FOREWORD

Motivation is a quality the world increasingly appears to be lacking. Despite the tragedies facing society on a daily basis, we still do not appear fully willing to move towards a sustainable pattern of living. What potential solutions remain for our global community? How can countries around the world learn to live together in harmony? In his current book, John LaMuth proposes a Motivation Solution based upon a comprehensive classification of the traditional groupings of virtues, values, and ideals. Through a systematic analysis of ethical motives and emotions (and ways to visualize these through the motivational matrix), we now have many further options to consider.

In 2002, when I first proposed the Human Behaviourome Project, John LaMuth and I entered into correspondence on how the ethics of human behavior may adequately be described, with much discussion to the extent that human ideas can be classified. In his subsequent books, John has mapped many of these behavioral concepts to physical locations within the brain. This is particularly interesting being that we live in an age that celebrates the mapping of the human brain. Despite our expanding knowledge of what makes people think as individuals, group behaviors appear to play an equally crucial role for determining our life on the planet (and the survival of our future world). As you read this book, please reflect on your own behaviors and how they might potentially be improved. Furthermore, how do we relate action to ethical dilemmas and the choices we ultimately make?

This book is a great read, and readers may further provide feedback/comments to John, who has consistently worked towards improving our understanding of human behavior in general.  This should also motivate readers to more deeply reflect upon their own theory of human existence. This book covers a broad range of prescient ideas. Should one live in a culture that employs differing solutions to the ethical choices we face (in addition to those described in this book), then it proves crucial to explore how these are truly different. Think also about what actually appears different, and is it really all that different in the end. Perhaps such motivations are shared in common across all cultures. This book allows us to consider if this truly is the case…

Darryl Macer, Ph.D., Hon.D.
Provost, American Univ. of Sovereign Nations

Director, Eubios Ethics Institute

June, 2014