Moral Molecule? by AnthonyT

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Moral Molecule?

POSTED BY: ANTHONYT
UPDATED: Thursday, December 29, 2011 17:29
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Thursday, December 29, 2011 12:11 PM

Freedom is Important because People are Important

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/27/opinion/zak-moral-molecule/index.html?hp
t=hp_bn9

Hello,

I am dubious of broad claims being made from limited data. However, I am intrigued by the direction of study. I wonder if confirmed sociopaths have been tested for this so-called 'moral molecule?'

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

"In every war, the state enacts a tax of freedom upon the citizenry. The unspoken promise is that the tax shall be revoked at war's end. Endless war holds no such promise. Hence, Eternal War is Eternal Slavery." --Admiral Robert J. Henner

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 12:13 PM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

I wanted to add- if a chemical exists that increases how much we trust people, then will the powers find a way to use it to make us trust them?

And if so, would such a thing backfire?

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

"In every war, the state enacts a tax of freedom upon the citizenry. The unspoken promise is that the tax shall be revoked at war's end. Endless war holds no such promise. Hence, Eternal War is Eternal Slavery." --Admiral Robert J. Henner

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 12:24 PM

CANTTAKESKY

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
And if so, would such a thing backfire?

Maybe this article belongs on the "It's the Pax" thread. ;)

I think calling oxytocin the "moral molecule" is a bit ambitious. Maybe the "empathy, trust, and romance" hormone or the "social hormone."

Interesting, it's been used to treat autism.

-----
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 12:46 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
I think calling oxytocin the "moral molecule" is a bit ambitious. Maybe the "empathy, trust, and romance" hormone or the "social hormone."

Blech. Keep that stuff away from me.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 1:18 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht

Byte, :)

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 2:53 PM

DREAMTROVE

I don't think you can start with the statement that only humans have morality, and then to say that oxytocin makes us moral.

Also, the economic link is weak. If trusting people are economically better off, tell that to anyone with a subprime mortgage.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 3:35 PM

HKCAVALIER

Hey Anthony,

From the article, it's not that oxytocin makes people "trust," it's that it make them "trustworthy."

It's been my understanding that women during the first 6 months or so after giving birth will likely have their brains flooded with oxytocin. My upstairs neighbor would be a perfect example of what this guy is talking about. Before the baby, she was, well, something of a control freak and periodically hell-on-wheels. But since giving birth about 5 months ago she has behaved more and more like a saint. She is shockingly forgiving of all and sundry, when before she was a very judgemental far-left political activist. She's got this total earth mother thing going when you come up to visit her, like she's a queen holding court and you're just so lucky to be in her presense. The thing is: it's not annoying or fake or ego-driven in the slightest.

Everyone in the house, not the least of which being her husband, is a little bit shocked at the transformation. I've seen similar transformations in a lot of new mothers, but nothing so dramatic as this.

It is nice to see science finally getting back to tackling these issues that they've ignored for so long.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 4:16 PM

DREAMTROVE

HK

Good point. Evolutionarily, the baby has to be forgiven for a lot of behavior that we would not forgive others of. We had to evolve to do that. This makes more sense. It also makes sense that psychopaths would be the ones who wouldn't and so the 99th time the baby prevented them from sleeping they might throw it against the wall. Which explains why it's not a survival trait.

That's what a ship is, you know - it's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs.

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 4:21 PM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

Or possibly psychopaths select quiet babies for survival.

We do keep breeding psychopaths. They're not all manufactured.

--Anthony

_______________________________________________

"In every war, the state enacts a tax of freedom upon the citizenry. The unspoken promise is that the tax shall be revoked at war's end. Endless war holds no such promise. Hence, Eternal War is Eternal Slavery." --Admiral Robert J. Henner

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Thursday, December 29, 2011 5:29 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:
We do keep breeding psychopaths. They're not all manufactured.

True, but for a fact most of em are - and it's worth investigating this angle since what was learned can be unlearned, and despite my general bent against medication as a rule, I've pointed out before that it's primary useful role is in symptom abatement while the root cause of behavioral disorder is addressed...

Ergo, this has potential.
And as well, much of it for misuse, but don't ya know I don't think that'd backfire so much as go in a direction TPTB will never anticipate and for my own reasons I'll not expound on that whatever.

But it's interesting they reference Adam Smith, as he also ties in with Rosseau and Kropotkin in dismissing the humans-are-evil myth which has brought us so much suffering - and I wonder if any of our Founding Fathers referenced his work in their debates without being explicit about it, since a lot of their concepts seem to go in parallel although I hadn't realized this till now.
Hmmm...

-Frem

I do not serve the Blind God.

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