Review of Simon Baron-Cohen's  The science of evil: On empathy and the origins of cruelty  

In his Acknowledgments, Baron-Cohen begins by saying, "This book isn't for people with a sensitive disposition" (p. xi). It is a fair warning.

His first chapter is particularly distressing, with descriptions of numerous barbarities. If you need to be persuaded that human beings have provided many examples of man's inhumanity to man besides those of the Nazi Holocaust, then read it all; otherwise you may prefer to skip some details.

Probably all of us can give examples of human behavior that we view as "evil," but Baron-Simon suggests that by calling a behavior "evil" we tend to... Read more... 

By Dr. Pat Daniel

Image by Bryan Helfrich. Used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

To be at peace in the world we must be at peace within ourselves.

In recognition of Yoga Day U.S.A. on Saturday, January 21, Engaging Peace offers some reflections on yoga as a means for discovering and cultivating inner peace.

The Sanskrit word for peace is "shanti." Many students of yoga are familiar with the phrase "Om shanti, shanti, shanti" as a blessing for peace.

Another word for shanti is equilibrium, as in mental balance. When we feel at peace ... Read more...   

Struck by how thin they were (Liberate THIS, Part 10)  

I did not feel resentment from anyone during my brief stay in Iraq.  When we arrived at my uncle's (Ahmed's father's) house, I was welcomed with kisses and hugs, overwhelming love and affection.

Though I was meeting my cousins for the very first time, they already knew me, far better than I knew them. My father was a legend in the family and in the neighborhoods of Basra where he grew up and was a teacher and professor. My cousins tracked his life--and the lives of his children in turn--with fond attentiveness. They welcomed me as if they had known me their whole lives.

Do you know a young person who has been actively involved in peace work? Check out the International Children's Peace Prize, and consider submitting a nomination.  

The award is "presented annually to an exceptional child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts and thoughts have made a difference" in overcoming problems that affect children in different parts of the world.  

Sponsored by the Dutch organization KidsRights, the Peace Prize was launched at the 2005 Nobel Peace Laureates' Summit by Mikhail Gorbachev.   

This year's nominations are due by March 1st.