Moral Choices: Understanding Ethical Decision-Making

Moral Choices: Understanding Ethical Decision-Making

What roles do intuition and reason play when it comes to our moral choices? How and why do we seek to justify these choices? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that we use intuition rather than reason to make most of our moral choices. Then we use moral reasoning to justify our decisions to others. Basically, we are more concerned that others think we’re doing the right thing than we are concerned about actually doing the right thing. Read more to learn about how we make moral choices and then justify them.

The Origin of Morality: Intuition or Culture?

The Origin of Morality: Intuition or Culture?

How is morality defined? What is the origin of morality? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes that morality is better defined by what it does rather than what is moral. He argues that, contrary to what many people think, morality isn’t innate. The truth about the origin of morality is more complex. Read on to learn more about the definition and origin of morality.

Reason and Emotion: How Do They Influence Morality?

Reason and Emotion: How Do They Influence Morality?

How is morality determined by reason and emotion? Which force is stronger when it comes to ethics? Some argue that morality is governed by reason. Others insist that morality is governed by emotion. In The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discusses the argument, showing how philosophers and psychologists point to reason and emotion as driving forces behind our moral choices. He believes that one argument is stronger, and he offers insight into how we can leverage this to persuade others. Read more to learn how reason and emotion come into play when it comes to our sense of right

The Harm Principle: Does It Apply Outside of the West?

The Harm Principle: Does It Apply Outside of the West?

Does the harm principle of ethics have universal merit? What is the principle’s counterargument? The harm principle, introduced by John Stuart Mill in 1859, states that the only way that anyone should exercise power in a civilized society is to prevent harm. This is the basis for ethics in the secular West. However, taking the rest of the world into consideration opens up a different perspective. This is put forth by Jonathan Haidt in his book The Righteous Mind. Read more to learn about differing views regarding the harm principle.

The 6 Moral Foundations: Beyond the Harm Principle

The 6 Moral Foundations: Beyond the Harm Principle

What are the six moral foundations? How can our view of morality expand in order to understand others better? Everyone is accustomed to a certain moral framework, and it can be hard to accept that another morality is moral or even possible. Also, people respond to the six moral foundations in different ways. These factors contribute to the difficulty we have in understanding each other. Gaining insight into how moral foundations work can help us empathize with others. Read more to learn about the six moral foundations.

Why Different Societies Have Different Moral Codes

Why Different Societies Have Different Moral Codes

Why do different societies have different moral codes? Why is a certain behavior “good“ here—but “bad“ over there? Jonathan Haidt, in his book The Righteous Mind, argues that morality is culture-dependent—that different societies have different moral codes. Studying people in Philadelphia and Brazil, he found that even groups within societies have different moralities from one another. Read more to learn why different societies have different moral codes.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Asha’s Charity Scams

How Beautiful Forevers Asha Embraced Charity Scams

What are charity scams? How did the character Asha get involved in charity scams in the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? Charity scams are when a charity fundraiser diverts the majority of the money collected from donors for personal use. In Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Asha used her nonprofit as a vehicle for government officials to divert funds meant for a school education program. She planned to make money from her share of the stolen funds. Read on to discover how the desire to escape poverty drove Asha to participate in charity scams.

Empathy and Morality: What Is the Connection?

Empathy and Morality: What Is the Connection?

What is the connection between empathy and morality? Do the moral philosophies of Bentham and Kant go far enough? In his book The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt asserts that popular Western theories about morality fail to fully grasp the connection between empathy and morality. He points to the moral philosophies of Jeremy Bentham and Immanuel Kant in particular. Read more to learn about the treatment of empathy and morality in Western philosophy.

The Advantages of Conservatism in Moral Psychology

The Advantages of Conservatism in Moral Psychology

What are the advantages of conservatism when it comes to moral psychology? What do conservatives understand and leverage that liberals do not? There are certain advantages of conservatism over liberalism in regard to understanding moral psychology. Conservatives tap into all six moral foundations, while liberals focus on only two or three. This means that conservatives have the power to persuade more people. Read more to learn about the advantages of conservatism in the realm of moral psychology.

The Righteous Mind: Why Don’t We All Just Get Along?

The Righteous Mind: Why Don’t We All Just Get Along?

Why is it so hard for us to get along? How can we understand each other better? The Righteous Mind, a book by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, attempts to answer those questions and help us understand why hostile groups have different conceptions of what it means to be “right.” Liberals and conservatives lack a common language, and reason-based arguments about morality are ineffective. This leads to political polarization. Read on to learn more about The Righteous Mind.