Module 6:The Big Picture

Module 6: Day 1Morality is Relative

When I was a little boy, my parents told me not to eat meat on certain Fridays. I never understood the rational for this but knew it was forbidden within our Catholic community. Interestingly, I had friends who could eat certain meats on any day of the week but could never eat other meats. Which of these rules was the morally correct one?

Today, we explore the biological basis of morality. You will learn how each society develops a unique moral code and how the brain absorbs and adheres to this code throughout life. You might

come to appreciate that when societies disagree about morality, one of them and all of them can be right.

Module 6: Day 2The illusion of free willWhy did you take this course? I’d like to think you chose this course because it’s great. But maybe you never really had a choice. Today, we explore the meaning of free will and consider the possibility that no one can deviate from a pre-determined course of behavior. You will learn about research in neurobiology that challenges our cherished notion of free will and how some philosophers believe you can have free will even if your behavior is determined by the laws of nature.

Module 6: Day 3How should we control crime?By now, you’ve become a bit of an expert on human behavior---particularly the behavior that we want to discourage in others. But does understanding human nature prepare you to design an effective system of criminal justice? Today, we explore ways to control selfish behaviors in large, complex societies. You will learn that a fair system might require a thoughtful mixture of punishment and forgiveness. You should come to understand why biologists can help governments design better systems to deter selfish behaviors such as stealing, cheating, and lying (not to mention killing).