Localizing the Moral Sense

Neuroscience and the Search for the Cerebral Seat of Morality, 1800-1930

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Other Sciences, History, Health & Well Being, Psychology
Cover of the book Localizing the Moral Sense by Jan Verplaetse, Springer Netherlands
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jan Verplaetse ISBN: 9781402063220
Publisher: Springer Netherlands Publication: August 28, 2009
Imprint: Springer Language: English
Author: Jan Verplaetse
ISBN: 9781402063220
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Publication: August 28, 2009
Imprint: Springer
Language: English

Due to the current revolution in brain research the search for the “moral brain” became a serious endeavour. Nowadays, neural circuits that are indispensable for moral and social behaviour are discovered and the brains of psychopaths and criminals - the classical anti-heroes of morality - are scanned with curiosity, even enthusiasm.

How revolutionary this current research might be, the quest for a localisable ethical centre or moral organ is far from new. The moral brain was a recurrent theme in the works of neuroscientists during the 19th and 20th century. From the phrenology era to the encephalitis pandemic in the 1920s a wide range of European and American scientists (neurologists, psychiatrists, anthropologists and criminologists) speculated about and discussed the location of a moral sense in the human cortex. Encouraged by medical discoveries and concerned by terrifying phenomena like crime or “moral insanity” (psychopathy) even renowned and outstanding neurologists, including Moritz Benedikt, Paul Flechsig, Arthur Van Gehuchten, Oskar Vogt or Constantin von Monakow, had the nerve to make their speculations public. This book presents the first overview of believers and disbelievers in a cerebral seat of human morality, their positions and arguments and offers an explanation for these historical attempts to localise our moral sense, in spite of the massive disapproving commentary launched by colleagues.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Due to the current revolution in brain research the search for the “moral brain” became a serious endeavour. Nowadays, neural circuits that are indispensable for moral and social behaviour are discovered and the brains of psychopaths and criminals - the classical anti-heroes of morality - are scanned with curiosity, even enthusiasm.

How revolutionary this current research might be, the quest for a localisable ethical centre or moral organ is far from new. The moral brain was a recurrent theme in the works of neuroscientists during the 19th and 20th century. From the phrenology era to the encephalitis pandemic in the 1920s a wide range of European and American scientists (neurologists, psychiatrists, anthropologists and criminologists) speculated about and discussed the location of a moral sense in the human cortex. Encouraged by medical discoveries and concerned by terrifying phenomena like crime or “moral insanity” (psychopathy) even renowned and outstanding neurologists, including Moritz Benedikt, Paul Flechsig, Arthur Van Gehuchten, Oskar Vogt or Constantin von Monakow, had the nerve to make their speculations public. This book presents the first overview of believers and disbelievers in a cerebral seat of human morality, their positions and arguments and offers an explanation for these historical attempts to localise our moral sense, in spite of the massive disapproving commentary launched by colleagues.

More books from Springer Netherlands

Cover of the book Acceptable Risk in Biomedical Research by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Standards in Flourescence Spectrometry by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Practical Management of Hypertension by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Forecasting in the Social and Natural Sciences by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book The Arts in Children's Lives by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Exploration of Cortical Function by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Fractional Order Differentiation and Robust Control Design by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Symposium on Light-Coagulation by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Physics of desertification by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells, Volume 6 by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Second International Handbook of Mathematics Education by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Multiple Integrals by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Enzyme Chemistry by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Mind Out of Matter by Jan Verplaetse
Cover of the book Breadth and Depth of Semantic Lexicons by Jan Verplaetse
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy