Search Results (30)

The Model of Intuitive Morality and Exemplars (MIME) suggests that news audiences, including investors, evaluate news based on their moral frames, and that these moral evaluations shape behavior. We extracted moral signals from 382,185 news articles across an 8-month period and examined their predictive effect on stock market movement. Results indicate that morality is a strong predictor during low economic periods and is driven by subversion and sanctity. Overall, our study suggests that moral framing and its foundations are important considerations for research on news effects, especially during periods of economic instability. The study provides an additional theoretical perspective on stock market fluctuations as well as practical implications for stakeholders with an interest in dampening collective panics and stabilizing investor sentiment. Full article

The question, “Is religion personal or social?” prompts a profound reflection on the essence and role of religion. The personal and social aspects of religion are clearly inseparable and inherently complementary. However, in an era where the privatization of religion is increasingly prevalent, if religion remains confined to providing psychological comfort or moral edification for individuals, it risks losing its fundamental meaning. In this context, Yanaihara’s case serves as a significant study of the dual nature of religion—both personal and social. Yanaihara argued that religion must play a pivotal role not only in individual salvation but also in advancing social responsibility and justice. While his faith was rooted in personal intuition, it led him to challenge the subordinate peace enforced by submission to strong state authority and to critique the wars waged under Japanese imperialism. This paper explores the role of religion and its responsibilities toward both individuals and society through an analysis of Yanaihara’s “The Ideal of the State”. Full article

Work ethic represents a key factor for professional performance, as it guides behaviors relevant to the transparency and quality of work practices. Although a wide field of study has been developed, less research has analyzed the indirect influence of affective and cognitive factors involved in work ethic. Therefore, this study aims to assess the indirect effects of executive planning functions and affectivity on the work ethic of Chilean university students. The purpose is to test the following hypotheses: (1) executive planning functions have an indirect effect on work ethic through moral reasoning; (2) affectivity has an indirect effect on work ethic through moral intuition. The participants were a total of 582 Chilean university students from a university in the north (38.5%), one in the center (35.9%), and one in the southern area (25.6%). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, structural equation models (SEMs), and SEM mediation analysis. The results show the direct effect of moral reasoning (β = 0.47, p < .01) and moral intuition (β = 0.85, p < .01) on work ethic. Furthermore, they support the indirect effect of executive planning functions (β = 0.06, p < .01) and affectivity (β = 0.46, p < .01) on work ethic. The model explains 98% of the variance of work ethic, highlighting the critical roles of moral reasoning and moral intuition as psychological mechanisms that intervene and drive the effect of cognitive and affective factors. Theoretical and practical implications for teaching–learning processes in higher education are discussed. Full article

In the field of moral psychology, traditional perspectives often evaluate anger based on its consequences, either validating or condemning it for its perceived benefits or harms. This paper argues for a shift in focus from the outcomes of anger to its moral and psychological foundations. By integrating insights from psychological research, this study posits that the fundamental nature of anger is intrinsically linked to the quest for recognition. Justified anger is defined as an emotional response to the unmet need for fair acknowledgment, while unjustified anger stems from feelings of superiority and the pursuit of higher status. This paper distinguishes between these two forms of anger, providing a more nuanced and intuitive understanding of the emotion. This interpretive framework not only aligns with our experiential understanding of anger but also offers a theoretical bridge to reconcile divergent philosophical and psychological perspectives. This study emphasizes the importance of addressing the underlying issues of recognition and self-esteem, suggesting that anger, when properly understood and managed, can serve as a constructive force for social justice and mutual respect. Full article

Background: Moral evaluation is identified as the first stage in the theory of moral judgment, and academics believe that it may align with the social intuitionist model. This study aims to prove that the model’s emotional dominance hypothesis applies to moral evaluation by presenting a computational decision-making model that mathematically formalizes this emotional dominance decision-making process. We also compared different types of valence evaluation tasks to test the emotional priority hypothesis. Methods: We used a convenience sampling method to randomly recruit 30 enrolled college students. The drift-diffusion model was employed to analyze reaction times for words with various emotional and moral valences Additionally, we designed different valence evaluation tasks based on the response relevance hypothesis and evaluated the processing order through reaction time comparisons. Results: The analysis revealed that the emotional mechanism of immoral evaluation differs from moral evaluation. An increase in emotional valence accelerates the speed of evidence accumulation (v) for moral evaluation (M = 1.21, 0.2% < 0 < 99.8%) but lowers decision caution (a) in immoral evaluation (M = −0.64, 96.1% < 0 < 3.9%). In contrast, moral valence does not have a significant influence on evaluation processes (v, M = −0.28, 72.1% < 0 < 27.9%; a, M = −0.32, 79.3% < 0 < 20.7%). Furthermore, We found no significant difference in reaction times between moral and immoral words in the emotional evaluation task (F(1,29) = 0.55, p = 0.464, partial η² = 0.02), but a significant difference existed in the moral evaluation task (F(1,29) = 17.99, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.38), indicating that the tendency of relatively fast immoral evaluation in emotional evaluation tasks may be caused by emotional priority. Conclusions: Our findings support the intuitive model’s emotional dominance hypothesis and introduce a new emotional mechanism into moral evaluation. This study clarifies the distinct emotional processes in moral and immoral evaluations, fills a gap in the research on moral evaluation, and offers insights into human decision-making in moral contexts. Full article

In this paper, I propose an account of Camus’s ethics in which violent revolutions are never morally permissible but nonetheless acceptable or necessary. My main thesis in this paper is that Camus’s ethics of revolution and my defence of it, particularly the non-moral account of the permissibility of violent revolutions it comprises, can shed light on the reasonableness of participating in and supporting violent revolutions to some Catholics and the broader Christian community. My account of Camus’s ethics of revolution and argument for its tenability will be compelling to some Catholics because they affirm their intuition that violent revolutions are morally untenable and show why it is nevertheless reasonable. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) ethics is proposed as an emerging and interdisciplinary field concerned with addressing the ethical issues of AI, such as the issue of moral decision-making. The conflict between our intuitive moral judgments constitutes an inevitable obstacle to decision-making in AI ethics. This article outlines the Moral Relevance Approach, which could provide a considerable moral foundation for AI ethics. Taking moral relevance as the precondition of the consequentialist principles, the Moral Relevance Approach aims to plausibly consider individual moral claims. It is not only the common ethical target shaping our moral consensus but also the inherent moral ability connecting others with us. Full article

The term “empathic accuracy” has been applied to people’s ability to infer the contents of other people’s minds—that is, other people’s varying feelings and/or thoughts over the course of a social interaction. However, despite the ease of intuitively linking this skill to competence in helping professions such as counseling, the “empathic” prefix in its name may have contributed to overestimating its association with prosocial traits and behaviors. Accuracy in reading others’ thoughts and feelings, like many other skills, can be used toward prosocial—but also malevolent or morally neutral—ends. Prosocial intentions can direct attention towards other people’s thoughts and feelings, which may, in turn, increase accuracy in inferring those thoughts and feelings, but attention to others’ thoughts and feelings does not necessarily heighten prosocial intentions, let alone outcomes. Full article

Decision-making in uncertain and stressful environments combined with the high-profile cases of police violence in the United States has generated substantial debates about policing and created challenges to maintaining public confidence and trust in law enforcement. However, despite the manifestations of reactions across the ideological spectrum, it is unclear what information is available in the literature about the convergence between ethical decision-making and policing. Therefore, an interdisciplinary scoping review was conducted to map the nature and extent of research evidence, identify existing gaps in knowledge, and discuss future implications for ethical decision-making in law enforcement. This review investigates the interaction between the job complexities of policing (psychological and normative factors) and aspects of ethical decision-making, synthesizing three distinct themes: (1) socio-moral dimensions impact the job complexities of police work, (2) lethal means and moral injury influence intuitive and rational decision-making, and (3) police wellness and interventions are critical to sustaining police readiness. Gaps in recruiting, training, and leadership and managerial practices can be broadly transformed to fundamentally emphasize officer wellness and a holistic approach to ethical practices, enabling police officers to uphold the rule of law, promote public safety, and protect the communities they serve. Full article

The role of moral intuitions and moral judgments has become increasingly prominent in educational and academic choices. The present research aims to examine if the moral judgments elicited in sacrificial trolley dilemmas have a distinct pattern for the decisions made by junior medical students, in comparison to those of senior high school students. We work with this sample because it represents the population out of which medical students are recruited in the case of Bucharest, Romania. Our findings show that moral judgments are indeed a significant predictor for a respondent’s status as medical students. This result, albeit with limitations, bears multiple practical implications, from developing empirically informed medical ethics courses in medical schools to evidence-based policy designs which consider factors such as morality alongside financial outcomes and incentives. Full article

Professional dental ethics for students are based on promoting oral health for dental patients and reinforcing an anthropocentric approach to communication and dental services. A total of 133 dental students (males 33.8% N1 = 46, females 66.2% N2 = 87) completed the study questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were applied, and non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis tests were used (p < 0.05). Students refuse services to patients that misbehave (37.6%), have irrational demands (18%), and when clinical cases exceed their capabilities (36.8%). Of the participants, 50.4% want to waive confidentiality when abuse is declared. Ethical role models are educators (33.8%), other qualified dentists (25.6%), and their parents (21.8%). Female gender positively affects integrity (p = 0.046), altruism (p = 0.032), and difficulty in conversations among colleagues (p = 0.036). Students outside the capital are less interested in esthetic issues (p = 0.007), in giving more than one treatment plan (p = 0.006), and in being confronted with inadequate treatments from other colleagues (p = 0.005). Family income positively affects clinical skills (p = 0.003), trust issues (p = 0.008), and moral insight and intuition (p = 0.02). Presentation with clinical scenarios is the preferred educational method (49.6%). Dental students show compassion for poor patients, respect patients’ autonomy, and guide patients to choose the best treatment plan before receiving dental ethics seminars. There is a positive relationship between the ethical footprints of students and gender, origin, family income, postgraduate studies, and future professional plans. Factors and ways to incorporate ethics in the dental curriculum could be considered when planning relevant courses. Full article

What should the philosophical study of religion look like in an epoch of increasing political polarization, cultural ferment, and religious fragmentation? Drawing on the work of Amy Hollywood and others, I argue that philosophers seeking to understand what seem to be incommensurable moral and religious communities ought to attend more fully to the role of spiritual practice and moral formation as irreducible components of certain beliefs and ethical intuitions. However, while such an account might invite a reductive reading in which the object of religious belief is taken to be simply the practice, ritual, etc., I engage the thought of Michael Polanyi to argue that such irreducibly participatory truth claims can be understood to aim at a reality that exceeds the structures of formation and ways of life to which they are indexed. Full article

Hypothetical thought experiments allow researchers to gain insights into widespread moral intuitions and provide opportunities for individuals to explore their moral commitments. Previous thought experiment studies in virtual reality (VR) required participants to come to an on-site laboratory, which possibly restricted the study population, introduced an observer effect, and made internal reflection on the participants’ part more difficult. These shortcomings are particularly crucial today, as results from such studies are increasingly impacting the development of artificial intelligence systems, self-driving cars, and other technologies. This paper explores the viability of deploying thought experiments in commercially available in-home VR headsets. We conducted a study that presented the trolley problem, a life-and-death moral dilemma, through SideQuestVR, a third-party website and community that facilitates loading applications onto Oculus headsets. Thirty-three individuals were presented with one of two dilemmas: (1) a decision to save five lives at the cost of one life by pulling a switch and (2) a decision to save five lives at the cost of one life by pushing a person onto train tracks. The results were consistent with those of previous VR studies, suggesting that a “VR-at-a-distance” approach to thought experiments has a promising future while indicating lessons for future research. Full article

Recent cognitive science research indicates that humans possess numerous biologically rooted religious and moral intuitions. The present article draws on this research to compare forms of religious morality in the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and the Indic traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism). Special attention is given to moral teachings on kindness, peace, and love, as well as related teachings on justice, violence, and hate. The article considers how moral intuitions shape Abrahamic/Indic moral teachings, which, in turn, impact: (1) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning politics, law, and war; (2) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning individual ethics, and moral behavior proper to monastics and laypersons; and (3) Abrahamic/Indic doctrines concerning theological matters, such as the nature of the universe, souls, and deities. Full article

In this essay, I first offer several scenarios where Sterba’s argument based on the Pauline Principle fails: specifically, one in which we all consent to living an earthly life in some prior existence (prior-consent scenario), one in which the victims would approve of the evil being done to them for some greater good (would-approve scenario), and one that combines one of these two scenarios with the stipulation that the greater goods redound to the victims (victim-beneficiary scenario). Along the way, I claim that a version of the Kantian principle that persons should not be treated as mere means, but as ends in themselves, better captures the intuitions used in support of the Pauline Principle. After this, I present two further significant problems with Sterba’s arguments. First, I argue that his claim that God should prevent the serious evil consequences of our free choices fails to consider the degree to which such a policy would make us aware of God’s monitoring of our every move. This in turn would greatly diminish our ability to make morally significant choices. Second, I point out flaws with his argument for the applicability of the Pauline Principle to God’s choices, particularly objecting to his argument that any greater-good theodicy implies that God would desire that people sin so that good may come, something he claims is morally perverse. Full article