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Welcome!
The Topic For Today is The Moral
Instinct by Steven Pinker
The Moral Instinct
Main Claim
Biological Basis Spheres and
Emphases
Trolley
Problems, etc.
Future of
Morality
200
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400
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600
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800
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1000
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1000
Bonus Question: 5000 pts
Main Claim: 200
• Question:
• With the title of his article, Pinker claims this
is the basis of morality.
• Answer
• Instinct
Main Claim: 400
• Question:
• When people are asked to judge the morality
of celebrities, they do not rely on this.
• Answer
• Reasoning.
Main Claim: 600
• Question:
• When presented with moral dilemmas,
people cannot explain what?
• Answer
• Their moral choices
Main Claim: 800
• Question:
• Name one factor that does influence how we
judge others’ morality.
• Answer
• Possible answers: wearing white clothing,
religious behavior, public appeals for charity.
Main Claim:
1000
• Question:
• Name of the man compared with Bill Gates
and Mother Theresa in Pinker’s opening.
Answer
• Norman Borlaug
Biological Basis:
200
• Question:
• During the trolley problems involving direct
harm to others, FMRI of brains shows what is
occurring?
• Answer
• Conflict between different regions.
Biological Basis:
400
• Question:
• De Waal’s studies of chimpanzees given
cucumbers rather than grapes for the same
task showed they have a sense of what?
Answer
• Fairness.
Biological Basis:
600
• Question:
• De Waal’s studies of chimpanzees given a task
where they must cooperate to get food, even
when one of them is not hungry, showed they
have a sense of what
• Answer
• Empathy.
Biological Basis:
800
• Question:
• Elephants asked to cooperate pulling ropes to
get food usually do, but one cheated by doing
what?
• Answer
• Standing on the rope.
Biological Basis:
1000
• Question:
• Studies of such animals as chimpanzees and
elephants, which show they have some moral
traits, supports what aspect of human morals?
Answer
• Evolution (from morality in animal ancestors).
Spheres and
Emphases: 200
• Question:
• Pinker says that there are how many spheres
of morality
• Answer
• Five
Spheres and
Emphases: 400
• Question:
• Haidt’s work on surveys with the trolley
problem and similar dilemmas shows
conservatives and liberals agree on what?
Answer
• Harm and Fairness spheres.
Spheres and
Emphases: 600
• Question:
• Name two morality spheres that are deemphasized by liberals.
• Answer
• Possible answers: Purity, community,
authority/obedience
Spheres and
Emphases: 800
• Question:
• Name one spheres of morality to which
Mother Theresa probably appeals in her
appearance of morality?
• Answer
• Possible answers: Purity, community
Spheres and
Emphases: 1000
• Question:
• According to Pinker, how do people change
their emphasis on certain spheres?
• Answer
• Either or both: Moralization or demoralization
Trolley
Problems: 200
• Question:
• Pinker explains that when people are faced
with throwing a lever to cause one rather than
five deaths, they usually choose what?
• Answer
• Lever (or One)
Trolley
Problems: 400
• Question:
• When people could save five from a runaway
trolley by throwing someone on the track,
what do they decide, throwing or inaction?
• Answer
• Inaction
Trolley
Problems: 600
• Question:
• Different choices when faced with the same
numerical odds of saving life shows that
people don’t use what in choosing moral
actions?
• Answer
• Logic (reasoning).
Trolley
Problems: 800
• Question:
•
• The underlying principle in throwing someone
on the tracks in the Trolley Problem seems to
be what a violation of what sphere of morality,
according to Pinker? Answer
• Harm or hurt.
Trolley
Problems: 1000
• Question:
• The Trolley Problem has been criticized as
neglecting several factors that could influence
how a person would choose. From class
discussion of other sources, name one such
factor.
• Answer
• Possible answers: Relative’s life, affiliation with
same group as some of the people, knowing
versus not knowing them.
Future Morality:
200
• Question:
• What does Pinker say people might think
about morality if it’s an instinct?
• Answer
• Shaky or threatened.
Future Morality:
400
• Question:
• What basis of morality does Pinker see as
having lost force today?
• Answer
• Religion
Future Morality:
600
• Question:
• If animals are moral, what possible basis of
morality is most incompatible with that?
Answer
• Religions that claim humans are special
creations in the image of god.
Future Morality:
800
• Question:
• In experiments, animals are generous even
when they won’t get a reward. What does
Pinker think they might gain?
• Answer
• Future good will.
Future Morality:
1000
• Question:
• Why does Pinker think that morality will not
erode if people accept a biological basis rather
than a religious one?
• Answer
• Knowing the basis will increase selfknowledge.
Bonus Question:
5000 pts.
• Question:
• Give the name of the endowed chair that
Steven Pinker holds at Harvard University.
• Answer
• Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology.
Daily Double
The Winner Of The Last Round
Write Down How Much Money
You Are Willing To Risk
If You get the Question right you win that money
If you get it wrong you Lose the money!
Daily Double
The Winner Of The Last Round
Write Down How Much Money
You Are Willing To Risk
If You get the Question right you win that money
If you get it wrong you Lose the money!