Test Your Morality

Ironclad · #1 by **Ironclad** » Nov 15, 2011 6:03 pm

We make moral decisions all the time, but do we really understand why we make them? Dr Robert Aunger explains how the ‘Test Your Morality’ experiment hopes to unlock the explanations for our personal moral choices.

The Test Your Morality experiment is designed to look at a new theory, based on something called ‘Human Superorganism Theory’, that we hope will help us understand this diversity, and the sources of our morality.

Human Superorganism Theory develops the concept that we, as individuals, behave as if we are part of a bigger ‘superorganism’ when we are organised into large social groups, as in cities or societies.

The new theory we are investigating with Test Your Morality suggests that the functions we perform within this superorganism help define our personal morality.

I had a go, it takes a good 15mins or more. Seems I am mostly lucid but punish more than the average human, despite feeling less than average anger. There's more but I gotta fly.
Have fun!

LIFE · #2 by **LIFE** » Nov 15, 2011 6:51 pm

Still in the middle of the test but I dislike it already. I wouldn't punish anyone? Missing alternatives...
ETA: Also why would I avoid any interaction with people just because they did things I consider morally wrong or disgusting? :scratch:

Ironclad · #3 by **Ironclad** » Nov 15, 2011 6:53 pm

Punish them not, then. See where that lands you, oh moral one.

LIFE · #4 by **LIFE** » Nov 15, 2011 7:01 pm

Ironclad wrote:Punish them not, then. See where that lands you, oh moral one.

We shall see :plot:

LIFE · #5 by **LIFE** » Nov 15, 2011 7:05 pm

Ok, I think I'll start over...guess I'll allow the test to be vague :shifty:

LIFE · #6 by **LIFE** » Nov 15, 2011 7:27 pm

: moral.jpg (63.46 KiB) Viewed 227 times

Now?

Regina · #7 by **Regina** » Nov 15, 2011 7:31 pm

LIFE wrote:
moral.jpg

Now?

Makes perfect sense for the owner of a site that attracts quarrelsome people in droves. :mrgreen:

Clive Durdle · #8 by **Clive Durdle** » Nov 15, 2011 7:39 pm

LIFE wrote:Still in the middle of the test but I dislike it already. I wouldn't punish anyone? Missing alternatives...
ETA: Also why would I avoid any interaction with people just because they did things I consider morally wrong or disgusting?

Ditto. Giving up test. If we are serious about morality it will never work through punishment, only people learning how to act with others.

Ironclad · #9 by **Ironclad** » Nov 15, 2011 7:48 pm

Life: no sense of right or wrong; an overt desire to punish. bit naughty, that. :hide:

Well, here's mine. I am the destroyer. Unable to feel terrible anger and very little desire to avoid bastards, the banker for example - I felt it unnecessary to ostracise him. :dunno:

LIFE · **#10** by **LIFE** » Nov 15, 2011 8:15 pm

Ironclad wrote:I can't seem to be able to save then upload mine, I get an empty chart.

Tried a screenshot? I'm guessing you've tried saving the picture via the browser which will not work as it's a multi-layered image.

Ironclad · **#11** by **Ironclad** » Nov 15, 2011 9:23 pm

I forgot, Win7 has the very handy Snipping Tool.

houseofcantor · **#12** by **houseofcantor** » Nov 22, 2011 4:32 am

Fail.

I didn't even check it out. Morality is individual control structure; any standardized test will only show alignment to extant ethical standard. I mean, every decision is a moral one; including me being here running my neck. Entirely indicative of personal preference and personal adherence to a personal ethical standard.

And since there are no f-words and insults, an overall adherence to the forum's ethical standard. And "superorganism theory" might work with fractal awareness to generate a sufficient, encompassing ethical standard; but never a moral one.

Agrippina · **#13** by **Agrippina** » Nov 24, 2011 6:47 pm

I disagree with their ideas of morality. While I might see the scenarios as "wrong" I don't think I would want to "punish" people for doing the wrong thing. I think it's wrong that a mother doesn't report her son's vandalism, but I wouldn't avoid her or want to punish her. I'd rather she willingly saw that her son was shown the difference, or something along those lines. What's with the women wearing hats to a wedding business. Whoop de dooo!

It says I favour big business but that's nonsense. I don't think poor people (low wage earners) should be taxed, and I do think it's wrong to steal whether you're steal stationery or business secrets. It was full of my sense of what's "wrong." Most of those issues were "wrong" but I don't think all were worthy of punishment.

Berthold · **#14** by **Berthold** » Nov 24, 2011 7:43 pm

Haven't (yet) tried the test.

However, one thing about the preamble: It has been said that people in cities still behave in a "tribal" way (groups of friends with 100 members at most), just the "tribes" are not localised but spread over the whole area of the city.

Ironclad · **#15** by **Ironclad** » Nov 24, 2011 8:30 pm

I'd love to see more graphs, Aggi did you save yours?

Agrippina · **#16** by **Agrippina** » Nov 25, 2011 6:54 am

I could probably go back to retrieve it. I'll look later.