Evolutionary theories of the emergence and the source of morality

Kudrna, Anamaria. (2016). Evolutionary theories of the emergence and the source of morality. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Philosophy. [mentor Jurić, Hrvoje].

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Abstract

The thesis presents the issue of the emergence and source of morality through empirical natural and social sciences as well as the humanities. The theory of human evolution and development is shown in order to explain anatomical and behavioral development, as well as to explain development of intelligence, community, social norms etc. Principles of evolution, behavioral heredity and innateness, adaptive characteristics, social organisms' optimal behavioral strategies, biological basis of moral behavior, the emergence of biological altruism, development of psychological altruism from the biological, the development of different moral norms and other phenomena are explained. These theories build the arguments supporting the main thesis that the humans' capacity for morals is the result of their biological and cultural evolution. The thesis contains the problem of the interpretation of such theories and opens the question whether the descriptive scientific theories of the emergence and source of moral can influence normative ethics, or in other words; whether such explanation can say anything about what should be done in the moral sense. Opposing views regarding this questions are presented and the discussion is concluded with the argument supporting the view that science can have an important role in starting a conversation in the realm of normative ethics.

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