NEUROETHICS Social Neuroscience Evolution & the Social Brain Decision-making Planning Social Attachment Aggression Cooperation Punishment Brain Development Social Neuroscience Evolution & the Social Brain Ethology Anthropology Molecular Biology Developmental Psychology Philosophy/Ethics Neuroethics Law & Policy Mental competence Frontality & Responsibility Enhancement Intervention Status as a Person Neural Prosthetics Stem Cells Patricia Churchland UCSD 05/2006

Where do moral principles Come from? Divine authority? Reason? Moral intuition ?

Genes Culture Learning Hamilton Axelrod Wilson Frank

trustworthiness is a value social isolation is a cost we are social creatures trustworthiness is a value social isolation is a cost untrustworthiness is a cost

Tom Insel NIMH Larry Young, Emory University Sue Carter, UI at Chicago

Densities of oxytocin & vasopressin receptors Oxytocin in nucleus acumbens Vasopressin in ventral pallidum Knock out mice for oxy -- poor social recognition; Densities of oxytocin & vasopressin receptors

Pressure on Folk Psych. Reasoning is not indep. of emotion 2. Reasoning is often constraint satisfaction, pattern matching, or imagery 3. Control is regulated by the reward system -- neurochemicals 4. Decisions caused, noncon factors

The Self Self - representation Multi-dimensional Brain construct

Representations usually valenced Separating fact from values a late sophistication

Morality From the Biological Perspective Platform: oxytocin, vasopressin et al. Tuned up by reward system Uses mirror neurons Bonding uses uncon imitation Choice is approx.constraint satisfaction

What explains human style altruism?

Imitation in Affiliative Behavior In young predicts normal social brain 2. In kith, predicts kin-like & normal social brain 3. In new group member, predicts normal social brain, is like us, will be loyal.

RULES: Mainstream Philosophy Needed for morality Determined by reason Internalized by the young Used in moral reasoning to decided what one ought to do

Moral resp. arises from social need for civil behavior. Socialize children Protect ourselves Deter adults institutionalize revenge

Holding Responsible: Did he do it? Can he be treated? Will he do it again?

“You cannot derive an ought from an is” Representations are valenced we are attracted, repelled, curious, etc. Fundamental oughts determined by what we are wired to care about.

Self-representations & Subjectivity Basic Platform: coordinating inner body signals & selecting motor command Fancier: Inner distinction between: about me --- about that self/nonself

What we count as the “best”explanations are relative to background theories; e.g. Newtonian mechanics, statistical mechanics…….. What we count as the “best” decisions are relative to background theories; e.g. that psychiatric symptoms are neuro, that there are no witches, that homosexuality is not a character flaw……

Derive ‘ought’ from an ‘is’? Scientific reasoning: inference to the best explanation Practical reasoning: inference to the best decision What we ought to believe What we ought to do

Moral resp. & sanction arises from social need for civil behavior. Socialize children Protect ourselves Deter adults institutionalize revenge