Course Overview
Explore the dark side of our human nature through the lenses of philosophy, theology, and science, guided by an expert with a global perspective.
The Dark Side of Humanity
Hardly a day goes by without news of a violent or reprehensible act. But how can we be so sure that we are nothing like the perpetrators? This course, led by Professor Daniel Breyer, takes you on a philosophical journey to explore the complex and often hidden aspects of our nature. By investigating perspectives from various traditions—Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and secular—you’ll develop a comprehensive understanding of humanity.
Course Lectures
- What Do We Mean by the “Dark Side”? – 31 min
- Our Fundamental Nature: Good or Evil? – 32 min
- What Is Evil? – 32 min
- Moral Monsters and Evil Personhood – 32 min
- Evil and Responsibility – 30 min
- Sin: Original and Otherwise – 34 min
- Dark Thoughts and Desires – 34 min
- Suffering and Its Causes – 31 min
- The Problem of Expectation and Desire – 32 min
- The Fear of Death – 32 min
- Existential Anxiety and the Courage to Be – 32 min
- The Goodness of Grief – 29 min
- Homo necans: Why Do We Kill? – 30 min
- Nightmares and the Dream Self – 28 min
- Varieties of Self-Deception – 31 min
- Varieties of Ignorance – 31 min
- Weakness of Will – 28 min
- Luck and the Limits of Blame – 30 min
- Victim Blaming and the Just-World Hypothesis – 30 min
- Retribution and Revenge – 30 min
- Forgiveness and Redemption – 30 min
- The Elimination of Anger – 28 min
- Being Peaceful in a Troubled World – 29 min
- The Allure of the Dark Side – 33 min

