Transcript Advance Directives - University of Ulster

Morality and Psychology
Dr Neil Levy
Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics,
University of Melbourne and James Martin 21st
Century School, Oxford University.
Moral Relativism
A doctrine we can live with?
Aztec sacrifices….
Moral Relativism:
Honor killings
The Trolley Problem
The Trolley Problem
Testing the rule: If someone works in the
city, then they travel to work on the
subway.
CITY
SUBWAY
CAB
Personal Dilemmas: BA 9/10 (medial frontal gyrus); BA 39 (angular gyrus)
Impersonal dilemmas BA 7/40 (parietal lobe) BA 46 (middle frontal gyrus)
Wheatley and Haidt (2005)

Congressman Arnold Paxton frequently
gives speeches condemning corruption
and arguing for campaign finance reform.
But he is just trying to cover up the fact
that he himself [will take bribes from/is
often bribed by] the tobacco lobby, and
other special interests, to promote their
legislation.
Wheatley and Haidt (2005)

Dan is a student council representative at
his school. This semester he is in charge
of scheduling discussions about academic
issues. He [tries to pick/often picks] topics
that appeal to both professors and
students in order to stimulate discussion.

“It just seems like he’s up to something”.

‘‘It just seems so weird and disgusting’’

‘‘I don’t know [why it’s wrong], it just is.’’
Reasoning is Rationalization
The Motivated Reasoning Problem: The
Reasoning Process Is More like a Lawyer
Defending a Client than a Judge or
Scientist Seeking Truth
The Psychologist’s Challenge

Moral judgments are caused by our
emotional responses, and therefore are
not rational.

Our emotional responses are not sensitive
to reasoning.
Wason Selection Task
Deontic version.
Testing the rule, If you drink alcohol, you
must be at least eighteen.
DRINKING
COKE
17
YEARS
OLD
21 YEARS
OLD
The Iowa Gambling Task
The Psychologist’s Challenge

Are emotions sensitive to reason?
Implicit Association Test
Implicit Association Test
Black
Hurt, Agony
White
Joy, Peace
Implicit Association Test
Black
White
Joy, Peace
Hurt, Agony
Top Down Influences
Between subjects design
Lever case
Fat man case
Within subjects design
Lever case
Fat man case