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Morality / ethics
Morality: Refers to culturally embedded beliefs and practices about right and wrong; it encompasses the norms, values, and expectations that guide behavior within a society.
Ethics: The reflective, systematic analysis of moral principles; in anthropology, ethics may refer to both emic (insider) and etic (outsider) evaluations of moral conduct.
Contrast: Morality is often lived and practiced; ethics tends to be more theoretical or codified
Moral emotions
Emotions like empathy, guilt, shame, indignation, and moral disgust that regulate and reinforce moral behavior
Guilt / shame
Guilt: emotion resulting from one behavior causing damage to another
Shame: emotion resulting from conscious belief that the self is damage in some manner
Emotivism
A metaethical view that moral judgments are expressions of emotional attitudes rather than objective truth
Supererogation
Acts that are morally commendable but not required—e.g., heroism or extreme generosity. From an anthropological lens, what counts as “supererogatory” varies widely and reflects cultural ideals of virtue.
Social intuitionist theory
moral positions are often nonverbal and behavior-based on quick and intuitive judgement
Moral realism / relativism
Moral Realism: The belief that moral facts exist independently of human beliefs.
Moral Relativism: The view that moral norms are culture-specific and not universally binding.
Contrast: Anthropology tends to lean toward relativism, emphasizing moral diversity, while moral realism is more common in philosophical discourse
Capacity vs code of ethics **
Capacity: Refers to the evolved or developmental ability to make moral judgments.
Code of Ethics: A formal set of rules or guidelines for conduct, often institutional (e.g., research ethics).
Contrast: Capacity is about potential and universals; a code is about cultural specificity and institutional application. Anthropologists often study how capacities are shaped by culture
Moral dumbfounding
A phenomenon where people maintain a moral judgment even when unable to justify it rationally
Libertarianism (error theory)***
In moral philosophy, Error Theory holds that all moral statements are systematically false. Libertarianism, in ethics or politics, emphasizes individual freedom. In anthropology, such views are critiqued for assuming a universal rational individual, ignoring collective or relational personhood in many cultures.
Metaethics / normative / practical ethics
Metaethics: The study of the nature and meaning of moral terms (what is morality)
Normative Ethics: Theories about how one ought to act (e.g., utilitarianism) (what should we do)
Practical Ethics: Applied ethics in real-world contexts (e.g., medical ethics). (how do we solve this ethical issue in context)
Tragedy of Commonsense Morality
Phrase coined by Joshua Greene: refers to how evolved tribal moral systems clash in a globalized world. Anthropology supports this idea by showing that “common sense” morality is often parochial and leads to intergroup conflict.
Cognitive control and conflict theory
Moral decisions are often nonverbal and behavior-based on deontological judgement (right or wrong), being intuitive and utilitarian judgement (greater good) being cognitive
Cognitive and emotional integration theory
moral position and cannot be split; complexity and contex in situations make behavior decisions difficult
Moral naturalism / intuition
Moral Naturalism: Moral truths are reducible to natural properties (e.g., well-being).
Moral Intuition: Moral knowledge is accessed through instinctive, non-inferential ways
Moral dilemma
Situations where moral obligations conflict and no clear resolution exists.
Divine command
A theory that morality is grounded in the will or commands of a deity. From an anthropological lens, it’s a culturally embedded moral ontology found in many religious societies but varying in form and authority.
Utilitarianism
A normative ethical theory holding that the best action maximizes overall happiness or well-being. In anthropology, it's critiqued for assuming a quantifiable, universal standard of value, which may clash with diverse cultural priorities.
Behavioral ethics
Studies actual behavior in moral contexts, including biases and situational influences. Anthropology contributes by examining how context, ritual, status, and group identity shape moral behavior in real life.
What are the two different classes of morality?
How are feelings of guilt and shame related to fear response?
What are the various moral behavioral theories? How do they each define the basis of moral behavior?
What regions of the brain are involved in moral circuitry?
When considering a capacity for ethics, what three criteria are used for evaluating actions of "good" or "evil"?
Is biological or cultural evolution a better "fit" for explaining origins of morality and ethical behavior? How do the four main measures of evolution support this conclusion?