Robert Wright

Robert Wright

Author, Journalist

Robert Wright is an American author and journalist whose work spans evolutionary psychology, philosophy, religion, and international relations. His books include The Moral Animal, Nonzero, The Evolution of God, and Why Buddhism Is True, which draws on both cognitive science and contemplative practice. He has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, and co-founded the online discussion platform Bloggingheads.tv.

2
Books Written
5
Books Recommended

Books by Robert Wright

The Moral Animal by Robert Wright

The Moral Animal

by Robert Wright

star4.1

Wright uses evolutionary psychology to explain human nature, from jealousy to self-deception. Our moral intuitions are strategies shaped by natural selection to serve genetic interests, not gifts.

sciencepsychology
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Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright

Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

by Robert Wright

star4

Robert Wright makes the case that core Buddhist insights about the nature of suffering, the self, and perception are validated by modern evolutionary psychology and neuroscience. He argues that natural selection designed human minds to be deluded in specific ways, and that meditation offers a path to seeing through these illusions. The book presents a secular, evidence-based Buddhism stripped of supernatural beliefs yet faithful to its deepest philosophical claims.

philosophybuddhism
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Most Recommended by Robert

The books Robert Wright references, cites, and recommends most frequently.

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

The Selfish Gene

by Richard Dawkins

star4.2

Dawkins reframes evolution from the organism's perspective to the gene's. Bodies are survival machines built by genes competing to replicate - a view that transformed modern biology.

science
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The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

The Origin of Species

by Charles Darwin

star4

Darwin lays out the evidence that species evolve through natural selection, where small heritable variations accumulate over generations. The theory unified biology and changed how we understand life.

science
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Waking Up by Sam Harris

Waking Up

by Sam Harris

star4

Harris argues you can explore spirituality and consciousness without religion or superstition. Through meditation and neuroscience, he maps a rational path to transcending the illusion of the self.

philosophyscience
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The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt

The Righteous Mind

by Jonathan Haidt

star4.2

Haidt argues that moral judgements are driven by intuition, not reason. We are fundamentally groupish, and understanding our innate moral foundations explains why good people disagree politically.

psychologyphilosophy
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Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow

by Daniel Kahneman

star4.2

Kahneman reveals that our minds run on two systems: fast intuition and slow deliberation. Most errors in judgement come from trusting System 1 when the situation demands System 2's careful analysis.

psychology
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Influence Map

Who Robert draws from, and who draws from Robert — aggregated across every book in this collection. Counts show the number of citation links, not the depth of each one.

Robert cites most often

  1. 1Richard Dawkins
    1 link
  2. 2Charles Darwin
    1 link
  3. 3Sam Harris
    1 link
  4. 4Jonathan Haidt
    1 link
  5. 5Daniel Kahneman
    1 link

Authors who cite Robert most often

  1. 1Daniel Dennett
    1 link
  2. 2Steven Pinker
    1 link
  3. 3Michael Pollan
    1 link
  4. 4Ibram X. Kendi
    1 link
  5. 5Daniel Goleman
    1 link