This week’s New Scientist podcast is a special edition entirely dedicated to an interview with psychologist Prof Marc Hauser who specialises in understanding the evolutionary psychology of moral judgements.
Hauser has been the subject of much popular interest since the publication of his book Moral Minds (ISBN 0316728152) which argues that we have an innate ‘moral grammar’ that promotes moral decision making and a sense of justice.
It’s a bold and controversial argument, not least because it argues for inherited psychological concepts (almost always controversial), but also because it extends the idea of what could be inherited to new territory.
On a related note, if you catch the print edition of the magazine, it has an interview with Douglas Hofstadter who discusses his theories about the self.
This is based on ideas from Hofstadter’s forthcoming book, with the wonderful title I Am a Strange Loop.
Link to NewSci podcast page.
mp3 of NewSci interview with Marc Hauser.
Mind Hacks 