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Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Koenigs

    (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
    Present address: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1440, USA.)

  • Liane Young

    (Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Ralph Adolphs

    (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
    California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA)

  • Daniel Tranel

    (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA)

  • Fiery Cushman

    (Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Marc Hauser

    (Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Antonio Damasio

    (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
    Brain and Creativity Institute and Dornsife Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA)

Abstract

Judgement calls Is moral reasoning a predominantly rational process, or does emotion play its part? Tests performed by six patients with lesions in an area of the brain involved in the normal generation of emotions (the ventromedial prefrontal cortex) point to a specific and causal role for the emotions in moral judgements. These patients produced an abnormally 'utilitarian' pattern of judgements on certain types of moral dilemmas, those that we might classify as “gut wrenching”, such as having to decide whether to sacrifice one's child in order to save a number of other people. Their judgements were normal on other classes of moral dilemmas. As well as illuminating the normal role of emotions in moral judgement, this work has a bearing on the mechanisms behind the pathological moral behaviour found in people like psychopaths.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Koenigs & Liane Young & Ralph Adolphs & Daniel Tranel & Fiery Cushman & Marc Hauser & Antonio Damasio, 2007. "Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7138), pages 908-911, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:446:y:2007:i:7138:d:10.1038_nature05631
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05631
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