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 200 400 600 800 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 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!