We have seen even ordinary people committing horrific violence by thinking of victims as less than human. We can’t ignore dehumanisation any more
David Livingstone Smith is associate professor of philosophy at the University of New England where he teaches on the philosophies of biology, ethics, metaphysics, mind, psychology and the history of philosophy.
He is co-founder and director of the New England Institute for Cognitive Science and Evolutionary Studies. The Institute explores the interface between evolutionary biology and human nature. Smith is the author of two books — ‘Why We Lie’ and ‘The Most Dangerous Animal’. His next book on dehumanisation will be published later this year by St. Martin’s Press.
(This story appears in the 04 June, 2010 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)