Moralitys Biological Nature - 2047 Words

Moralitys Biological Nature: Implications for the Attribution of Good and Evil. A man who has no assured and ever present belief in the existence of a personal God or of a future existence with retribution and reward, can have for his rule of life, as far as I can see, only to follow those impulses and instincts which are the strongest or which seem to him the best ones. . . . If he acts for the good of others, he will receive the approbation of his fellow men and gain the love of those with whom he lives. - Charles Darwin In my last paper Serial Killers: Just trying to feel normal, its not my fault (4) I addressed the question as to whether biology can make us murderers. In my paper I catalogued multiple instances in†¦show more content†¦These individuals may simply be impaired and hard-wired incorrectly, in such a way that they do not fall into a category of evil or wrong, but into a category of less wrong, and even unfortunate individuals who have been denied the ability to empathize with others and understand the inherently (and mandatory) intentional natures of good and evil behaviors. As science begins to unravel personality, accountability unravels with it. The person becomes his parts - some working, some defective through no fault of his own. (4) Morality is as firmly grounded in neurobiology as anything else we do or are, said de Waal (6). Morality must be seen as a state that is available to our species as a whole, and thus the biological impairment of not having morality would be seen as what allows us to throw off the drastic label of evil for he who has impairment. The idea that morality might be a biological trait in the human nature dates even back to the father of evolution. In The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin addressed the development of a moral sense from a naturalistic perspective (1). He implies that morality could have arisen as a consequence of human beings biological and social characteristics. This would imply that it isShow MoreRelatedKohlbergs Theory of Moral Development1236 Words   |  5 Pagessocial contract, which is ultimately the highest level of moral reasoning. This is evidenced in everyday life due to the fact the when pressed, individuals are incapable of providing evidence for any kind of unive rsal ethical value not explained by biological, physiological, or cultural evolution (which ultimately means that it is not in fact universal). Recognizing that the highest level of moral reasoning is based in the social contract is important for psychologists and the public alike, becauseRead MoreOrigins of Morality Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pagesdeveloped in the history of humanity. He returned to the very beginning when man lived in the state of nature. He said that man was generally good but not in a moral sense that we know today, probably in a way of usefulness that would benefit us for our survival. The savage did not possess an understanding and knowledge of morality; the ideas of â€Å"good or bad† were actually not inherent in their nature (Discourse on Inequality, pg. 68). His main concern was to survive through fulfilling his basic needsRead MoreFree Will, Nature, And Nurture3271 Words   |  14 Pages The Origins of Morality: How Nature, Nurture, and Especially Free Will Influence One’s Moral Framework Political Science 302 Free Will, Nature, and Nurture in Politics and Society March 16, 2015 Lindsey Macalalad When thinking about morality, it is necessary to consider how aspects from both nature and nurture, along with free will, may form ones moral beliefs and dictate ones moral actions. To understand how moral beliefs as well as actions formulate and operate within individualsRead MoreMoralitys Foundations : Nurture Or Nature?1871 Words   |  8 PagesMorality’s Foundations: Nurture or Nature? The foundations of human morality have often been a point of contention in the scientific and psychological communities, with researchers frequently debating if human morals are innate sensations that are hardwired into one’s genetic makeup or that morals start out as a blank slate that are simply molded by the environment in which an individual was brought up. In recent times, we have seen a vast amount of scientific publications favoring both sides of