Contents

 

Chapter 1 Introduction                                          

      A study of the moral mind                                               

 

Chapter 2 Setting the Scene

 

2-1 The denial of moral values                                                      

      Philosophy                                                                    

             Logical positivism and emotivism                               

             Moral relativism                                                      

             The argument from queerness                                   

             Discussion                                                              

      Psychology                                                                    

      Economics                                                                    

 

2-2 Perspectives on the moral sense                                    

      Upbringing  

      Feelings and reason                                                       

      Principles versus consequences                                        

      The role of altruism                                                        

      The role of religion                                                         

             The will of God                                                        

             Religion and morality                                               

             Religion and a secular moral code                              

      Human rights                                                                

      Evolution

             Our animal ancestry                                                 

             Natural selection                                                     

             The tyranny of evolutionary correctness                      

      Conclusions                                                                  

 

2-3 Morality means choice                                                   

      Temptation                                                                   

      Good versus good                                                          

      Can we really choose?                                                    

      Choice and selfishness                                                   

 

Chapter 3 Manifestations of Morality

       

3-1 The morality of instinct: our animal ancestry                       

      Family first                                                                   

      Caring for other young and vulnerable animals                   

      Cooperation and reciprocal altruism                                  

             The economy                                                          

      Retaliation versus conflict avoidance                                

      War                                                                             

      The ten commandments                                                  

             Respect for life                                                       

             Respect for marriage                                                

             Respect for property                                                

             Respect for the truth                                                

      It’s not fair

      Guilt

      Conclusion: good behaviour, bad behaviour and the moral

                   sense in an evolutionary perspective                    

 

3-2 The morality of custom: to conform or to challenge           

      To conform…                                                                 

      …or to challenge                                                            

      Sexual morality and marriage systems                              

      Discussion                                                                    

 

3-3 The morality of beyond: reaching out                                   

      The New Testament                                                       

             Forgiving others                                                      

             Caring concern for all                                               

             Judging others                                                        

             Other moral sentiments                                            

      The cruel creator?                                                          

      How we treat other species                                             

      Preserving the planet                                                     

      Thoughts                                                                      

      Personal integrity                                                          

 

Chapter 4 Towards a New Consensus

 

4-1 Trying to account for the moral mind                                    

      Is the moral sense inevitable?                                         

      Summing up                                                                  

 

4-2 Some conclusions                      

      The moral dilemma                                                        

     Moral authority                                                              

     Towards a new morality of consensus                               

     Looking outwards…                                                        

        …and to the future