I thought that morality had more to do with nurture than with nature? And also that morality has something to do with maturity?
On Mon, Jul 30, 2012 at 3:41 AM, William Conger <[email protected]>wrote: > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > From: Norman Holland <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Mon, July 30, 2012 8:35:31 AM > Subject: Brain > and Ethics > > FYI. --Norm > > > dana.org Original Page > Are You Responsible for > Your Hormones? > * Read Later > In The Moral Molecule, neuroeconomist Paul J. > Zak describes a fascinating > intersection of neuroscience, cultural > anthropology, economics, philosophy, and > politics. Given that many > scientists specialize in only one, or maybe two, of > these domains, taking > the time to synthesize developments across fields can > spark broad new > frameworks and even paradigm shifts. Such synthesis can also > capture the > attention of the general public, especially given a topic that > reflects our > most personal experiences: moral behavior. > This book presents an often > autobiographical account of the authorb s research > on the biological basis > of ethical behavior, with a focus on the pituitary > peptide hormone oxytocin, > the so-called moral molecule. The bookb s scope is > wide-ranging, including > an evolutionary and a religious perspective and > vignettes ripped from the > headlines, all laced with personal anecdotes. The > casual tone will likely > make the material accessible to a broad audience. But > at times, Dr. Zak > oversimplifies his arguments, leaving me with some questions > and concerns. > Dr. Zak begins by sharing some of the initial experiments that led him to > study > the connection between oxytocin and trust. In 2005 he reported the > intriguing > finding that when individuals engaged in the pro-social behavior > of being > trustworthy in a monetary transaction, they had higher levels of > oxytocin in > their blood. He summarizes the rich literature on this > evolutionarily favored > peptide, which demonstrates that it promotes maternal > behavior and even social > monogamy in a variety of species. He then presents > testosterone as a > counterpart to oxytocin, as though a yin-yang relationship > exists. Many social > behaviors that cannot be explained by oxytocin are > associated with variations > in testosterone, such as sex differences in > behavior, philandering, rule > enforcing, and outgroup-directed aggression. > Having described the role of oxytocin on social behavior, the author > suggests > that various behavioral problems may relate to oxytocin dysfunction, > acquired > either due to developmental maltreatment or congenital issues, such as in > autism or psychopathy. Although these specific mental health problems are > strikingly different, affected individuals and society would benefit > substantially if research on oxytocin provided clues to treat and prevent > these > serious behavioral problems. Furthermore, Dr. Zak proposes that > community > activities, such as dancing and spiritual quests, promote natural > oxytocin > release, thereby providing a sense of wellbeing. Thus, argues Dr. > Zak, in > addition to clinical applications, oxytocin research may translate > into > positive psychology approaches. One may imagine emotional hygiene > regimens, > with appropriate doses of social contact and prayer, devised to > enhance our > oxytocin secretion. > The final section of the book returns to > trust and its importance in trade and > commerce. This section includes the > message that a few highly > testosterone-laden individuals warp our > oxytocin-mediated biological tendency > to engage in fair interactions. In a > marketplace without reciprocity, the > inevitable withdrawal of participation > erodes the synergistic benefits we > normally enjoy from specialization and > trade. Likewise, society needs trust for > effective governing. Dr. Zak > prescribes authentic communication, diversity > exposure, policies that > reinforce fairness, and improved education as policies > that would promote > societal prosperity via enhanced oxytocin activity. As he > presents oxytocin > as a mediator of morality in the marketplace and in politics, > it takes on a > divine aura. The take-home message is reminiscent of an uplifting > new-age > sermon: hug often. > Although (or because) the topics of the book are engaging, > I had a number of > concerns. Dr. Zak presents the thesis of the book, that > moral behavior is > mediated by oxytocin, without a working definition of > morality. The behavioral > effects of oxytocin in humans, as described in the > book, seem better described > more narrowly as pro-social. The ethical virtue > of humanity, defined by > positive psychologists Christopher Peterson and > Martin Seligman, includes love, > kindness, and social intelligence,1 and these > qualities match well with oxytocin > actions, as indicated by the research > presented here. However, ethical behavior > is often construed as > manifestations of character traits, such as wisdom, > courage, and temperance. > Dr. Zak does not consider the possible roles of > oxytocin in these aspects of > moral behavior, which often require higher > cognitive processing than a > pro-social impulse. Thus, although b moral moleculeb > is a catchy > nickname, it is imprecise. > In addition, the function of oxytocin may not be > to specifically promote social > behavior. Researchers have proposed that the > underlying effect of oxytocin > simply may be to reduce anxiety2 or to promote > the salience of social cues.3 In > some cases, by making social cues more > conspicuous, individuals may behave in a > hostile manner.4 It would be hard to > interpret such behavior as moral. Such > considerations may give behaviorists > pause. > Dr. Zakb s references to preliminary or extrapolated evidence > undermine the > force of his argument. For example, Dr. Zak explains that > oxytocinb s effects on > pro-social behavior are mediated by serotonin and > dopamine, creating the > impression that researchers have completely uncovered > the neural circuitry. But > given that experimental evidence for this proposed > mechanism is not documented, > the reader may be left wondering how to > separate fact from speculation > elsewhere in the book. Likewise, when the > author makes the bold statement that > b if the oxytocin receptors are not > stimulated by love and attention early on, > they fail to develop,b I > suspect he was not describing the extant data > literally. > The Moral Molecule > will leave the reductionist reader hungry for details about > the mechanisms > that control oxytocin and testosterone secretion. Although > these hormones > may affect our social brain circuits, what in turn controls > them? A neural > circuit must have evolved to detect the specific circumstances > that demand > pro-social behaviors. Should not this neural network be considered > the > ethical (or humanist) prime mover, instead of oxytocin? > Overall, The Moral > Molecule exposes some very fertile ground for future > research, and the > author is to be commended for presenting a coherent and > engaging discussion > of oxytocin function, spanning biopsychology and > philosophy. Although some > may prefer a more scientifically rigorous discussion, > this book is likely to > engage a broad audience interested in the new frontiers > of social > neuroscience.
