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Morality

About: Morality is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 22623 publications have been published within this topic receiving 545733 citations. The topic is also known as: moral & morals.


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Book
11 Feb 2008
TL;DR: Slingerland as discussed by the authors argues that in order for the humanities to progress, its scholars need to take seriously contributions from the natural sciences and particular research on human cognition, which demonstrate that any separation of the mind and the body is entirely untenable.
Abstract: What Science Offers the Humanities examines some of the deep problems facing the study of culture. It focuses on the excesses of postmodernism, but also acknowledges serious problems with postmodernism's harshest critics. In short, Edward Slingerland argues that in order for the humanities to progress, its scholars need to take seriously contributions from the natural sciences - and particular research on human cognition - which demonstrate that any separation of the mind and the body is entirely untenable. The author provides suggestions for how humanists might begin to utilize these scientific discoveries without conceding that science has the last word on morality, religion, art, and literature. Calling into question such deeply entrenched dogmas as the 'blank slate' theory of nature, strong social constructivism, and the ideal of disembodied reason, What Science Offers the Humanities replaces the human-sciences divide with a more integrated approach to the study of culture.

138 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The association between social class and utilitarian judgment was reduced in a condition in which empathy was induced, but not in a control condition, suggesting that reduced empathy helps account for the utilitarianism of upper-class individuals.
Abstract: Though scholars have speculated for centuries on links between individuals' social class standing and approach to moral reasoning, little systematic research exists on how class and morality are associated. Here, we investigate whether the tendency of upper-class individuals to exhibit reduced empathy makes them more likely to resist intuitionist options in moral dilemmas, instead favoring utilitarian choices that maximize the greatest good for the greatest number. In Study 1, upper-class participants were more likely than lower-class participants to choose the utilitarian option in the footbridge dilemma, which evokes relatively strong moral intuitions, but not in the standard trolley dilemma, which evokes relatively weak moral intuitions. In Study 2, upper-class participants were more likely to take resources from one person to benefit several others in an allocation task, and this association was explained by their lower empathy for the person whose resources were taken. Finally, in Study 3, the association between social class and utilitarian judgment was reduced in a condition in which empathy was induced, but not in a control condition, suggesting that reduced empathy helps account for the utilitarianism of upper-class individuals.

138 citations

Book
07 Jan 1999
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce the notion of well-being as the Satisfaction of Desire, and argue that it is the satisfaction of desire rather than happiness that is the goal of human beings.
Abstract: Preface and Acknowledgments. 1. Introducing Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism, Law and Society. Understanding Utilitarianism. Two Rival Nonconsequentialist Theories. The Deathbed Promise. Consequences, Actual and Probable. Average versus Total Happiness. 2. Welfare, Happiness, and the Good. Bentham's Hedonism. Mill's View of Pleasure and Happiness. A Problem for Mental-State Accounts of Well-Being. Well-Being as the Satisfaction of Desire. Objective Theories of WellBeing. Where This Lack of Consensus Leaves Utilitarianism. 3. Arguing for Utilitarianism. Bentham and the Principle of Utility. Mill: Proof and Sentiment. Self-Evidence and the Language of Morality. Utilitarianism and Commonsense Morality. The Case against Deontology. The Appeal of Utilitarianism. 4. Objections to Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism Condones Immoral Conduct. Promises and Particularity of Obligation. The Distribution of Welfare. Is Utilitarianism Too Demanding? 5. Refining Utilitarianism. Second-Order Moral Judgements. Moives, Dispositions, and Traits of Character. The Importance of Secondary Rule. The Rules of the Ordinary Morality. Two Levels of Moral Thinking. Rule Utilitarianism. 6. Rights, Liberty, and Punishment. The Criminal Justice System. The Nature and Function of Rights. The Nature and Function of Rights. Personal Liberty. 7. Justice, Welfare, and Economic Distribution. Some facts about Poverty and Inequality. Thinking about Justice. Nozick's Libertarianism. Rawl's Theory of Justice. Utilitarianism and Distributive Equality. 8. Virtue, Personal Life, and the Demands of Morality. Good-Bye to Normative Theory? Utilitarianism and the Virtues. Moral Fanacticism and the things we value. Those Who Are Near and Dear. The Personal Point of View. The Needs of Strangers. Bibliography. Index.

138 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper found evidence of both moral hypocrisy and overpowered integrity, which can lead ostensibly moral people to act immorally, and these findings raise important questions for future research on the role of moral principles as guides to behavior.
Abstract: Failure of moral people to act morally is usually attributed to either learning deficits or situational pressures. We believe that it is also important to consider the nature of moral motivation. Is the goal actually to be moral (moral integrity) or only to appear moral while, if possible, avoiding the cost of being moral (moral hypocrisy)? Do people initially intend to be moral, only to surrender this goal when the costs of being moral become clear (overpowered integrity)? We have found evidence of both moral hypocrisy and overpowered integrity. Each can lead ostensibly moral people to act immorally. These findings raise important questions for future research on the role of moral principles as guides to behavior.

138 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper explores social relations within the 'trial community' of a Malaria Vaccine Trial (MVT), implemented by the Medical Research Council (MRC) in The Gambia between 2001 and 2004, and explores processes of mediation between scientific project and study population, and between formal ethics, local ethical debates and everyday practice.

138 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
20231,329
20222,639
2021652
2020815
2019825
2018831