Affiliates
| Works by
Stephen G. Post, Ph.D. (Writer) |
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Altruism and Health: Perspectives from Empirical Research (2007)
We're all quite familiar with the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, who was
miserable in his selfishness, but later became happy when he began helping
others. Ebenezer's story is compelling, but is it true that helping others
is good for the giver? Although numerous studies have demonstrated that
people experience health benefits when treated kindly and compassionately,
do those who provide love to others also experience health benefits? In
other words, is it at least as good to give as to receive? Does virtue
actually have its own rewards? To answer these questions, Altruism and
Health brings research in biology, psychiatry, psychology, gerontology,
epidemiology, and public health. Much of this research shows that
unselfish individuals will find life to be more meaningful, will usually
be happier than their selfish counterparts, and will often experience
better mental health. Some of this research also finds that unselfish
individuals have reduced mortality rates and better physical health.
Evolutionary and biological models help to explain these results by
elucidating why a person who gives generously to others might live a more
functional, happier, and healthier life. There is, however, an obvious
caveat: those who allow themselves to be overwhelmed by care giving will
often suffer from the stressful burden of care. These findings challenge
the shibboleth that being altruistic has either negative consequences or
no benefits. This volume presents the first unified, empirical argument
that an individual can live a generous life, without concern for
reciprocity or reputational gain, and as a by-product, discover deeper
relationships, happiness, health, and even longevity. In doing so, it
raises the most essential and perennial questions of moral psychology and
the good life.
Why Good Things Happen to Good People: The Exciting New Research that Proves the Link Between Doing Good and Living a
Longer, Healthier, Happier Life
(2007) with Jill Neimark
Dr. Stephen Post has been making headlines by
funding studies at the nation’s top universities to prove once and for all
the life-enhancing benefits of caring, kindness, and compassion. The
exciting new research shows that when we give of ourselves, especially if
we start young, everything from life-satisfaction to self-realization and
physical health is significantly affected. Mortality is delayed.
Depression is reduced. Well-being and good fortune are increased. In their
life-changing new book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Dr. Post
and journalist Jill Neimark weave the growing new science of love and
giving with profoundly moving real-life stories to show exactly how giving
unlocks the doors to health, happiness, and a longer life.
The astounding new research includes a fifty-year study showing that
people who are giving during their high school years have better physical
and mental health throughout their lives. Other studies show that older
people who give live longer than those who don’t. Helping others has been
shown to bring health benefits to those with chronic illness, including
HIV, multiple sclerosis, and heart problems. And studies show that people
of all ages who help others on a regular basis, even in small ways, feel
happiest.
Why Good Things Happen to Good People offers ten ways to give of yourself,
in four areas of life, all proven by science to improve your health and
even add to your life expectancy. (And not one requires you to write a
check.) The one-of-a-kind “Love and Longevity Scale” scores you on all ten
ways, from volunteering to listening, loyalty to forgiveness, celebration
to standing up for what you believe in. Using the lessons and guidelines
in each chapter, you can create a personalized plan for a more generous
life, finding the style of giving that suits you best.
The astonishing connection between generosity and health is so convincing
that it will inspire readers to change their lives in ways big and small.
Get started today. A longer, healthier, happier life awaits you.
The Fountain of Youth: Cultural, Scientific, and Ethical Perspectives on a Biomedical Goal (2004),
Robert H. Binstock and Stephen G. Post, eds.
A wide variety of ambitions and measures to slow, stop, and reverse
phenomena associated with aging have been part of human culture since
early civilization. From alchemy to cell injections to dietary
supplements, the list of techniques aimed at altering the processes of
aging continues to expand. Charlatans, quacks, and entrepreneurs
proffering anti-aging products and practices have always exploited
uniformed customers and instilled doubt and apprehension toward practices
intended to extend life. Recently, however, the pursuit of longevity has
developed into a respectable scientific activity. Many biologists are
substantially funded by the government and the private sector to conduct
research that they believe will lead to effective anti-aging
interventions. While many embrace this quest for "prolongevity"--extended
youth and long life--others fear its consequences. If effective anti-aging
interventions were achieved, they would likely bring about profound
alterations in the experiences of individual and collective life. What if
aging could be decelerated to the extent that both average life expectancy
and maximum life span would increase by forty percent? What if all humans
could live to be centenarians, free of the chronic diseases and
disabilities now commonly associated with old age? What if modern
scientists could find the modern equivalent to the Fountain of Youth that
Ponce de Leon sought? This book addresses these questions by exploring the
ramifications of possible anti-aging interventions on both individual and
collective life. Through a series of essays, it examines the biomedical
goal of prolongevity from cultural, scientific, religious, and ethical
perspectives, offering a sweeping view into the future of aging.
Human Nature and the Freedom of Public Religious Expression
(2003)
Drawing on current research in science and
religion, distinguished bioethicist Stephen G. Post provocatively argues
that human beings are, by nature, inclined toward a presence in the
universe that is higher than their own. In consequence, the institutions
of everyday life, such as schools, the workplace, and the public square,
are not justified in censoring the spiritual and religious expression that
freely arises from the wellspring of the human spirit.
Post believes that the privatization of religious expression, coupled with
the imposition of a secular monism, is a departure from true liberal
democracy in which citizens are free to assert themselves in ways that
manifest their full nature. Utilizing research in the neurosciences,
psychiatry, the social sciences, and evolutionary psychology, he provides
scientific information supporting the idea, familiar to theories of
natural law, that religious expression and freedom are essential human
goods. In developing this perspective, Post also engages in a critical
conversation with secular existentialism.
Human Nature and the Freedom of Public Religious Expression offers
an alternative to the views of political philosophers such as Richard
Rorty, and educators such as John Dewey, who fail to acknowledge the
unique contribution that religious language, when thoughtfully
implemented, makes to the tone and content of public debate and education.
Post’s perspective privileges no particular religion, but rather asks that
adherents to all faiths, including secularism, be allowed freely to
express their core values in a civil, respectful, and public manner. Post
calls for a recovery of the full meaning of liberal democracy in all
domains of public life, so that we might again discover the value of
freedom of expression.
Research on Altruism and Love: An Annotated Bibliography of Major Studies in Psychology, Sociology,
Evolutionary Biology, and Theology
(2003), Byron Johnson, Jeffrey P. Schloss, Michael E. McCullough,
and Stephen G. Post
Research on Altruism and Love
is a compendium of annotated bibliographies reviewing literature and
research studies on the nature of love. An essay introduces each of the
annotated bibliographies.
A variety of literature either directly related to science-and-love issues
or supporting literature for those issues is covered in the Religious Love
Interfaces with Science section. This annotated bibliography is unique in
that it approaches the field from a decidedly religious perspective. It
includes classical expositions of love that continue to influence
contemporary scholars, including Plato's’ work on eros, the work and words
of Jesus, Aristotle, Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, Kierkegaard, and
Ghandi, among others. The contemporary discussion includes Anders Nygren’s
theological arguments in his classic, Agape and Eros; Pitirim Sorokin; and
others. An issue that often emerges in this literature is the question of
the nature and definition of love.
A second annotated bibliography features current empirical research in the
field of Personality and Altruism, with a focus on social psychology.
Among the topics covered are the altruistic personality, altruistic
behavior, empathy, helping behavior, social responsibility, and
volunteerism. Methodologies are diverse, and studies include experiments,
local and national surveys, naturalistic observation, and combinations of
these.
The Evolutionary Biology annotated bibliography covers the most
significant works on altruism and love in the field of biology and
evolutionary psychology.
The fourth and final annotated bibliography in this volume is entitled
Sociology of Faith-Based Volunteerism. Here the focus is on literature on
the interface of helping behavior and religious organizations, as well as
major pieces on voluntary associations.
Unlimited Love: Altruism, Compassion, and Service (2003)
What if we could prove that love heals mental
illness and is vital to successful therapeutic outcomes in all areas of
health care? What if we could prove that people who live more for others
than for self have greater psychological well-being?
Professor Stephen G. Post, who heads the Institute for Research on
Unlimited Love, is developing a new positive scientific program that
integrates practice with high-level empirical research and
religious-ethical ideas in order to explore these questions. The goal is
to understand how our complex brains, unique imaginations, communicative
abilities, reasoning powers, moral sense, and spiritual promptings give
rise to the remarkable practice of unselfish love for our neighbors—or for
those we do not even know.
In Unlimited Love, Post examines the question of what we mean by
"unlimited love"; his focus is not on "falling" into love, which is
"altogether natural, easy, and delusional." Rather, he focuses on the
difficult learned ascent that "begins with insight into the need for
tolerance of ubiquitous imperfection, and matures into unselfish concern,
gratitude, and compassion." He considers social scientific and
evolutionary perspectives on human altruistic motivations, and he analyzes
these perspectives in a wide interdisciplinary context at the interface of
science, ethics, and religion.
Teilhard de Chardin commented that the scientific understanding of the
power of unselfish love would be as significant in human history as the
discovery of fire.
In Unlimited Love, Stephen Post presents an argument for the creation of a
new interdisciplinary field for the study of love and unlimited love,
"engaging great minds and hoping to shape the human future away from
endless acrimony, hatred, and violence."
Altruism & Altruistic Love: Science, Philosophy & Religion in Dialogue (2002),
Jeffrey Schloss, Lynn G. Underwood, Stephen Garrard Post, and William B.
Hurlbut, eds.
The concept of altruism, or disinterested concern for another's welfare,
has been discussed by everyone from theologians to psychologists to
biologists. In this book, evolutionary, neurological, developmental,
psychological, social, cultural, and religious aspects of altruistic
behavior are examined. It is a collaborative examination of one of
humanity's essential and defining characteristics by renowned researchers
from various disciplines. Their integrative dialogue illustrates that
altruistic behavior is a significant mode of expression that can be
studied by various scholarly methods and understood from a variety of
perspectives in both the humanities and the sciences. Altruism and
Altruistic Love establishes a framework for scholarship on altruism by
presenting definitions, a historical overview, a review of contemporary
research, and debates in various disciplines, as well as a discussion of
directions for future work.
More Lasting Unions: Christianity, the Family and Society (Religion, Marriage, & Family) (2000)
A powerful reassertion of the social and spiritual
significance of marriage and the family. Many recent social theorists
maintain that marriage and the nuclear family are not particularly
important to the fabric of our culture. In this powerful refutation,
grounded in both Christian teaching and social-science data, Stephen G.
Post asserts that the bonds of marriage and family are fundamental to our
social and spiritual well-being. Unique in the field for its wide
treatment of relevant issues, More Lasting Unions also takes up these
important topics: the special needs of children and of aging parents;
adoption as an alternative way of family building; the perils of family
self-indulgence and consumerism; balancing family commitments and concern
for neighbors.
Genetic Testing for Alzheimer Disease: Ethical and Clinical Issues (1998), Peter J.
Whitehouse and Stephen G. Post, eds.
The genetics of Alzheimer disease has been a point of
intense concern and immense informational confusion for families in which
a loved one is diagnosed with dementia. In recent years, however,
scientists have begun to uncover the genetic bases for some forms of
Alzheimer disease. Once a chromosomal defect is identified, it becomes
possible to devise a test for its presence. The far-reaching implications
of such tests are the focus of the present volume.
In Genetic Testing for Alzheimer Disease, Stephen G. Post and Peter
J. Whitehouse bring together experts from the fields of ethics, genetics,
policy, neurology, philosophy, and anthropology to examine the ethical and
social aspects of genetic testing for Alzheimer disease. The authors begin
by focusing on current genetic findings and their clinical applicability.
They then address ethical issues in genetic testing and genetic counseling
for Alzheimer disease. They examine social issues such as confidentiality,
discrimination, and fairness in health care. Finally, they discuss ways to
educate professionals and laypeople regarding these issues.
The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease: Ethical Issues from Diagnosis to Dying (1995, 2000)
Society today, writes Stephen Post, is "hypercognitive":
it places inordinate emphasis on people's powers of rational thinking and
memory. Thus, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, which over an
extended period incrementally rob patients of exactly those functions,
raise many dilemmas. How are we to view--and value--persons deprived of
what some consider the most important human capacities?
In the second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease,
Post updates his highly praised account of the major ethical issues
relating to dementia care. With chapters organized to follow the
progression from mild to severe and then terminal stages of dementia, Post
discusses topics including the experience of dementia, family caregiving,
genetic testing for Alzheimer disease, quality of life, and assisted
suicide and euthanasia. New to this edition are sections dealing with
end-of-life issues (especially artificial nutrition and hydration), the
emerging cognitive-enhancing drugs, distributive justice, spirituality,
and hospice, as well as a critique of rationalistic definitions of
personhood. The last chapter is a new summary of practical solutions
useful to family members and professionals.
Spheres of Love: Toward a New Ethics of the Family
(1994)
Inquiries in Bioethics (1993)
Dementia and Aging: Ethics, Values, and Policy Choices (1992), Peter
J. Whitehouse, Robert H. Binstock, AND Stephen G. Post, eds.
Several million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's
disease or a related dementing disorder. For families, professional
caregivers, policy makers, and the patients themselves, the challenges are
immense and the economic costs are staggering. In Dementia and Aging
Robert H. Binstock, Stephen G. Post, and Peter J. Whitehouse bring
together experts in gerontology, geriatrics, psychiatry, neurology,
nursing, ethics, philosophy, public policy, and law to examine the
ethical, moral, and policy controversies surrounding dementia.
The authors first present background information on dementia and related
ethical and policy issues. The remainder of the book is divided into three
parts. Part One conveys the difficulties experienced by dementia patients
and their caregivers. Part Two deals with ethical and moral issues
involved in decisions regarding treatment and care, including the highly
controversial subject of euthanasia. Part Three lays out societal choices
regarding the allocation of resources for treatment, care, and research on
dementia.
Too Old for Health Care?: Controversies in Medicine, Law, Economics, and Ethics
(1991), Robert H. Binstock and
Stephen G. Post, eds.
A Theory of Agape: On the Meaning of Christian Love
(1990)
Christian Love and Self-denial
(1987)
Encyclopedia of Bioethics (1980)
Five volume set.
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