I just read an interesting article on the NPR website about the nature of morality. With a rather simple experiment using transcranial magnetic stimulation in the right spot, they can change the results of a moral decision to be more in line with childhood morality, which results in very clear different answers to questions.

The allegation (and it’s still early to say whether it’s valid or not) is that morality may well be nothing more than a function of the brain. It certainly leads us in a few interesting new directions, not the least of which is whether or not some of the rather jarring morality-related issues (Antisocial Personality Disorder for starters) might be something that a little gray area rewiring might adjust. Obviously that’s putting the cart before the horse and there is much validation and experimentation to be performed before going down that road, but it’s interesting to imagine.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s my opinion (not scientific fact, but I’m awful smart) that morality is an adaptation we developed as social animals as a means to survive in the pack. If you have a group with shared morals that say killing is wrong when it’s one of us (but not when it’s one of them) then the group can living longer and be more likely to pass on the adaptation. Morality, if I’m right, is totally and completely unrelated to religion and existed long before.

Jim