Originally posted by Astyanax
reply to post by Pjotr
I don't think morality is learned. Moral precepts are, but morality itself is instinctive, the result of millions of years of evolution as social animals. As I said in an earlier post on this thread, altruism, exchanges of favours and adherence to the golden rule are all evolved traits -- traits we share with other social animals, as a matter of fact.
Empathy, too, is instinctive, indeed hardwired -- we have 'mirror neurons' in our brains which mimic the firing of neurons in the brains of those we see performing a particular action.
Being nice to other members of our own species (but differentially, with those most closely related being treated best, and the most distantly related being treated worse) is entirely natural to us.
Moral precepts adjust instinctive morality to the needs of a given culture. That is why such precepts differ from place to place and from time to time. As humanity has become more numerous and more interdependent, human contacts, especially between very distantly-related individuals, have multiplied. This means that, in order to avoid incessant conflict and preserve society, the kind of behaviour we once reserved for close relatives must now be applied to strangers. Morality must become more inclusive in order for the human race to survive.
And there are signs that it is -- though perhaps not on this thread.
I think we point in the same direction. You talk about morality in general and that is OK, but within that scope and the target of the OP you can differentiate between;
1. a set of rules (as a given by a group or institute or church)
2 a treatise of good or bad, a theoretical framework
3. a godgive ethics (absolute good and evil)
and the main question is, where does it come from. Now you say instinct, and I guess you are partly right, but after that happens the social and ideological parties walk away with it and set the "standards", as you point out correctly with "adjusting" It is a layered subject. So from that perspective is is alway tricky to say that you would know "instinctively", which you are not saying, but that is what drips out off every conversation ont he subject.
Yes , it is instinctive on a certain level, but as soon as it caught in a theory of ethics as in religion happens we learn it, and when your mother says you better wash your hands or don't touch your penis, your learn that even when you do not know any more why you have to wash your hands or why you can't touch your penis. And with "practical lessons" I do not mean something in a classroom, but something more akin to what you are pointing out, instinct, or learing from practicalities, burning your hands on fire "OOhuh FIRE BAD(hell?)" I meant practical as in opposing theory.
Empathy is hardwired as a possibility, I think. Over the years I learned to be more emphatic. As a young lad I was surely not as emphatic as I am now. Some may have happened instinctive, some because I choose to.
I support your conclusion.
[edit on 3-6-2008 by Pjotr]
