Emotional and Amoral Egoism

By: Dr. Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan

Synopsis: The enduring assumption that human behavior is governed by innate morality and reason is at odds with the persistence of human deprivation, injustice, brutality, inequality and conflict. This book offers a fresh look at human nature and universal security by proposing a new general theory of human nature, "emotional amoral egoism", and a specific theory of human motivation that draws on a wide range of philosophical, psychological and evolutionary approaches to human nature as well as neuroscientific research. It argues that human behavior is governed primarily by emotional self-interest and that the human mind is a predisposed tabula rasa. The author argues that most human beings are innately neither moral nor immoral but rather amoral. Circumstances will determine the survival value of humankind's moral compass. This insight has profound implications for the re-ordering of governance mechanisms at all levels with a strong emphasis on the role of society and the global system. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the substrates of human nature and its universal security implications in relation to identity, conflict, ethnocentrism, xenophobia, morality and global governance.

Dr. Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan is Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director of the Programme on the Geopolitical Implications of Globalisation and Transnational Security at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland.

First, if you are saying what in the world is she taking about?  Do not fear!  Well, unless you have flashbacks to Ethics and Theory while at college ... This book is extremely well written and poses many questions for the reader.  The main question I picked up on was the entire concept of humans being born with a Tabula Rasa - A Blank Slate! When you compare people, whether they grew up in the same area in the world or not, certain decisions they make are key to what they will grow into as an adult.  As the author states,  we are prone to certain things from our genetics and the environment we currently live in.  Basically we are more emotionally driven than anything rational.  Dr. Nayef R.F. Al-Rodhan explains humans are self-fulfilling, looking out for number 1, when making any type of decision.  Depending on where one grew up, the environment has a key element in this area.  

This would be a great book to use in a Ethics and/or Theory class.  It is around 240 pages, sold on Amazon, and should be a college read!  Be sure to check out his website for more information.