Breyer Daniel. Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature

The Great Courses, 2019. — 184 p.In the 24 lectures of Understanding the Dark Side of Human Nature, Professor Daniel Breyer takes you on a fascinating philosophical journey into some of the deepest—and darkest—questions that have haunted humanity for millennia. In exploring the dark side of human nature, you won't just explore what it means to be evil; you'll explore humanity's fragile underbelly by investigating such topics as our thirst for vengeance, our tendency toward anger, our inability to do what we know is right, and much more. These are difficult topics, to be sure, and at least for some people, it would be easier to look away, rather than investigate them. But the truth is that unless we honestly confront who we are in all its sordid glory, we'll never fully understand ourselves. We'll never fully appreciate who we really are—or who we might ultimately become. Thinkers from across the world and in many different eras have considered the dark side of human nature, and that's why this course will adopt a cross-cultural approach, investigating perspectives from many different traditions—from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita and the Buddhist Way of the Bodhisattva to the Christian Bible and the scholarship of contemporary philosophers and psychologists. In this course, you won't just find yourself seeking answers to some of life's biggest questions—you'll also discover entirely new ideas from traditions you've not yet encountered.What Do We Mean by the "Dark Side"?
Our Fundamental Nature: Good or Evil?
What Is Evil?
Moral Monsters and Evil Personhood
Evil and Responsibility
Sin: Original and Otherwise
Dark Thoughts and Desires
Suffering and Its Causes
The Problem of Expectation and Desire
The Fear of Death
Existential Anxiety and the Courage to Be
The Goodness of Grief
Homo necans: Why Do We Kill?
Nightmares and the Dream Self
Varieties of Self-Deception
Varieties of Ignorance
Weakness of Will
Luck and the Limits of Blame
Victim Blaming and the Just-World Hypothesis
Retribution and Revenge
Forgiveness and Redemption
The Elimination of Anger
Being Peaceful in a Troubled World
The Allure of the Dark Side