In this episode of Inquiring Minds, host Indre Viskontas speaks with Kurt Gray, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and director of the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding. 

Gray’s groundbreaking new book, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality in Politics and How to Find Common Ground, delves into the psychological roots of moral outrage and the societal divisions it fuels. Through scientific insights and engaging anecdotes, Gray explains how our deeply ingrained perceptions of harm shape our moral convictions and why bridging moral divides is both critical and possible.

They discuss:

• The psychological basis of moral outrage and why it’s driven by differing perceptions of harm.
• How disgust and fear influence our moral judgments and why facts alone rarely resolve disagreements.
• The role of social media in amplifying moral panics and polarizing society.
• Why shared stories and genuine listening are more effective than statistics in fostering understanding.

Gray also explores myths about morality, including the false belief that humans evolved as apex predators, and provides evidence for how our evolutionary history as prey shaped the cooperative moral frameworks we rely on today. Despite the challenges of polarization, Gray offers hope for bridging divides through empathy, understanding, and open dialogue.

Listen in to gain a deeper understanding of how morality drives human behavior, divides societies, and offers pathways for reconciliation. 

Outraged is available now at booksellers everywhere.

Links:

Get Kurt’s new Book “Outrage” on Amazon

and visit his website: kurtjgray.com

And connect with Kurt on X and Linkedin

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