Are we as a species innately moralistic?

singlerider

Throbbing Member
Member
Reading that Justice thread kinda tied in to something I was chatting about with one of the lads at work about how we think of ourselves as having a natural morality that is part of us, but as can be seen by scientific research such as the Milgram and the Zimbardo experiments, when people are absolved of responsibility and accountability then suddenly they are willing to break pretty universal boundaries.

The same can be said of the mob mentality, or the actions of corporations - which have been described by someone (can't remember who, maybe it was me, but I doubt it) as being sociopathic in their tendencies.

But surely, inside all of us, there is the suspicion that one of the key things that truly sets us apart from the beasts is the ability to have a conscience, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong - and act accordingly. But is that inside of us, or is it something imposed by society - are we good inside, or because we don't want to be alienated from those around us?

It makes you wonder
 
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