"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

A Biological Basis for Morality?

I pretty much doubt it, in spite of this article at WaPo.

There might be a biological basis for altruism -- and this study is by no means the first indication. Edward O. Wilson brought up the possibility in The Insect Societies and again in Sociobiology, purely on the basis of the economics of inheritance. Altruism, however, is not morality, although it might be a component. "Morality" itself is a really fuzzy term and I hesitate to ascribe that kind of study result to that kind of characteristic.

Wake me when they find the morality gene.

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