The Moral Mind: Conversations between Psychology and Philosophy

In everyday life, we constantly face moral decisions. We must decide how to spend our time and money, whether to prioritize those close to us or to help distant strangers, and how to respond when wrongdoing occurs. Should we seek vengeance, forgive, or pursue some other response? This course examines questions like these by exploring central topics in moral thought, including forgiveness, apology, punishment, moral status, altruism, and supererogation. Drawing on both philosophical theory and psychological research, the course investigates how philosophers have traditionally understood morality, how people actually think and behave in moral contexts, and how empirical findings from psychology can inform, challenge, or complicate philosophical debates. Throughout the course, we will return to a central question: what, if anything, can the science of the mind tell us about how we ought to live?