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The Neural Basis of Moral Cognition
Author(s) -
Moll Jorge,
De OliveiraSouza Ricardo,
Zahn Roland
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1440.005
Subject(s) - morality , cognition , psychology , cognitive science , moral disengagement , social cognitive theory of morality , epistemology , neuroscience , social psychology , philosophy
The human moral nature has perplexed laymen and academics for millennia. Recent developments in cognitive neuroscience are opening new venues for unveiling the complex psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underling human morality and its impairments. Here we review these lines of evidence and key topics of debate and explain why investigating the mechanisms of cognition–emotion interaction and of the neural bases of moral sentiments and values will be critical for our understanding of the human moral mind.