Moral systems as evolutionary systems: Taking evolutionary ethics seriously

Wuketits, Franz M.

doi:10.1016/1061-7361(93)90035-p

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…That way morality can be seen as a human universal much in the same way as language, but just as there are different languages and dialects, the specific moral rules, norms, and values clearly depend on the cultural evolution of the respective group or society (see also Wuketits 1993). This issue is also closely related to Gigerenzer's assertion that ''moral behavior is a function of mind and environments rather than the consequence of moral reasoning or character alone'' (Gigerenzer 2010, p. 537).…”

Section: Bounded Moralitymentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Moreover, as it is also long known among social scientists, there are various layers or levels of a group, where the level of intimacy or sympathy decreases with an increase in group size (e.g., Cooley 1909;Pollet et al 2011;Schäfers 1999;Wuketits 1993;Zhou et al 2005). Although there are countless terms for describing and delineating these levels or layers that might be useful for the respective context, it seems more important to point out the common finding that morality virtually decreases with an increasing social network or group size.…”

Section: Bounded Moralitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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From Bounded Morality to Consumer Social Responsibility: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Socially Responsible Consumption and Its Obstacles

2016

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Corporate social responsibility has been intensively discussed in business ethics literature, whereas the social responsibility of private consumers appears to be less researched. However, there is also a growing interest from business ethicists and other scholars in the field of consumer social responsibility (ConSR). Nevertheless, previous discussions of ConSR reveal the need for a viable conceptual basis for understanding the social responsibility of consumers in an increasingly globalized market economy. Moreover, evolutionary aspects of human morality seem to have been neglected despite the fact that private consumers are undoubtedly human beings. In addition to that, empirical studies suggest that many consumers believe themselves to be responsible but do not act according to their alleged values or attitudes. This raises the question of what deters them from doing so. Therefore, the contribution of this conceptual paper is threefold: we (i) (re-)conceptualize ConSR in terms of a combination of a Max Weber-inspired approach (social action and the ethic of responsibility) with the social connection approach to shared responsibility proposed by Iris Marion Young; (ii) shed light on the previously neglected implications of an evolutionarily induced bounded morality for ConSR, and (iii) identify potential obstacles to socially responsible consumption, particularly against the backdrop of shared social responsibility and bounded morality. In this latter respect, the paper focuses specifically on the obstacles of low moral intensity, moral stupefaction, informational complexity, and the lack of perceived consumer effectiveness. In sum, the paper advances knowledge in the field of ConSR by using a transdisciplinary, literature-based approach.

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Section: Bounded Moralitymentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Bounded Moralitymentioning

confidence: 99%

From Bounded Morality to Consumer Social Responsibility: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Socially Responsible Consumption and Its Obstacles

2016

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“…Was wir als "Moral" bezeichnen und mit unterschiedlichen Inhalten (bestimmten Wertvorstellungen und Normen) füllen, ist nichts weiter als der verlängerte Arm von Verhaltensmechanismen, die sich schon in grauer Vorzeit als Motoren der sozialen Evolution bewährten und von der natürlichen Auslese begünstigt wurden [16,17]. Moralsysteme sind evolutionäre, das heißt evolutionär entstandene Systeme, die, wie auch immer sie im Einzelnen -der sozialen beziehungsweise kulturellen Vielfalt des Menschen entsprechend -differenziert sein mö-gen, gemeinsame Wurzeln haben [15].…”

Section: Moral: Woher?unclassified

Die Naturgeschichte von Gut und Böse

Wuketits

2011

Biologie in unserer Zeit

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“…It has often been argued that values, goals, norms, and beliefs that make up a paradigm are shaped by cultural evolutionary processes (e.g., [152][153][154][155][156][157][158][159]), thereby creating barriers and enablers for both the "what" and the "why" questions. For example, through the paradigm, culture shapes also systemic adaptations and responses to wicked problems such as climate change (e.g., [108,109,160]).…”

Section: Directionality Legitimacy and Responsibility: Questions Tomentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovation Systems for Transformations towards Sustainability? Taking the Normative Dimension Seriously

et al. 2017

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Abstract:The aim of this article is to complement research on transformations towards sustainability by drawing upon the innovation systems (IS) framework. The IS framework already serves as a suitable and influential basis for research on processes of technological innovation and economic change. We argue that improving the capacity of an IS framework for dealing with wicked problems and the normative complexity of sustainability requires a fundamental paradigm shift because in the current IS paradigm innovations are considered as per se desirable and in mostly technological terms. Therefore, we call for IS dedicated to transformations towards sustainability by opening up for systemic innovations beyond the technological dimension and by acknowledging that stakeholders have conflicting visions, interests, norms, and expectations with regard to sustainability goals. Taking the normative dimension of transformations towards sustainability seriously thus requires more explicit and integrative research on directionality, legitimacy, responsibility, and their interrelation in IS. The article concludes by proposing suggestions for future research based on IS-related approaches that can serve as building blocks for an IS framework capable of incorporating legitimate goal-orientation for transformative innovation by and for society.

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Moral systems as evolutionary systems: Taking evolutionary ethics seriously

Cited by 11 publications

References 14 publications

From Bounded Morality to Consumer Social Responsibility: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Socially Responsible Consumption and Its Obstacles

From Bounded Morality to Consumer Social Responsibility: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Socially Responsible Consumption and Its Obstacles

Die Naturgeschichte von Gut und Böse

Innovation Systems for Transformations towards Sustainability? Taking the Normative Dimension Seriously

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