Scrap or Save? A Triune Brain Theory Account of Moral Improvement
Last month, I wrote a post called “ Uncovering the Neurocognitive Systems for 'Help This Child ,'” where I suggested that understanding certain facts about our brains is not enough to get us to do the 'right thing.’I argued that we also have to 'outsmart' our least rational tendencies and get ourselves to apply our knowledge to real-life problems. This month, I want to explore a different aspect of the relationship between knowledge and practical action. I want to ask, 'What happens when researchers ground their work in a controversial scientific framework, but use it to introduce a set of ideas that could make a meaningful contribution?' The case I have in mind is Darcia Narvaez and Jenny Vaydich ’s use of Paul D. MacLean ’s ‘ Triune Brain Theory ’ to ground work on emotional and ethical ‘expertise development.’ Jenny Vaydich Darcia Narvaez In their paper entitled “ Moral development and behavior under the spotlight of the neurobiological sciences ,” Narva...