Neuroscience
Interesting podcast from Australia’s All in the Mind about the evolution of morality. See their description below:
“Moral Minds: The Evolution of Human Morality
“Incest, infanticide, honour killings - different cultures have different rules of justice. But are we all born with a moral instinct - an innate ability to judge what is right and wrong? Could morality be like language - a universal, unconscious grammar common to all human cultures? Eminent evolutionary biologist Marc Hauser and philosopher Richard Joyce take on these controversial questions in impressive new tomes, and to critical acclaim. But could their evolutionary arguments undermine the social authority of morality? Is biology the new 'religion'? “
I’ve seen Marc Hauser speak (thanks, Hampshire!) and he’s very interesting. He’s got an online Moral Sense Test where he and his team at Harvard’s Cognitive Evolution Lab “study … the nature of human moral judgment.” I won’t tell you about the moral dilemmas presented in the test, but they are challenging! See for yourself.
You can download the podcast or read the transcript from All in the Mind.
- The Remote Rural Community That Thinks Letting Someone Die Is As Bad As Killing Them
In recent years, cognitive scientist Marc Hauser has gathered evidence that suggests we're born with a moral instinct. This moral intuition has been likened to the universal grammar that Chomsky famously suggested underlies our linguistic abilities...
- Would You Kill One Person To Save The Lives Of Others?
Are morals based on facts and knowledge, or are they grounded in emotions? In other words, if you programmed a computer with the right information, would it make the same moral judgements as a person? 'No', is the answer suggested by new research...
- Marc Hauser Lecture On Morality. Not Ironic Or Anything.
With the recent resignation of prominent Harvard psychology professor Marc Hauser, let's revisit the irony of an expert on morality -- and the author of a book called Moral Minds -- being found guilty of eight instances of research misconduct. The...
- Interesting Cogsci Folks
Two quick notes:Ginger Campbell, of the Brain Science Podcast recently interviewed Patricia Churchland on Neurophilosophy and other topics. Read Ginger's show summary & download the show if you want to hear the whole thing:Churchland is the...
- Boston (cognitive Science) Ideas 2005
Two fascinating cognitive scientists spoke at the Boston IDEAS forum on Oct. 6, 2005. Marc Hauser discussed his work with apes which has unlocked some of the mysteries of language evolution, social cooperation, communication, and morality. Dr. Hauser...
Neuroscience
A Moral Grammar?
Interesting podcast from Australia’s All in the Mind about the evolution of morality. See their description below:
“Moral Minds: The Evolution of Human Morality
“Incest, infanticide, honour killings - different cultures have different rules of justice. But are we all born with a moral instinct - an innate ability to judge what is right and wrong? Could morality be like language - a universal, unconscious grammar common to all human cultures? Eminent evolutionary biologist Marc Hauser and philosopher Richard Joyce take on these controversial questions in impressive new tomes, and to critical acclaim. But could their evolutionary arguments undermine the social authority of morality? Is biology the new 'religion'? “
I’ve seen Marc Hauser speak (thanks, Hampshire!) and he’s very interesting. He’s got an online Moral Sense Test where he and his team at Harvard’s Cognitive Evolution Lab “study … the nature of human moral judgment.” I won’t tell you about the moral dilemmas presented in the test, but they are challenging! See for yourself.
You can download the podcast or read the transcript from All in the Mind.
- The Remote Rural Community That Thinks Letting Someone Die Is As Bad As Killing Them
In recent years, cognitive scientist Marc Hauser has gathered evidence that suggests we're born with a moral instinct. This moral intuition has been likened to the universal grammar that Chomsky famously suggested underlies our linguistic abilities...
- Would You Kill One Person To Save The Lives Of Others?
Are morals based on facts and knowledge, or are they grounded in emotions? In other words, if you programmed a computer with the right information, would it make the same moral judgements as a person? 'No', is the answer suggested by new research...
- Marc Hauser Lecture On Morality. Not Ironic Or Anything.
With the recent resignation of prominent Harvard psychology professor Marc Hauser, let's revisit the irony of an expert on morality -- and the author of a book called Moral Minds -- being found guilty of eight instances of research misconduct. The...
- Interesting Cogsci Folks
Two quick notes:Ginger Campbell, of the Brain Science Podcast recently interviewed Patricia Churchland on Neurophilosophy and other topics. Read Ginger's show summary & download the show if you want to hear the whole thing:Churchland is the...
- Boston (cognitive Science) Ideas 2005
Two fascinating cognitive scientists spoke at the Boston IDEAS forum on Oct. 6, 2005. Marc Hauser discussed his work with apes which has unlocked some of the mysteries of language evolution, social cooperation, communication, and morality. Dr. Hauser...