Moral Understanding

Moral Understanding explores the science behind societal divisions and unity, emphasizing the role of morality, political beliefs, and dialogue in amplifying or reducing conflicts. It discusses the impact of empathy, perception, social media, political ideologies, and scientific exploration on public and personal relationships, aiming to bridge divides through understanding and rational compassion.

Morality Political Polarization Empathy and Compassion Social Media Science and Society Dialogue and Communication Perception of Threat Political Ideologies Conflict Resolution

The hottest Substack posts of Moral Understanding

And their main takeaways

Hidden Brain and Evil Explain

98 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political divide Morality Political Behavior Psychology Polarization
  1. Political beliefs are often driven by perceptions of threat and protecting different groups from harm.
  2. Misunderstandings about the views of political opponents can lead to false polarization and animosity.
  3. Having open conversations with people who have different political views is crucial for a healthy society and understanding each other's humanity.

Video: Why we Fight about Morality

78 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Morality Evolution Podcasts Books
  1. Our moral convictions are based on a common harm-based moral mind inherited from our past.
  2. The threat of harm continues to shape our moral beliefs, sparking disagreements on who or what is most vulnerable and what harms are real.
  3. Finding common ground in understanding the evolution of morality can help resolve conflicts over moral differences.

The Myopia of Heroism

98 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Conflicts Foreign Policy Terrorism
  1. The myopia of heroism focuses on saving visible victims but can disregard the broader consequences.
  2. Rational compassion suggests considering costs and benefits in decision-making to help others.
  3. Empathy is highlighted as a biased emotion, while rational compassion encourages thoughtful, reasoned help.
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Moral Understanding: The Science of What Divides and Unites Us:

117 implied HN points • 22 Sep 21
  1. Disagreements often stem from conflicting views about morality
  2. Moral misunderstanding can harm personal relationships, civic institutions, and democracy
  3. Building moral understanding is key to bridging divides, but it's a complex task that requires science

Fighting Partisan Hatred with… Social Media?

78 implied HN points • 16 Dec 21
  1. Social media may not be solely to blame for political polarization, it depends on how it is used.
  2. Marginalize caricature artists on social media to reduce polarization.
  3. Focus on rewarding good faith disagreement and adopting dialogue skills on social media.

"They Hate Me"

78 implied HN points • 27 Oct 21
  1. Negative meta-perceptions can lead to conflicts as we often assume others hate us more than they actually do.
  2. Conflict entrepreneurs profit from escalating conflicts and can contribute to our negative assumptions about others.
  3. Correcting misconceptions about how much the other side actually dislikes us can reduce political animosity.

Atheists and Evangelicals

39 implied HN points • 19 Nov 21
  1. Atheists and evangelicals tend to minimize each other's suffering, creating a competition of victimhood.
  2. Both atheists and evangelicals face discrimination and mistrust, with atheists experiencing outright distrust and evangelicals facing stereotypes of intolerance.
  3. Educating oneself about the other group, befriending members of the opposite group, and discussing moral beliefs through philosophy can help bridge the divide between atheists and evangelicals.

Better Arguing about COVID–19

39 implied HN points • 07 Oct 21
  1. Don't just throw facts at people, share personal experiences instead.
  2. Americans have different ways of navigating information, often based on trust and interest.
  3. Using personal experiences of harm can bridge divides and increase respect in political disagreements.

The Science of What Divides and Unites Us

0 implied HN points • 24 Aug 21
  1. Science is used to understand what divides and unites us.
  2. Exploring morality, politics, religion, and artificial intelligence.
  3. The goal is to bridge divides using scientific exploration.