confucian moral psychology and cognitive science edward slingerland university of british columbia...

Confucian Moral Confucian Moral Psychology and Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive ScienceScience

Edward SlingerlandUniversity of British Columbia

Lecture 3Lecture 3

Cognitive Science and Cognitive Science and Confucian Virtue EthicsConfucian Virtue Ethics

my websitehttp://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/eslingerland/index.html

“The Situationist Critique and Early Confucian Virtue Ethics,” Ethics 121.2 (January 2011): 390-419. [Also selected as a target article for discussion on the Philosophy blog “Pea Soup”: http://peasoup.typepad.com/]

“‘Of What Use Are the Odes?’ Cognitive Science, Virtue Ethics, and Early Confucian Ethics,” Philosophy East & West 61.1 (January 2011): 80-109. [To be reprinted in New Directions in Chinese Philosophy (ed. Cheng Chung-yi and Cheung Chan-fai), Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2013.]

Immanuel Kant, Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Moralsthe Metaphysics of Morals

people of “sympathetic temper,” who “take an inner pleasure in spreading happiness around them”◦“amiable,” but actions of “no

genuinely moral worth”◦because actions done “out of

inclination” (aus Neigung) rather than “out of duty” (aus Pflicht)

WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??

WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)

WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)

WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)heteronomous

◦alien to our true, rational natures

WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)heteronomous

◦alien to our true, rational natures

““RationalismRationalism””

• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making

• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making◦“amodal” (not subserved in any

significant manner by sensory-motor systems or our embodiment)

◦propositional

◦propositional◦fully conscious (transparent)

◦propositional◦fully conscious (transparent)◦cleanly separable from emotions

ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism

ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism“Embodied cognition” challenge

to disembodied rationalism

ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism“Embodied cognition” challenge

to disembodied rationalism

Traditional Chinese

ethics, with its emphasis on

the embodied, social agent

• can be productively brought into dialogue

“Embodied cognition” challenge to disembodied rationalism

Traditional Chinese

• can be productively brought into dialogue

• insights from each can inform, flesh out the other

“Embodied cognition” challenge to disembodied rationalism

Traditional Chinese

Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism

emotions crucial for “reason”

emotions crucial for “reason”- emotional-somatic reactions perform

crucial biasing / filtering function

Antonio DamasioAntonio Damasio

emotion and reasonemotion and reason

“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged ventromedial prefrontal

cortex

“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged ventromedial prefrontal

cortex “higher” cognitive faculties intact

◦short- and long-term memories◦abstract reasoning skills◦mathematical aptitude◦performance on standard IQ tests

“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged prefrontal cortex “higher” cognitive faculties intact

◦short- and long-term memories◦abstract reasoning skills◦mathematical aptitude◦performance on standard IQ tests

specific impairment: ability to experience and process emotions

“Elliot”continued to score well above average

on IQ test

on IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian

scale of moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)

on IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian

scale of moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)

absolutely useless as real-life reasoner

“Elliot”continued to score well above average on

IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian scale of

moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)

absolutely useless as real-life reasoner◦ possessed elaborate theoretical knowledge about

what he should or could do, but completely unable to actually decide what to do

“Elliot”nice controlled experiment of a sort

◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary

◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary◦ completely incapable of making rational

decisions

◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary◦ completely incapable of making rational

decisionsstrongly suggests that embodied

emotions play a foundational role in ethical decision-making and practical reasoning

1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform

crucial biasing / filtering function• moral evaluations and “gut reactions”

moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as

foundational◦moral knowledge the result of

“immediate feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)

Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist” model of moral judgmentHaidt, Jonathan. 2001. The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment. Psychological Review, 108, 813–834

◦emotional reactions are often primary causal force in moral judgments

foundational◦moral knowledge the result of “immediate

feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist”

model of moral judgment“neo-Humeans”

◦ Shaun Nichols. Sentimental Rules. Oxford 2002◦ Jesse Prinz. The Emotional Construction of

Morals. Oxford 2007

Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist” model of moral judgment

“neo-Humeans”◦ Hume with evidence

crucial biasing / filtering function• moral evaluations and “gut reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions

innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions

empathy

empathy“justice”

empathy“justice”disgust /shame

each of these emotions has its own unique◦ trigger conditions◦ subjective feeling◦ objective behaviors◦ “entailments”

each of these emotions has its own unique◦ trigger conditions◦ subjective feeling “modular”◦ objective behaviors◦ “entailments”

does not sit well with idea that moral reasoning is amodal and universal

crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut

reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge

unitary selfunitary selfRationalist model of decision-

making requires a unitary, conscious “self”◦the locus of rationality and will◦maxim follower or utilitarian calculator◦even if failed “ruler” (weakness of

will), aware that it failed

no homunculusno homunculus

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto

rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislator

rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislatorHaidt: conscious moral reasoning “is

usually a post hoc construction, generated after a judgment has been reached” (2001: 814)

Tim Wilson 2002: Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious◦ often don’t know what we’re doing or why

Tim Wilson 2002: Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious◦ often don’t know what we’re doing or why◦ when questioned, strongly motivated to

concoct plausible-sounding but dubious justifications

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• importance of automaticity (top-down

control is expensive)

automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the

vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems

vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems◦ because such systems are fast, frugal, and

reliable

reliablemost of everyday judgment/ decision

making is

making is ◦ unconscious

making is ◦ unconscious◦ automatic

top-down controltop-down controlthe brain systems associated with

abstract reasoning and cognitive control can, at least sometimes, bring these implicit biases and other sorts of emotions into consciousness in order to modify or override them

however: it is equally clear that conscious self-control is an extremely limited resource

however: it is equally clear that conscious self-control is an extremely limited resource◦“ego depletion” (Baumeister)

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is

expensive• power of situational effects

situationsituation

• Our behavior is often powerfully and unconsciously effected by

situationsituation

– physical environment (temperature, colors, cleanliness)– interpersonal environment (posture, dress, expression)– institutional environment (authority, social markers)– linguistic environment (priming, framing)

situationsituation

• extreme “situationist” critique (Doris, Harman) of personality an exaggeration

Slingerland, Edward. 2011. The situationist critique and early Confucian virtue ethics. Ethics 121 (2):390-419.

situationsituation

• extreme “situationist” critique (Doris, Harman) of personality an exaggeration

– but they are right about “attribution error” regarding relative power of personality and environment

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is

expensive

3. Thought is Image-based

thought is image-basedthought is image-based

Barsalou, Lawrence: “perceptual symbol account”(1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 577-609)

◦ abstract symbols derived from and always grounded in perception

Lakoff & Johnson: conceptual metaphor theory

Lakoff & Johnson: conceptual metaphor theory◦ sensory-motor analog patterns basis of abstract

thought◦ “entailments” come from analogue, imagistic

reasoning

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is expensive

3. Thought is Image-based• categories are usually radial / prototype-

Radial / Prototype Radial / Prototype categorizationcategorizationnot Aristotelian categories

Radial / Prototype Radial / Prototype categorizationcategorizationnot Aristotelian categoriespattern-matching with stored

prototypes

crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions

2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is expensive

3. Thought is Image-based• categories are usually radial / prototype-

based• moral reasoning and training are

metaphoric / analogical

learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension

moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)

this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner

this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner◦ primarily through the use of metaphors or analogies

both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors

both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors◦ Is the U.S. position in Afghanistan a “quagmire” like Vietnam?

both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors◦ Is the U.S. position in Afghanistan a “quagmire” like

Vietnam?◦ Is moral cultivation like carving a willow tree into cups and

bowls, or like helping a plant to grow?

In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition

is◦emotion-based

is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious

is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic

is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic◦image-based, imaginative

In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition is

◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic◦image-based, imaginative

reasonable to conclude that training desirable habits might be a more reliable way to ensure ethical behavior

In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””“virtue ethics”

◦“virtues” arguably stable, desirable habits

◦despite bad-mouthing that “habit” gets even among virtue ethicists

still influenced by the ghost of Kant

In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””habits are not unintelligent or

inflexible

In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””habits are not unintelligent or

inflexible“goal-dependent automaticity”

quite effective and flexible (when necessary)◦Bargh et al 2001◦Chartrand and Bargh 1996

cognitive science & virtue cognitive science & virtue ethicsethicsdebate between defenders of

virtue ethics, utilitarianism and deontology at least 2,500 years old

cognitive science & virtue cognitive science & virtue ethicsethicsdebate between defenders of

virtue ethics, utilitarianism and deontology at least 2,500 years old◦evidence from cognitive science

could help at least partially settle it

Meta-Ethical AsideMeta-Ethical Asideso just about education, training?NO

◦no such thing as purely cold cognition

◦deontology emotional foundation

◦utilitarianism objective “math” performed on

metaphorical entities

Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethics

Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethicsearly Confucians never drank the

disembodied rationality Kool-Aid

Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethicsearly Confucians never drank the

disembodied rationality Kool-Aidmodel of moral reasoning,

education might have something to useful to say in contemporary context

Confucian virtue ethics & Confucian virtue ethics & emotionemotion

• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions

• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions• sprouts, “hearts,” are intelligent

emotional responses to the perception of value

• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions• sprouts, “hearts,” are intelligent

emotional responses to the perception of value• even content of the sprouts seems a

pretty good first approximation

Mencian sproutsMencian sprouts

Ren 仁 ◦ empathetic response like the burenzhixin—elicited by

both real situations (drowning sister in law, ox being led to slaughter) and imagined (child and well)—basic mammalian moral emotion

Yi 義◦ indignant refusal to accept unfair offers in Ultimatum

Game like beggar in 6:A:10

Yi 義◦ indignant refusal to accept unfair offers in Ultimatum

Game like beggar in 6:A:10

Li 禮◦ role of disgust in moral judgments (Rozin, Haidt)

Other Mencian parallelsOther Mencian parallels• Moral education is about

imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination

imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination◦primary tool is metaphor and analogy

imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination◦primary tool is metaphor and analogy◦supplemented with ritual, music,

prototype modeling

““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition

“Hot” “Cold”

emotional non-emotional

fast, “frugal” slow, “expensive”

automatic under executive control

mostly unconscious mostly conscious

> two systems can and often do interact

> relative, not absolute difference

One way to look at Confucian ethics:

One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control

One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control◦ embedding higher-level desires and goals in

lower-level emotional and sensory-motor systems

One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control◦ embedding higher-level desires and goals in

lower-level emotional and sensory-motor systems i.e., embedding results of “cold” cognition into

“hot” systems

E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual

E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”禮起於何也﹖曰：人生而有欲，欲而不得，則不能無求。求而無度量分界，則不能不爭；爭則亂，亂則窮。

> “hot cognition” run wild!

E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也

◦ “hot cognition” too!

E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也，故制禮義以分之，以養人之欲，給人之求。使欲必不窮於物，物必不屈於欲。兩者相持而長，是禮之所起也。

process of self-cultivation

process of self-cultivation◦ embeds the fruits of cold-cognition (how to

best distribute limited resources)

process of self-cultivation◦ embeds the fruits of cold-cognition (how to

best distribute limited resources)◦ into hot processes (ritually-transformed

desires)

Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflection

Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of

achievement

achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 )◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )

achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 ) increasingly

“hot”

◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )

“hot”

> “effortless action” (wuwei 無為 ) as mark of highest level of moral achievement

“hot”

“effortless action” (wuwei 無為 ) as mark of highest level of moral achievement

precisely the opposite of Kant’s valuation

Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:

Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:◦replacement of

exertion of conscious will-power

exertion of conscious will-power on-line, rational decision-making

◦with self-activating, carefully-designed,

automatic habits

Confucian ethicsConfucian ethics

Confucian ethicsConfucian ethicsdesigned a model of moral

education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions

education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions◦important corrective to fetishization

of disembodied reason in the last few hundred years of Western ethical thought

education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions◦important corrective to fetishization of

disembodied reason in the last few hundred years of Western ethical thought

◦empirically plausible and valuable resource for contemporary ethical theory and education

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