37 pages • 1 hour read
Jonathan HaidtThe Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt explores the moral divides in politics and religion, arguing that emotion and intuition, symbolized by an "elephant," dominate our judgments, while reason, the "rider," attempts to rationalize these instincts. He examines different moral values across cultures and political groups, highlighting liberal and conservative moral matrices, and concludes by advocating for civil debates and understanding diverse moral foundations to foster productive conversations. The book includes discussions on group dynamics and transcendent experiences linked to moral matrices.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Jonathan Haidt's The Righteous Mind provides a compelling analysis of moral psychology, exploring why people have different political and religious beliefs. Celebrated for its nuanced insights and interdisciplinary approach, it effectively combines psychology, politics, and evolutionary theory. However, some critics find it overly broad and lacking in empirical rigor.
Who Should Read The Righteous Mind?
The ideal reader of Jonathan Haidt's The Righteous Mind is intrigued by moral psychology, group behavior, and the roots of ideological differences. They likely appreciate expansive analyses like Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now or Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow, which blend research and accessible prose.