Morality

[close] Morality without religion? A couple of years ago, I wrote an essay for John Brockman's Edge.org site, focused on the question of what kinds of morality are possible in the absence of religion. Here is the key piece in that essay, the part that I am eager to discuss: "Where I intend to be divisive is with respect to the argument that religion, and moral education more generally, represent the only — or perhaps even the ultimate — source of moral reasoning. If anything, moral education is often motivated by self-interest, to do what's best for those within a moral community, preaching singularity, not plurality. Blame nurture, not nature, for our moral atrocities against humanity. And blame educated partiality more generally, as this allows us to lump into one category all those who fail to acknowledge our shared humanity and fail to use secular reasoning to practise compassion. If religion is not the source of our moral insights — and moral education has the demonstrated potential to teach partiality and, therefore, morally destructive behaviour — then what other sources of inspiration are on offer?" I am particularly interested in this issue as I will soon be publishing a book on the nature of evil entitled "Evilicious."

[close] A Book Club for the Damned

[close] "Moral Markets" is a portal to high-quality blogs / events / online resources that help you to critically reflect on free markets, ethics and well-being (and on the role of business, virtues, institutions and economics education). Books added to the book page of this website (http://www.moralmarkets.org/resources/books/) will also be added to the bookshelf of this group. Feel free to start a discussion on any of the books!

[close] So they got it wrong with the Jews, but does the fact that evolutionary psychology refuses to go away mean they're on to something? Self Determination vs. the Evolutionary Master and as many of the peripheral questions that we can explore and still speak to each other at family reunions.