Ciro Galli - Natural Born Moralistic Aggressors
Believers will have to stop wanting to dismiss
determinism on the basis of moral responsibility. As Sam Harris wisely
said, it's not a matter of free-will or absence thereof that we punish
or incarcerate. If tornadoes and tsunamis and other natural disasters
could be incarcerated, they would be. They don't need free-will for
that. For, some times we incarcerate to keep the danger out of reach.
When systems have consciousness and can learn, we punish and incarcerate for two reasons: (1) to teach a lesson and to (2) deter those who think might get away with their own plans. But when we finally prove that there's no free-will, -because there isn't-, we won't stop punishing conscious creatures, because it's genetically constrained in a moral sentiment known as moralistic aggression:
It is precisely BECAUSE we don't have free-will, that we can never stop punishing criminals, cheaters and free-riders. Unless our moralistic aggression is not genetically contained anymore. Our punishing behavior is determined, but at the same time, it's those punishments that determine the future behaviors of others.
When systems have consciousness and can learn, we punish and incarcerate for two reasons: (1) to teach a lesson and to (2) deter those who think might get away with their own plans. But when we finally prove that there's no free-will, -because there isn't-, we won't stop punishing conscious creatures, because it's genetically constrained in a moral sentiment known as moralistic aggression:
Moralistic aggression: A protection mechanism from cheaters acts to regulate the advantage of cheaters in selection against altruists. The moralistic altruist may want to educate or even punish a cheater.We tend to punish cheaters and free-riders cause that's what we do. We are determined to punish, because regardless the fact we are unaware of it, that punishment also determines and changes people's future behaviors. Punishment is not about what you did, but what you might or might not do in the future. We are natural born moralistic aggressors free-will or not.
It is precisely BECAUSE we don't have free-will, that we can never stop punishing criminals, cheaters and free-riders. Unless our moralistic aggression is not genetically contained anymore. Our punishing behavior is determined, but at the same time, it's those punishments that determine the future behaviors of others.
Why did you write this post?
ResponderBorrarBecause there are people who think that their behavior would change at all, if they ever discovered they don't have free-will. The fact is there's no free-will, but our behavior is not going anywhere because of that.
ResponderBorrarSo that's why you chose to write this post?
ResponderBorrarOr to be more precise, this post was what my brain was genetically, socially and psychologically determined to write.
BorrarSo you admit that you had NO CHOICE in the matter. You were determined to do so...Much like other "choices" in your life. None of which you actually have chosen to do and could not do otherwise...
BorrarRight.
Borrar