The Evolution of Moral Progress: A Biocultural Theory

In The Evolution of Moral Progress, Allen Buchanan and Russell Powell resurrect the project of explaining moral progress. They avoid the errors of earlier attempts by drawing on a wide range of disciplines including moral and political philosophy, evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, anthropology, history, and sociology. Their focus is on one especially important type of moral progress: gains in inclusivity. They develop a framework to explain progress in inclusivity to also illuminate moral regression--the return to exclusivist and "tribalistic" moral beliefs and attitudes. Buchanan and Powell argue those tribalistic moral responses are not hard-wired by evolution in human nature. Rather, human beings have an evolved "adaptively plastic" capacity for both inclusion and exclusion, depending on environmental conditions. Moral progress in the dimension of inclusivity is possible, but only to the extent that human beings can create environments conducive to extending moral standing to all human beings and even to some animals. Buchanan and Powell take biological evolution seriously, but with a critical eye, while simultaneously recognizing the crucial role of culture in creating environments in which moral progress can occur. The book avoids both biological and cultural determinism. Unlike earlier theories of moral progress, their theory provides a naturalistic account that is grounded in the best empirical work, and unlike earlier theories it does not present moral progress as inevitable or as occurring in definite stages; but rather it recognizes the highly contingent and fragile character of moral improvement.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Why a Theory of Moral Progress is Needed Part One: What is Moral Progress? Chapter 1: A Typology of Moral Progress Chapter 2: Contemporary Accounts of Moral Progress Chapter 3: A Pluralistic, Dynamic Conception of Moral Progress Part Two: Evolution and the Possibility of Moral Progress Chapter 4: Is Evolved Human Nature an Obstacle to Moral Progress? Chapter 5: The Inclusivist Anomaly and the Limits of Evolutionary Explanation Chapter 6: Toward a Naturalistic Theory of Inclusivist Moral Progress Chapter 7: Naturalizing Moral Regression: A Biocultural Account Chapter 8: De-Moralization and the Evolution of Invalid Moral Norms Part Three: The Path Traveled and the Way Forward Chapter 9: Improvements in Moral Understanding and the Human Rights Movement Chapter 10: Human Rights Naturalized Chapter 11: Biomedical Moral Enhancement and Moral Progress Conclusion: The Future of Human Morality Appendix: Topics for Further Research

About the Author :
Allen Buchanan is James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy at Duke University. Russell Powell is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Boston University.

Review :
"Highly recommended." -- J.H. Barker, CHOICE "It seems that the book discussed might be regarded as obligatory reading for everyone interested in the idea of moral progress, but also for those who as-sume that the evolutionary past strongly affects - usually in a negative way - our current moral intuitions and patterns." -- Konrad Szocik, European Society for the Study of Science and Theology "an illuminating book on a vitally important and intriguing topic." -- Toni Ronnow-Rasmussen, Metascience "This book is neither about Marx nor Marxism, yet it will be of interest to any reader who, like Marx, is interested in the phenomenon of progress, and the material conditions that underlie it. Allen Buchanan and Russell Powell, philosophers with respective specializations in the fields of ethics and the philosophy of biology, offer a novel 'biocultural' theory of the conditions amenable to moral progress, and take issue with so-called 'evoconservative' views according to which our evolved psychology imposes severe constraints on the possibility of progress [...] Especially illuminating about Buchanan and Powell's biocultural theory is their analysis of the conditions that are likely to lead to an inclusivist moral response, and those likely to lead to moral exclusivism." -- Jeroen Hopster, Utrecht University, Marx & Philosophy Review of Books "A compelling, well-researched, and timely book. It articulates arguably the most persuasive naturalistic theory of moral progress to date, and lays the groundwork for important and impactful research." -- Michael Brownstein and Daniel Kelly, The British Journal of Philosophy of Science "This is a marvelous book... none of my worries about how to develop their proposals further lessen to any substantial degree my enthusiasm for their book [which] is remarkable in bringing us as I hope closer to a point where we can sketch and begin to confirm the kind of account they seek." -- Allan Gibbard, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews