Thagard, Paul (2022) Darwin and the Golden Rule: How To Distinguish Differences of Degree from Differences of Kind Using Mechanisms. [Preprint]

Preview

Text thagard.darwin-golden.final.2022.pdf Download (371kB) | Preview

Abstract

Darwin claimed that human and animal minds differ in degree but not in kind, and that ethical principles such as the Golden Rule are just an extension of thinking found in animals. Both claims are false. The best way to distinguish differences in degree from differences in kind is by identifying mechanisms that have emergent properties. Recursive thinking is an emergent capability found in humans but not in other animals. The Golden Rule and some other ethical principles such as Kant’s categorical imperative require recursion, so they constitute ethical thinking that is restricted to humans. Changes in kind have tipping points resulting from mechanisms with emergent properties.

---

Export/Citation:

EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL

Social Networking:

Share |

---

Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Thagard, Paul pthagard@uwaterloo.ca 0000-0002-6594-4761
Keywords:	Darwin, ethics, recursion, differences in degree, differences in kind, mechanisms, emergence, tipping points
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience > Cognitive Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science
Depositing User:	Dr. Paul Thagard
Date Deposited:	25 Nov 2022 17:06
Last Modified:	25 Nov 2022 17:06
Item ID:	21472
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience > Cognitive Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science
Date:	2022
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/21472

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item