Out of the investigations and speculations of contemporary science, a challenging view of human behavior and society has emerged and gained strength. It is a view that equates human nature utterly and unalterably with the pursuit of self-interest. Influenced by this view, people increasingly appeal to natural imperatives, instead of moral ones, to explain and justify their actions and those of others.Provocative and richly textured. . . .Schwartzs analyses of the inadequacies of contemporary scientific views of human nature are compelling, but the consequences are even more worthy of note.