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Cited by 27Psychology of Moral and Emotional JudgmentPhilosophical Ethics and TheoryEmotions and Moral Behavior

The Emotional Dog and Its Rational Tail: A Social Intuitionist Approach to Moral Judgment

Haidt, Jonathan·2008·Reasoning
DOI 10.1017/cbo9780511814273.055
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Abstract

Julie and Mark are brother and sister. They are traveling together in France on summer vacation from college. One night they are staying alone in a cabin near the beach. They decide that it would be interesting and fun if they tried making love. At the very least it would be a new experience for each of them. Julie was already taking birth control pills, but Mark uses a condom too, just to be safe. They both enjoy making love, but they decide not to do it again. They keep that night as a special secret, which makes them feel even closer to each other. What do you think about that? Was it OK for them to make love? Most people who hear the above story immediately say that it was wrong for the siblings to make love, and they then begin searching for reasons (Haidt, Bjorklund, & Murphy, 2000). They point out the dangers of inbreeding, only to remember that Julie and Mark used two forms of birth control. They argue that Julie and Mark will be hurt, perhaps emotionally, even though the story makes it clear that no harm befell them. Eventually, many people say something like, “I don't know, I can't explain it, I just know it's wrong.” But what model of moral judgment allows a person to know that something is wrong without knowing why?

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Research works printed but not linked: 39

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Authors
Haidt, J.
Affiliations
University of Virginia (US)
Corresponding author
Haidt, Jonathan
ORCID
Haidt, Jonathan
Venue
Reasoning
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Published
2008-05-05
Pages
1024-1052
DOI
10.1017/cbo9780511814273.055
OpenAlex
W2765568090
Semantic Scholar
fce4da86de7c159f0dbf530b54aed8f7b7b054e2
Cited by
27
References
163
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
0.00
Type
book chapter
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 1492 d)
Locations
Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Philosophical Ethics and Theory
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
Keywords
moral judgment, social intuitionism, moral intuitions, moral reasoning, moral emotions

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