What Does Evolution Mean For Morality? Peter Singer On Evolution & Ethics

source: Philosophical Overdose    2014年6月22日
Can evolution help us to understand ethics & values? After arguing against some of the misunderstandings regarding evolution (e.g. that it implies egoism/selfishness or that "might is right"), Peter Singer argues that evolution is neutral with regard to values (the naturalistic fallacy), but that understanding evolution does help us to understand human nature; and since the field of ethics is often interested in changing behavior, evolution gives us valuable clues as to what is, or is not, likely to work. Singer also considers the argument that since our moral sense has evolved, it serves to enhance our reproductive fitness, and hence is not a guide to what is really right or wrong. He argues that there is some truth to this claim, but properly understood, it should lead us to skepticism about some ethical views, but not about ethics itself.
This talk was given at the University of Sydney in 2011. I don't own the content.