The fact that something can be used for good isn't necessarily a knockdown argument for it.
Paul BloomWe don't just respond to things as we see them, or feel them, or hear them. Rather, our response is conditioned on our beliefs, about what they really are, what they came from, what they're made of, what their hidden nature is.
Paul BloomFamilies survive the terrible twos because toddlers aren't strong enough to kill with their hands and aren't capable of using lethal weapons.
Paul BloomI am never going to write about dogs again. You can write about Islam, you can write about sexuality, but no, not dogs.
Paul BloomI'm not a pacifist. I think the suffering of innocent people can be a catalyst for moral action. But empathy puts too much weight on the scale in favor of war. Empathy can really lead to violence.
Paul BloomEmpty heads, cognitive science has taught us, learn nothing. The powerful cultural and personal flexibility of our species is owed at least in part to our starting off so well-informed; we are good learners because we know what to pay attention to and what questions are the right ones to ask.
Paul Bloom