Morality

[DanaC]

Nothing I said disagrees with any of that.

You were asking where morality comes from. I answered with what i believe to be its ancient and biological origin. You didn't ask where likes and dislikes come from. And looking at a scan of your brain activity whilst you eat pizza won;t tell you why you like pizza or where those preferences come from. But a scan of your brain chemistry taken whilst you are subjected to a number of 'moral' situations or queries will show activity in particular parts of the brain. Parts of the brain which develop at particular ages and without full function, result in humans who have difficulty in connecting their actions with potential moral consequences, and in inhibiting, or self-policing their actions.

The human brain has evolved in particular ways and performs a range of functions, some of which we share with other primates, others of which we don't. Social behaviour (which some would argue is the absolute root of morality) is something we do share with primates. There is an argument that can be made which draws an evolutionary path from primate sociability, to human (and moral) sociability.

Now: unless I have said that this is all there is to the understanding of morality, or what it is to be human, then it is not reductionist to recognise this part of the whole picture.

What is reductionist is to dismiss every opinion that you don't share as either wrong, or a sign of 'laziness' in thinking.