The Brights' Net

A moral é produto da evolução e experiência humana.

A moral deriva tanto da evolução bioquímica do cérebro como das influências socioculturais. Representadas acima estão as estruturas neuroanatómicas relacionadas com a moral (Pascual et al., 2013).

É a moral humana inata ou adquirida através da educação e experiências do indivíduo? A discussão deste tema pelas ciências sociais vai longa e tem-se revelado bastante inconclusiva: a moral parece ser tanto inata como adquirida.

Pesquisas no campo das ciências comportamentais têm vindo a acumular provas de que a Natureza já fornece muitos dos elementos da psicologia moral humana: a componente física do nosso cérebro já está pré-programada com a propensão para efectuar julgamentos morais. Os nossos cérebros estão prontos para sentir vergonha ou exibir cooperação. Já vimos equipados com mecanismos que permitem a empatia, o altruísmo e a compaixão.

Do mesmo modo, vimos também equipados com a capacidade para aquilo a que alguns chamam de comportamentos imorais. Por causa dos nossos cérebros, os humanos são capazes de violência. Somos aptos a, por vezes, infligir dor.

Os humanos são levados, por natureza, a aprender os comportamentos considerados éticos no seu meio social. Por isso, à medida que vamos vivendo, a moral vai sendo também adquirida. A educação dada por familiares conta. A sociabilização feita pelos pares e pela comunidade sobre o que é “certo” ou “errado” é crítica no moldar da conduta.

Conciliar estas partes díspares de nós mesmos requer que se compreenda a complexidade social e cognitiva do género humano. Uma coisa é evidente: o imperativo religioso não é necessário para a moralidade. A investigação mostra que tais sentimentos morais encorajam a entreajuda e evoluíram independentemente da religião.

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