Theoretical Research On Moral Judgment In The Perspective Of Neuroethics

There is always a debate between rationalism and emotionalism on moral judgment researches in traditional ethics. The rationalists represented by Kant thought the moral judgment only based on the rational rules were reliable, while the emotionalists represented by Hume argued that the emotion of the subjects plays decisive roles in moral judgment. Recently, neuroscience-based neuroethics in the western ethics has tried to solve the dispute through empirical research of neuroscience.On the basis of a lot of experimental results of neuroscience, neuroethics demonstrates emotion is the important factor of the generation of moral judgment. The discipline conducts the experimental researches on the in-depth moral judgment on the patients with brain damage, presents a set of “moral brain” network related to moral judgment; the brain mechanism researches of the moral emotion point out that emotion participates in and ultimately affects the moral judgment of the subjects. At the same time, neuroethics finds out the relationship between different emotions and brain regions, and further determines that emotions emerge because of the varying degrees of stimulation on the related brain regions. Besides, it points out that the subjects’ moral judgment without the emotion guide p is unfit for human moral life; thus, some nerve ethicists claim the emotionalism of moral judgment.However, the discussion of the neuroethics emotionalism of moral judgment is obviously problematic. First of all, the rationality some nerve ethicists cognize is “experienced” and “instrumentalization”; their attempt of using real instrumental rationality to explain the related moral judgment problems within the framework of the traditional ethics with the research base of certain practical rationality doesn’t work. Secondly, the evidence of evolution theory shows that the moral principles have rational basis. The experiments and related theories in the psychology subject also directly or indirectly expound the influences of the rationality on moral judgment. Thirdly, the restriction of modern brain science researches, the extreme of neuroethics related to moral experimental background, as well as the limitation of neuroethics subject development and researches make the researches related with moral judgment in neuroethics imperfect; besides, the neuroethics discussions within the framework of theory still lack of rigorous and assured reasons and evidence. Therefore, the present researches of moral judgment in neuroethics should make objectively and comprehensively explain that the positions of the rationality and emotion in moral judgment.Although there are problems in the moral judgment researches in neuroethics, it still has vital significance. Firstly, it strengthens the emphasis on the emotion of the moral psychology. Secondly, its research and development will promote the interaction among different professional disciplines. Thirdly, it has enlightenment for the moral education, identifies that the sound moral education needs the participation of rationality and emotion, and give people specific operational recommendations by revealing the inner mechanism of moral judgment. Fourth, it enlightens people how to correctly treat the researches of the discipline, that is, people should treat its development with open eyes and always face its research with cautious attitude.