Morality Podcast

on
Janet Radcliffe Richards looks at a fascinating range of new experiments shedding light on how humans make moral choices.

Go here.

Have not listened to it yet but JRR is always exceptionally good.

Comments

Sam Norton said…
It was from JRR's "sceptical feminist" that I first became critical of the use of 'natural' - and therefore 'supernatural' - in arguments. I agree that she is exceptionally good.
July 2, 2009 at 4:44 PM
theObserver said…
She wrote the study block "Human nature after Darwin" that I studied as part of my open unversity philosophy course. Must listen to the podcast when I get a chance.
July 2, 2009 at 8:29 PM
Paul P. Mealing said…
I have to admit I'd never heard of Janet Radcliffe Richards, but it's a good podcast: provocative and illuminating.

Her comments on homosexuality and euthanasia, I thought, were particularly cogent.

Regards, Paul.
July 3, 2009 at 4:13 AM
Martin said…
I studied philosophy at university because I was fascinated by what ethics were. I left completely baffled. In other times and other places very different standards of what is and isn't acceptable apply. Only a cultural imperialist would imply their standards were "the best".

I'm glad I listened to this as it's the most convincing explanation I've ever heard about how we humans come to regard such a jumble of behaviours as "ethical".
July 3, 2009 at 1:33 PM
wombat said…
OT (but since you are in a very multimedia sort of theme at the moment Stephen maybe excusable) Channel 4 are showing another episode of "Revelations" on Sunday 05 July, 7PM

Muslim School traces the lives of two girls from very different backgrounds in their first year at a Muslim faith school.

FWIW the last one on the Alpha course was pretty superficial so my expectations of this aren't that high but you never know.

C4 page here
July 3, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Kosh3 said…
"Only a cultural imperialist would imply their standards were "the best"."

Why? Does the same hold true for claims that my standards are 'better'?

For example, I think my ethical standards are better than a)Roman popular ethics, b) Mongolian warlord ethics, etc. Am I a 'cultural imperialist'? Or is everyone's ethical standards all the same - all on an even footing?
July 3, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Martin said…
No Kosh3, for that to be true you would have to be both a cultural imperialist and a timelord.
July 4, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Kosh3 said…
I wouldn't need to be a 'timelord'.
July 5, 2009 at 12:01 AM
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