Nayef Al-Rodhan - Moral Quotes

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Human nature is governed by general self-interest and affected by genetic predisposition, which implies that there are likely to be limits to our moral sensitivities.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
Indeed, there is no evidence to suggest innate morality. It is therefore important to create the conditions under which the expansion of our moral communities may become more likely.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
In my view, most human beings are innately neither moral nor immoral but rather amoral. They are driven by emotional self-interest and have the potential to be either moral or immoral, depending on what their self-interest dictates, and will be influenced in their choices by emotions and socio-cultural contexts. Circumstances will determine the survival value of humankind's moral compass in that being highly moral in an immoral environment may be detrimental to one's survival and vice versa. Indeed, our neuronal architecture is pre-programmed to seek gratification and feel good regardless of the reason. All apparently altruistic behaviour serves self-interest at some level.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
Circumstances will determine what I term the survival value of humankind's moral compass. Being highly moral in an immoral environment will almost certainly be detrimental to one's survival and vice versa.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
The notion of innate knowledge (including moral knowledge) is rejected, but that of moral sensitivities is accepted.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
Morally relevant emotions are essential for living in social groups and they provide the basis on which we may construct conceptual frameworks that help guide our actions, but human beings should more accurately be thought of as being endowed with morally relevant capacities rather than innate moral knowledge.

Nayef Al-Rodhan
One challenge is to agree on minimum criteria of good governance that are not perceived as a threat to cultural traditions and to draw on moral concepts that are indigenous to specific cultural settings.

Nayef Al-Rodhan