Reflections

Abstract

This book represents an attempt to produce a fully naturalistic and scientific theory of morality. I have relied on (1) zoological, psychological, and physiological studies of mammalian bonding and child development, (2) anthropological, sociological, and historical work on societal complexity and perceptual partitioning, and (3) moral philosophy that emphasizes the empirical nature of symbolic moral claims. I have tried to do a lot, intentionally, because morality is such a large topic. It is bound to be difficult for humans to study themselves and their beliefs honestly. Sociology is the study of morality because it is the study of society and society is nothing if not the pinnacle of mammalian cohesion and cooperation.