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Biology to Ethics: The Biological Roots of Morality

Biology to Ethics: The Biological Roots of Morality. Francisco J. Ayala University of California, Irvine. Gorilla. Lucy. Human. Enlarged Brain. Bipedal Gait. Tool Making. Reduced Mandible. Ethics. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil)

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Biology to Ethics: The Biological Roots of Morality

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  1. Biology to Ethics: The Biological Roots of Morality Francisco J. Ayala University of California, Irvine

  2. Gorilla Lucy Human

  3. Enlarged Brain Bipedal Gait Tool Making Reduced Mandible

  4. Ethics • Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) • Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action)

  5. Ethics Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action) Language Capacity for symbolic verbal communication Particular languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, …

  6. Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions Ability to make value judgments Ability to choose between alternative courses of action

  7. Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions

  8. Enlarged Brain Bipedal Gait Tool Making Reduced Mandible

  9. Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions Ability to make value judgments

  10. Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions Ability to make value judgments Ability to choose between alternative courses of action

  11. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action) Ethics

  12. Ethics Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action) Language Capacity for symbolic verbal communication Particular languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, …

  13. Codes of ethics(norms by which we judge a particular action):

  14. Cultural evolution Variation among individuals Variation among groups Variation from one to another time Codes of ethics(norms by which we judge a particular action):

  15. Cultural selection: imitation, learning, assimilation Example: monotheism Moses and the Ten Commandments Enforced by civil authority Reinforced by divine authority

  16. Altruism: biological vs moral Isomorphism with respect to consequences; but different causation: Calculus of the genes vs. regards for others

  17. The End

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