For the Greater Good of All : Perspectives on Individualism, Society, and Leadership

by Forsyth, Donelson R.; Hoyt, Crystal L.

• ISBN13: 9780230104037
• ISBN10: 0230104037
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-12-15
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

At every turn the variations in individual perspectives on human rights and potentials, contrasting philosophies on social justice and political structure, and even debates over the best solutions to pressing social problems reflect the vital tension between the one and the many. Are humans, as a species, motivated more by selfish desires or by a commitment to helping others? Can society require that individuals contribute to a common good, even when they will not personally benefit from it? Is a commitment to a common good that will benefit generations to come more morally laudable than working diligently to achieve personal gain? Does capacity for self-sacrifice transform the effective leader into a benevolent one? The chapters in this book draw on psychology, anthropology, history, philosophy, political science, and biology to answer these questions about the inherent tension between the individual and the collective, yielding insights into the nature of philanthropy, the history of individualism in America, brain mechanisms that sustain cooperation, altruism, volunteerism, international aid, and the evolutionary roots of social compassion.

Author Biography

Donelson R. Forsyth is Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond and holds the Colonel Leo K. and Gaylee Thorsness Endowed Chair in Ethical Leadership. His books include Our Social World, Group Dynamics, and Leadership at the Crossroads: Leadership and Psychology. Crystal L. Hoyt is Associate Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond. Her primary area of research focuses on understanding the experiences and Perceptions of uncommon leaders. She is the co-editor of Leadership at the Crossroads: Leadership and Psychology.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Perspectives on Individualism, Collectivism, and the Greater Good * Donelson R. Forsyth & Crystal L. Hoyt * 1. What Do Capuchin Monkeys Tell Us about Cooperation? Sarah F. Brosnan * 2. Empathy-Induced Altruism:  Friend or Foe of the Common Good? C. Daniel Batson  * 3. Cultural Neuroscience and the Collective Good Joan Y. Chiao, Lisa Hechtman, Narun Pornpattananangkul * 4. A Brief History of Individualism in American Thought Eric Daniels * 5.  Individualism, Collectivism, Leadership and the Greater Good Edwin A. Locke * 6. Big Man, Big Heart?  The Political Role of Aggrandizers in Egalitarian and Transegalitarian Societies Brian Hayden * 7. Resisting Machiavelli: Reducing Collective Harm in Conflict Neil J. Mitchell * 8. A Hippocratic Oath for Philanthropists Michael Moody * 9. Working for the Common Good: Individuals and Groups Address the Challenges Facing the World Mark Snyder