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Big Picture Science

Moral's Law

Big Picture Science

Big Picture Science

Science, Technology

4.51K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2016

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"If it bleeds, it leads” is the tried and true tenet of news. Indeed, headlines are often no more than a long list of moral atrocities. Yet one man argues that we’re living in the most civilized era in history. And he credits this to scientific thought and reason.  Hang on! Our executive function isn’t enough to promote ethical behavior, says a psychologist. The real fuel behind our drive to be good? Anger, compassion, pride: your emotions! But whether or not you’re a pillar of the community, good intentions might all be for naught when future ethical decisions are made by our silicon successors. Get ready for moral machines. Or not. Guests: •  Michael Shermer - Publisher of Skeptic Magazine, author of The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom •  David DeSteno – Psychologist, Northeastern University, author of The Truth About Trust •  Colin Allen – Historian, philosopher of science and cognitive science, Indiana University. Co-author of Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right From Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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The Wired Science Podcast explores all the latest and greatest in science,

0:42.0

everything from strange diseases and biological breakthroughs

0:45.6

to interesting tech and mysteries in outer space.

0:48.6

Listen to Wired Science today wherever you get your podcasts.

0:52.2

That's Wired Science, wherever you get your podcasts. That's Wired Science wherever you get your

0:54.6

podcasts. If you wonder whether humans know how to behave, well a look at the news might be discouraging he was lying to me straight

1:14.8

to my face and you can see the manner of the law you could see he goes into line mode

1:19.4

a Florida man walked into a convenience store with a four foot alligator and tried to trade it for a 12 pack of beer on Tuesday.

1:27.0

Actor Tom Selick of Magnum P.I. Fame has been accused of stealing water from the state of California.

1:34.0

We lie, cheat, steal, and commit even worse atrocities every day all over the world.

1:39.5

And yet some say that our ethical standards are stronger today than ever.

1:44.4

We are better behaved than our ancestors.

1:47.2

I'm Molly Bentley.

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