Introduction to Ethics Chapter 3: The moral mind

determinism

The philosophical position that the events of the world, including human thoughts and behaviors, are determined by physical and biological laws.

emotion

The physiological response to our external and internal environments

feeling

The conscious experience of emotion

emotivism

The philosophical position that morality is just the addition of an emotion or sentiment to an idea or behavior

embarrassment

The negative emotion we experience when we do something that earns the temporary social (rather than moral) contempt or laughter of others

shame

The negative emotion we may have when some aspect of our selves is experienced to be socially unworthy.

guilt

A negative emotion aimed not at my core self but at a specific behavior of mine. The emotion may go away once we have experienced punishment because we sense that the scales of justice have now been balanced.

contempt

The other-directed emotion we experience when a person violates some kind of social hierarchy rule that is important for a community

anger

A very common moral emotion that applies to a lot of circumstances but is the emotion most likely to be aroused when someone violates others' rights or does something seen as unfair.

disgust

A negative moral emotion associated with purity violations having to do with the body (like sex) or violations of sacred things or deeply held religious beliefs.

emotional contagion

The process by which emotions are transferred from one person to another, by empathy, mirroring, and participating in groups and crowds

empathy

An ability to experience in parallel the emotions of others, not a separate emotion.

compassion

Understanding the emotional state of others, but without necessarily mimicking their emotional state. Combined with a prosocial attitude to provide aid if possible. Sometimes called rational empathy.

dual-process theory

The theory that judgment involves two types of thinking: a fast, efficient, but sometimes faulty set of strategies, and a slower, more laborious, but less risky set of strategies.

system 1 thinking

The set of automatic biases, heuristics, and intuitions by which we make most of our daily decisions. Traditionally called "conscience."

system 2 thinking

Reflective thinking that is slow, deliberate, and conscious. Often less charged with emotions.

self-interest

The tendency to favor ourselves in our decisions, behaviors, beliefs, and judgments.

over-confidence

Our tendency to believe that we are not as prone to errors as other people.

consistency bias

Pressure we feel to keep doing what we have been doing, or responding to situations in the same ways that we have done in the past.

here-and-now bias (or future-discounting)

The tendency for us to prefer options based on our immediate needs and desires rather than those that seem far off and distant, even if we know they are better choices.

risk aversion bias and the familiarity bias

The impulse to conserve what we have, to resist change, and to value that which we experience as comfortable and familiar.

fundamental attribution error

We tend to judge our own failing as situational, but the failing of others as their personal fault. Likewise, we judge our successes as a result of our skill or hard work, but the success of others as luck.

ingroup/outgroup Identification

The tendency we have to form groups and draw lines between those who are in our group and those who are not.

reciprocity

The intuition that keeps track of what we owe other people and what people owe us. It makes us feel obliged to do unto others as they do unto us and want the same treatment in return (The Golden Rule).

retribution

The desire to see moral offenders and non-conformers punished.

moral foundations theory

Jonathan Haidt's theory that there are six basic, universal social moral intuitions, like moral tastebuds.

care foundation

Sensitivity to whether persons are injured, harmed, or otherwise in need of assistance. Typically stronger in liberals. Closely connected with compassion response.

equality foundation

Sensitivity to whether others are being treated fairly, getting equal treatment. Strongest in social liberals.

loyalty foundation

Sensitivity to whether other members of our ingroups are maintaining group norms and boundaries. Typically stronger in conservatives. Violations typically elicit the emotion of anger.

authority foundation

Sensitivity to whether social hierarchies and rules are maintained and respected. Typically stronger in conservatives.Violations typically elicit the emotion of contempt.

post hoc

Latin for "after this." Most moral reason is actually justification of positions arrived at via biases.

purity foundation

Sensitivity to moral issues about bodily and religious purity. Violations typically elicit the emotion of disgust.

conscience

The traditional or folk name we give to the internal sense of we have of the moral goodness or badness of my conduct or the conduct of others.

proportionality foundation

Sensitivity to whether people get what they deserve in terms of rewards or punishments. This is a form of fairness that is different from equality, but based on merit and the balancing of the scales of justice. It tends to be stronger in social conservatives.