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Moralistic punishment is not for cooperation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 October 2023

Peter DeScioli Open the ORCID record for Peter DeScioli [Opens in a new window]  and
Robert Kurzban Open the ORCID record for Robert Kurzban [Opens in a new window]
Peter DeScioli
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA peter.descioli@stonybrook.edu
Robert Kurzban
Affiliation:
Philadelphia, PA, USA rkurzban@gmail.com
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Abstract

The theory proposed by Fitouchi et al. misses the core of puritanical morality: Cruel punishment for harmless actions. Punishment is mutually harmful, unlike cooperation which is mutually beneficial. Theories of moral judgment should not obscure this fundamental distinction.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e301
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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