Before I reply please understand I have no horse in this race. What I have written thus far is purely on the basis of my own logical deductions and therefore may well be wrong:
"Subscribing to a fundamentally biological view of human morality ignores the actual evolution of morality through the ages and dismisses its current role in our lives. "
But this is not what I am arguing at all. I keep talking about the fundamental and that is not coming through. What I mean by fundamental is the basis, however, simple, that would lead to constant development with culture as the primary influence.
As a creature with higher brain centres we have (for whatever reason) an ability to decide things on a moral basis. This does not reference the morality itself but the capacity for morality. The actual moral decision would be determined by the culture but the recognition that there is a moral issue to be decided is probably encoded genetically. Hell there are now earnest discussions about a genetic disposition towards religion. Why there couldn't be one for morality is beyond me.
Just to clarify - we have a moral decision faced by 2 individuals in different societies. Even when one goes one way and the other does the opposite that does not mean that there is no biological input - even if that is merely the flagging up of "moral decision ahead."
Now we know that even humanity has instinctual behaviours - a baby knows to look its mother in the eyes, automatically turns its head towards the mother's breast to suckle and so on. These are clearly identifiable as instinct as opposed to morality. The question remains, however, are there simple moral values that are pre-programmed to start the process. I still am yet to see a reason you think not.
"Subscribing to a fundamentally biological view of human morality ignores the actual evolution of morality through the ages and dismisses its current role in our lives. "
But this is not what I am arguing at all. I keep talking about the fundamental and that is not coming through. What I mean by fundamental is the basis, however, simple, that would lead to constant development with culture as the primary influence.
As a creature with higher brain centres we have (for whatever reason) an ability to decide things on a moral basis. This does not reference the morality itself but the capacity for morality. The actual moral decision would be determined by the culture but the recognition that there is a moral issue to be decided is probably encoded genetically. Hell there are now earnest discussions about a genetic disposition towards religion. Why there couldn't be one for morality is beyond me.
Just to clarify - we have a moral decision faced by 2 individuals in different societies. Even when one goes one way and the other does the opposite that does not mean that there is no biological input - even if that is merely the flagging up of "moral decision ahead."
Now we know that even humanity has instinctual behaviours - a baby knows to look its mother in the eyes, automatically turns its head towards the mother's breast to suckle and so on. These are clearly identifiable as instinct as opposed to morality. The question remains, however, are there simple moral values that are pre-programmed to start the process. I still am yet to see a reason you think not.
Kuusi palaa, ja on viimeinen kerta kun annan vaimoni laittaa jouluvalot!
