If Inigo Montoya were around now, he wouldn't need to storm the castle to bring his father's murderer to justice; the police… — Paul Bloom Around Copy Share Image
Modern science tells us that the conscious self arises from a purely physical brain. We do not have immaterial souls. — Paul Bloom Arises Copy Share Image
We are naturally moral beings, but our environments can enhance - or, sadly, degrade - this innate moral sense. — Paul Bloom Beings Copy Share Image
Empathy has some unfortunate features - it is parochial, narrow-minded, and innumerate. We're often at our best when we're smart enough not… — Paul Bloom Best Copy Share Image
Because of empathy, stories of the suffering of one person could lead us into a war that could kill millions of people. — Paul Bloom Empathy Copy Share Image
Families survive the terrible twos because toddlers aren't strong enough to kill with their hands and aren't capable of using lethal weapons. — Paul Bloom Capable Copy Share Image
A growing body of evidence suggests that humans do have a rudimentary moral sense from the very start of life. — Paul Bloom Art of life Copy Share Image
Imagination is Reality Lite - a useful substitute when the real pleasure is inaccessible, too risky, or too much work. — Paul Bloom Imagination Copy Share Image
This enthusiasm [for empathy] may be misplaced. Empathy has some unfortunate features – it is parochial, narrow-minded and innumerate. We’re often at… — Paul Bloom Empathy Copy Share Image
It is clear that rituals and sacrifices can bring people together, and it may well be that a group that does such… — Paul Bloom Advantage Copy Share Image
I think there's some evidence that when it comes to being a doctor or nurse, a police officer or therapist, that empathetic… — Paul Bloom Able Copy Share Image
I kind of like social media, and I like hearing from people. I don't like the ugly stuff, but there are some… — Paul Bloom Backlash Copy Share Image
The emotions triggered by fiction are very real. When Charles Dickens wrote about the death of Little Nell in the 1840s, people… — Paul Bloom About Copy Share Image
For the most part, people use "empathy" to mean everything good. For instance, many medical schools have courses in empathy. But if… — Paul Bloom Courses Copy Share Image
I don't doubt that the explanation for consciousness will arise from the mercilessly scientific account of psychology and neuroscience, but, still, isn't… — Paul Bloom Account Copy Share Image
My brother is severely autistic, so when I was a kid I spent a lot of time as a teenager in camps… — Paul Bloom Autistic Copy Share Image
Even the charities I give to are related to things that touch my life, like the Special Olympics. I'm not fully rational;… — Paul Bloom Charity Copy Share Image
I think empathy can serve as a moral spark, motivating us to do good things. But anything can be a moral spark. — Paul Bloom Character Copy Share Image
Traditionally, psychology has been the study of two populations: university freshmen and white rats. — Paul Bloom Education Copy Share Image
In politics and in society, we can use our reason to rise above our parochial natures. Too bad that our elected officials… — Paul Bloom Above Copy Share Image
The effects of Twitter and Facebook and all those things on people's psychologies is a really interesting question to which nobody knows… — Paul Bloom Answers Copy Share Image
Empathy zooms you in on an individual and, as a result, it's narrow, it's innumerate, it's racist, it's very biased. — Paul Bloom Biased Copy Share Image
We can imagine our bodies being destroyed, our brains ceasing to function, our bones turning to dust, but it is harder -… — Paul Bloom Being Copy Share Image
Imagination tends to be truly useful if accompanied by the power of mental control - if the worlds in one's head can… — Paul Bloom Accompanied Copy Share Image
Some people think that without that spark of empathy we would do nothing, but that's just flat-out wrong. You could feel compassion… — Paul Bloom Compassion Copy Share Image
Every president, Democratic or Republican, simply works on the supposition that it's better to keep jobs in America than let them go… — Paul Bloom America Copy Share Image
It's hard to pull apart empathy from compassion. What is really clear is that we innately care for other people at least… — Paul Bloom Care Copy Share Image
In my own life, I do not live like an effective altruist. An effective altruist would really disapprove of my life. I… — Paul Bloom Charity Copy Share Image
By “empathy,” some people mean everything that is good - compassion, kindness, warmth, love, being a mensch, changing the world - and… — Paul Bloom Changing the world Copy Share Image
On many issues, empathy can pull us in the wrong direction. The outrage that comes from adopting the perspective of a victim… — Paul Bloom Adopting Copy Share Image
A religion such as Judaism or Catholicism might survive even if it comes to reject a literal account of God creating man… — Paul Bloom Accounts Copy Share Image
My younger son told me nobody uses email anymore. I'm this old fogie with my email. I don't know what I'm supposed… — Paul Bloom Communicate Copy Share Image
Too often, our concern for specific individuals today means neglecting crises that will harm countless people in the future. — Paul Bloom Concern Copy Share Image
We'd be really screwed if we had to start our life over again as children with our brains right now, because I… — Paul Bloom Again Copy Share Image
Philosophers have often looked for the defining feature of humans — language, rationality, culture, and so on. I'd stick with this: Man… — Paul Bloom Animal Copy Share Image
Periods of cooperation between political parties shouldn't be taken for granted; they are a stunning human achievement. — Paul Bloom Achievement Copy Share Image
“And it isn’t a mistake in taste, like believing that the Matrix sequels were as good as the original.” — Paul Bloom Failure Copy Share Image
The genetic you and the neural you aren't alternatives to the conscious you. They are its foundations. — Paul Bloom Alternatives Copy Share Image
I argue that we should be kind, we should be compassionate, and we should definitely be reasonable and rational, but that empathy… — Paul Bloom Arguing Copy Share Image
Some of the natural world is appealing, some of it is terrifying, and some of it grosses us out. Modern people don't… — Paul Bloom Appealing Copy Share Image