{"product_id":"purpose-what-evolution-and-human-nature-imply-about-the-meaning-of-our-existence-9781639365173","title":"Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply about the Meaning of Our Existence","description":"\u003cb\u003eA Next Big Idea Club Must-Read\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eBy using principles from a variety of scientific disciplines, Yale Professor Samuel Wilkinson provides a framework for human evolution that reveals an overarching purpose to our existence. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eGenerations have been taught that evolution implies there is no overarching purpose to our existence, that life has no fundamental meaning. We are merely the accumulation of tens of thousands of intricate molecular accidents. Some scientists take this logic one step further, suggesting that evolution is intrinsically atheistic and goes against the concept of God. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut is this true? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBy integrating emerging principles from a variety of scientific disciplines--ranging from evolutionary biology to psychology--Yale Professor Samuel Wilkinson provides a framework of evolution that implies not only that there is an overarching purpose to our existence, but \u003ci\u003ewhat this purpose is\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith respect to our evolution, nature seems to have endowed us with competing dispositions, what Wilkinson calls the \u003ci\u003edual potential of human nature\u003c\/i\u003e. We are pulled in different directions: selfishness and altruism, aggression and cooperation, lust and love. When we couple this with the observation that we possess a measure of free will, all this strongly implies there is a universal purpose to our existence. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis purpose, at least one of them, is to choose between the good and evil impulses that nature has created within us. Our life is a test. This is a truth, as old as history it seems, that has been espoused by so many of the world's religions. From a certain framework, these aspects of human nature--including how evolution shaped us--are evidence \u003ci\u003efor\u003c\/i\u003e the existence of a God, not against it. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eClosely related to this is \u003ci\u003emeaning\u003c\/i\u003e. What is the meaning of life? Based on the scientific data, it would seem that one such meaning is to develop deep and abiding relationships. At least that is what most people report are the most meaningful aspects of their lives. This is a function of our evolution. It is how we were created.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSamuel T. Wilkinson\u003c\/b\u003e is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Yale Depression Research Program. He received his MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His articles have been featured in the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal.\u003c\/i\u003e He has been the recipient of many awards, including Top Advancements \u0026amp; Breakthroughs from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation; Top Ten Psychiatry Papers by the \u003ci\u003eNew England Journal of Medicine, \u003c\/i\u003ethe Samuel Novey Writing Prize in Psychological Medicine (Johns Hopkins); the Thomas Detre Award (Yale University); and the Seymour Lustman Award (Yale University).\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Pegasus Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50610523013394,"sku":"9781639365173","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_3fa65a71-1409-44c8-95e3-c8621b90aacf.jpg?v=1732344172","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/purpose-what-evolution-and-human-nature-imply-about-the-meaning-of-our-existence-9781639365173","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}