welcome! the topic for today is the moral instinct by steven pinker
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Welcome! The Topic For Today is The Moral Instinct by Steven Pinker. The Moral Instinct. Main Claim: 200. Question: With the title of his article, Pinker claims this is the basis of morality. Answer Instinct . Back. Main Claim: 400. Question: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Welcome!The Topic For Today is The Moral Instinct by
Steven Pinker
The Moral InstinctMain Claim Biological Basis Spheres and
EmphasesTrolley Problems, etc.
Future of Morality
200 200 200 200 200
400 400 400 400 400
600 600 600 600 600
800 800 800 800 800
1000 1000 1000 1000 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
Back
Main Claim: 400• Question:• When people are asked to judge the morality
of celebrities, they do not rely on this.• Answer• Reasoning.
Back
Main Claim: 600• Question:• When presented with moral dilemmas,
people cannot explain what? • Answer• Their moral choices
Back
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.
Back
Main Claim: 1000
• Question:• Name of the man compared with Bill Gates
and Mother Theresa in Pinker’s opening. Answer
• Norman Borlaug
Back
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.
Back
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.
Back
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.
Back
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.
Back
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).
Back
Spheres and Emphases: 200
• Question:• Pinker says that there are how many spheres
of morality• Answer• Five
Back
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.
Back
Spheres and Emphases: 600
• Question:• Name two morality spheres that are de-
emphasized by liberals. • Answer• Possible answers: Purity, community,
authority/obedience
Back
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
Back
Spheres and Emphases: 1000
• Question:• According to Pinker, how do people change
their emphasis on certain spheres? • Answer• Either or both: Moralization or demoralization
Back
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)
Back
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
Back
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).
Back
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.
Back
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.
Back
Future Morality: 200
• Question:• What does Pinker say people might think
about morality if it’s an instinct? • Answer• Shaky or threatened.
Back
Future Morality: 400
• Question:• What basis of morality does Pinker see as
having lost force today? • Answer• Religion
Back
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.
Back
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.
Back
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 self-
knowledge.
Back
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.
Back
Daily Double
The Winner Of The Last RoundWrite Down How Much Money
You Are Willing To RiskIf 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 RoundWrite Down How Much Money
You Are Willing To RiskIf You get the Question right you win that money
If you get it wrong you Lose the money!