This is the book you have been waiting for:It explains the theory / rationale for changing to an interactive method of teachingIt is filled with ideas you can read today, integrate into your existing plans, and implement in your classroom tomorrowIt explains specific strategies such as: writing prom...