An Evolutionary Perspective on Morality
نویسنده
چکیده
Moralbehaviorandconcern forothersare sometimesargued tosethumansapart fromother species. However, there is some evidence that humans are not the only animal species to possess these characteristics.Work frombehavioral biology andneurosciencehas indicated that some of these traits are present in other species, including other primates. Studying these behaviors in other species can inform us about the evolutionary trajectory of morality, helping us to understand how the behaviors evolved and which environmental characteristics were critical for their emergence. A brief historical look indicates that, while this evolutionary approach to human behavior is not always well received, this line of inquiry is not new. For instance Adam Smith, better known for his economics than his natural history, was clearly sympathetic with the view that moral behaviors are present in species other than humans. This paper focuses on how individuals respond to inequity, which is related tomoral behavior. Recent evidence shows thatnon-humanprimatesdistinguish between inequitable and equitable outcomes. However, this is primarily in situations in which inequity hurts the self (e.g. disadvantageous inequity) rather than another (e.g. advantageous inequity). Studying such responses can help us understand the evolutionary basis of moral behavior, which increases our understanding of how our own morality
منابع مشابه
Origins of human cooperation and morality.
From an evolutionary perspective, morality is a form of cooperation. Cooperation requires individuals either to suppress their own self-interest or to equate it with that of others. We review recent research on the origins of human morality, both phylogenetic (research with apes) and ontogenetic (research with children). For both time frames we propose a two-step sequence: first a second-person...
متن کاملMoral Reputation: An Evolutionary and Cognitive Perspective
From an evolutionary point of view, the function of moral behaviour may be to secure a good reputation as a co-operator. The best way to do so may be to obey genuine moral motivations. Still, one's moral reputation maybe something too important to be entrusted just to one's moral sense. A robust concern for one's reputation is likely to have evolved too. Here we explore some of the complex rela...
متن کاملCritical Analysis of Moral Utilitarianism in the View of John Stuart Mill From the Perspective of Allameh Ja’fari
Moral utilitarianism is one of the issues underlying utilitarianism among Western thinkers. At the forefront of this debate is John Stuart Mill, who found out the utilitarianism of morality after designing the classical liberalism in the realm of morality based on the philosophical basis of utilitarianism. To him, utilitarianism in life brings about most happiness for a person. The goal and pur...
متن کاملThe Limits of Evolutionary Explanations of Morality: The Inclusivist Anomaly and its Implications for Evoconservatism
Traditional conservative arguments against the possibility of major moral progress or fundamental institutional reform relied on under-evidenced assumptions about the limitations of human nature. A number of contemporary thinkers from a variety of disciplines have attempted to fill this empirical gap in the conservative argument by appealing to evolutionary theory. These “evoconservatives” infe...
متن کاملEhics Captured by the Genes; A Survey on Richard Dawkin’s Opinions about Ethics Based on the Theory of Evolution
As an evolutionist biologist, Dawkins has commented on some non-biological fields of knowledge such as ethics. Regarding ethics, he has utilized different areas of knowledge like social biology, evolutionary psychology, genetics etc. The most important aspect of Dawkins theory is that he negates any form of moral distinction between human and animals. His concerns about dealing with ethics orig...
متن کامل