Sam Harris.org Reader Forum | Evolutionary Origins of Morality

Evolutionary Origins of Morality

Posted: 13 February 2011 07:32 PM

[ Ignore ]

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Total Posts: 2

Joined 2011-02-05

I’ve become interested in the Evolutionary Origins of Morality ever since I heard of the story (in Sagan’s Cosmos) of the monkey that starved itself rather than push the lever to get food which also gave a painful electric shock to his conspecific neighbor.

Does anyone know if Dr. Harris’ book confronts this issue?

TIA

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Posted: 24 February 2011 12:13 PM

[ Ignore ] [ # 1 ]

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Total Posts: 2800

Joined 2005-04-29

I just opened up The Moral Landscape‘s index and counted 23 pages containing the word evolution. Since Gould’s death, everyone seems to be in agreement with Harris’ take on things. Of course I only read certain things, so I could be sadly mistaken.

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Philosophy may in no way interfere with the actual use of language; it can in the end only describe it. For it cannot give it any foundations either. It leaves everything as it is.
Ludwig Wittgenstein

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