Description
Book SynopsisA uniquely comprehensive analysis of human rights, that combines historical, philosophical, and legal perspectives with cutting edge research from psychology and the cognitive sciences. Provides accessible resources to understand the deep ethical point of human rights and to criticize deficiencies in current human rights theory and practice.
Trade Review'Jurists, philosophers, historians, and (more recently) behavioral researchers have extensively studied the concept of human rights. In his thought-provoking book, Matthias Mahlmann masterfully draws all the threads together in order to gain a deeper understanding of the pertinent debates. This book offers a fresh, fascinating, and insightful analysis of this vital topic.' Eyal Zamir, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
'The term, magisterial, is often used promiscuously to characterize a book, but not in this case. It is deserved because it is a successful blend of immense interdisciplinary erudition applied to a vitally important topic. Fueled by passion for human rights, Minds and Rights is beautifully written and deep, requiring the reader's attention and engagement. It is worth it.' Stephen J. Morse, University of Pennsylvania School of Law
'This book reaches the summit of the ambitions and promises of the title. Relying on state-of-the-art cognitive science and combining it with anthropology and moral philosophy it provides a compelling defense of human rights in a world of fashionable human rights skepticism.' András Sajó, Central European University, former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
'Mahlmann offers us a passionately argued, deeply humane manifesto in support of human rights at a time when we need it most. It deserves a wide readership across the disciplines and should become one of the most influential books on the theory of human rights.' Christopher McCrudden, Queen's University, Belfast; University of Michigan Law School
'Mind and Rights is a spectacular contribution to our understanding of ethics, cognitive science, and human rights. Mahlmann's deep, systematic, and wide-ranging account takes issue with many influential trends in the study of mind, brain, and behavior, while also reviving and strengthening the case for universal human rights. A remarkably ambitious and provocative synthesis, which will shape and guide future reflection on these important topics.' John Mikhail, Georgetown University Law Center
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Navigating deep waters: the problems of human rights and new perspectives of enquiry; Part I. The Concept of Human Rights and the Global History of an Idea: 1. The concept of human rights; 2. The truth of human rights: a mortal daughter of time?; 3. Down the deeper wells of time; Part II. Justification: 4. Far from obvious: the quest for the justification of human rights; 5. A castle of sand?; Part III. Rights and Moral Cognition: 6. Which kind of mind, which kind of morals, which kind of rights?; 7. Where did it all come from?: Morality and the evolution of the mind; 8. The mentalist theory of ethics and law; Epilogue. The tilted scales of justice; Bibliography; Index.
