Biology to Ethics: The Biological Roots of Morality Francisco J. Ayala University of California, Irvine

GorillaLucyHuman

Bipedal Gait Tool Making Enlarged Brain Reduced Mandible

Ethics 1. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 2. Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action)

Ethics 1. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 2. Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action) Language 1. Capacity for symbolic verbal communication 2. Particular languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, …

Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 1. Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions 2. Ability to make value judgments 3. Ability to choose between alternative courses of action

Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 1. Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions

Bipedal Gait Tool Making Enlarged Brain Reduced Mandible

Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 1. Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions 2. Ability to make value judgments

Capacity for Ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 1. Ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions 2. Ability to make value judgments 3. Ability to choose between alternative courses of action

Ethics 1. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 2. Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action)

Ethics 1. Capacity for ethics (evaluating actions as good or evil) 2. Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action) Language 1. Capacity for symbolic verbal communication 2. Particular languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, …

Codes of ethics (norms by which we judge a particular action):

Cultural evolution Variation among individuals Variation among groups Variation from one to another time

Cultural selection: imitation, learning, assimilation Cultural selection: imitation, learning, assimilation Example: monotheism Example: monotheism Moses and the Ten Commandments Moses and the Ten Commandments Enforced by civil authority Reinforced by divine authority

Altruism: biological vs moral Altruism: biological vs moral Isomorphism with respect to consequences; but different causation: Isomorphism with respect to consequences; but different causation: Calculus of the genes vs. regards for others Calculus of the genes vs. regards for others