Download Evolutionary Psychological Perspectives on Ethics

The Anti-Naturalistic Fallacy:
Evolutionary Moral Psychology
and the Insistence of Brute
Facts
by Alex Walter
Ryan Heflin
Devon Kelts
Suzie Banda
Seth
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Main Topics
Humes Law: Do not violate the distinction between fact and
value.
Moore’s “Naturalisitic Fallacy”: don’t jump from “is” to
“ought”.
“Morality is an illusion of the genes” -Ruse
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Central Argument
Against The Anti-naturalistic fallacy: to hold that
values are non-natural facts.
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Darwin: Morals As Products of
Natural Selection
-“Common Fate” Natural Selection-
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Moral Perspectives
Ethical Objectivism
Moral Realism
Moral Skepticism
Utilitarian Realism
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Conclusion
Evolutionary Psychology can examine ethics by
examining how they evolved and what they are
“Confined Generosity”: constraining selfish acts for
the common good
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
The Future: Evolutionary Psych
and Ethics
Philip Kitchner 1985
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Weaknesses
Seems to slip into a valuation of behavior
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Strengths
Evolutionary Psychology as a tool for understanding
morals
Morals as evolved functions of human psychology not
of a transcendent supernatural origin
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Quiz
Which is not a moral system talked about in this article?
A) moral realism
B) nihilism
C) moral skepticism
D) utilitarian realism
The Anti-naturalistic fallacy is?
A) what is natural is good
B) facts about morality are natural facts
C) jumping from “is” to “ought”
Who spoke of “common fate” evolution in which individual survival becomes tied
to group survival and therefore socials traits are selected in individuals?
A) Hume
B) Darwin
C) Moore
D) Walter
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.
Quiz
According to this article evolutionary psychology can
contribute to ethics, T or F?
The Moral Realism perspective argues that there exists
objective morals, T or F?
Darwin thought, ‘what is natural is good’, T or F?
Walter , Alex (2006).The anti-naturalistics fallacy:
Evolutionary moral psychology and the insistence of
brute facts. Evolutionary Psychology. 4, 33-48.