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The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

2013; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 28; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/09515089.2013.838752

1465-394X

Hugh LaFollette, Michael L. Woodruff,

Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment

AbstractJonathan Haidt's The Righteous Mind seeks to explain why it is difficult for liberals and conservatives to get along. His aim is not just explanatory but also prescriptive. Once we understand that the differences between disputants spring from distinct moral views held by equally sincere people, then we will no longer have reason for deep political animus. Conservatives and Liberals have distinct (although somewhat overlapping) moral views and they understand human nature differently. He claims that these differences are best understood by consulting an array of psychological studies, key genetic findings, and the theoretical underpinnings of sociobiology. After summarizing his arguments, we isolate and discuss the three most important and contentious issues in his book. We argue that although the project's motivation is noble and some of his findings are insightful, his key explanations, inferences, and prescriptions are wanting. We end by suggesting a way he could defend a weaker version of his view.Keywords:: Conservatives and LiberalsGenetic Basis of MoralityHarmIntuitionPolitical DisagreementSanctitySociobiology Additional informationNotes on contributorsHugh LaFolletteHugh LaFollette is Cole Chair in Ethics at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.Michael L. WoodruffMichael L. Woodruff is Professor Emeritus at East Tennessee State University.