[ExI] Origin of ethics and morals

[Keith Henson]

On Fri, Dec 9, 2011 at 7:08 PM,  Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 9 December 2011 15:56, Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Perhaps you can convince me differently, but I see more in common than
>> divergent across cultures.  Parents, for example, universally take
>> care of children.
>
> It may be a matter of definitions, but I suspect that the common part can
> be fairly described as part of our ethology.
>
> Is breathing an ethical or unethical behaviour?
>
> Actual ethical systems come into play when they dictate diverging
> behaviours to their respective followers.

I don't think much human behavior in the moral or ethical class
involves consulting a "system."  I think most of it is closer to
reflex, i.e., the output of evolved psychological mechanisms.

> As pointed out, eg, by Posner in The Problematics of Moral and Legal
> Theory<http://www.amazon.com/Problematics-Moral-Legal-Theory/dp/0674007999/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323444747&sr=8-2>,
> "Do the Right Thing", or even "Thou Shalt Not Kill" does not really say
> much about the solution or real-world moral dilemmas, which have invariably
> to do with different views of what can or cannot be killed, how, when, why,
> by whom, what "killing" does actually mean and what exhonerating or
> mitigating circumstances may be applicable or not.

The meaning of the biblical version meant don't kill members of your
tribe.  The point I would make is that ethics and morals can be
largely if not entirely predicted on the basis of genetic
considerations.

> Now, I find it interesting that human experiences and theories offer a
> range of answers to such questions that is much wider of what most of us
> are able even to imagine, and covering almost everything which be barely
> compatible with individual and group survival (and perhaps beyond...).
>
> So, no, I am not persuaded that ethical values expounded, say, in Beowulf,
> in Francis of Assisi's teachings and in Bentham's works are one and the
> same.

Our psychological mechanisms have been shaped by millions of year of
genetic selection in hunter gatherer bands or small tribes.  And it
was selection for appropriate responses depending on the conditions.
I have shown in a simple model that going to war with neighbors in a
time of plenty has dire consequences for genes that induce such
behavior.  Likewise, *not* going to war when the environmental
conditions called for it had equally dire consequences.

The way we treat close relatives, remote relatives and strangers makes
complete sense if you analyze it from the viewpoint of genes.

If you can come up with exceptions, I would be most interested.

Keith