--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Morality is essentially a suite of…" description: "\"Morality is essentially a suite of psychological mechanisms that enable us to cooperate. But, biologically at least, we only evolved to cooperate in a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/joshua-greene-51160_character_morality-is-essentially-a-suite-of-psych_134914.jpg" --- # Morality is essentially a suite of psychological… ![“Morality is essentially a suite of psychological mechanisms that enable us to cooperate. But, biologically at least, we only evolved to cooperate in a tribal way. Individuals who were more cooperative with those around them - could outcompete others who were not. However, we have the capacity to…” quote by Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/joshua-greene-51160_character_morality-is-essentially-a-suite-of-psych_134914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/joshua-greene-51160_character_morality-is-essentially-a-suite-of-psych_134914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/joshua-greene-51160_character_morality-is-essentially-a-suite-of-psych_134914.jpg) > “Morality is essentially a suite of psychological mechanisms that enable us to cooperate. But, biologically at least, we only evolved to cooperate in a tribal way. Individuals who were more cooperative with those around them - could outcompete others who were not. However, we have the capacity to take a step back from this and ask what a more global morality would look like. Why are the lives of people on the other side of the world worth any less than those in my immediate community? Going through that reasoning process can allow our moral thinking to do something it never evolved to.” [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality evolved for tribal cooperation, yet we can consciously expand it to global concern, challenging innate biases. **In simple terms:** We can grow moral thinking beyond tribal instincts. Key Takeaway Practice global empathy and fairness. Themes ethics evolution globalism cooperation Mood thoughtful challenging Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - international aid - global policy debates - education curricula Key Concepts moral psychology social evolution altruism Questions to Reflect On - What steps foster global moral reasoning? - How to counter tribal bias? A Different Perspective Evolutionary limits may resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We now have a better biological and psychological understanding of our moral thinking. The idea that we should do what maximizes happiness sounds very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/we-now-have-a-better-biological-and-psychological-understanding-of/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [People shouldn't sit there and allow their moral superiority in their heads - because you really aren't morally superior to anyone, although you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/people-shouldn-t-sit-there-and-allow-their-moral-superiority-in-their/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) > [Christian morality (so called) has all the characters of a reaction… In its horror of sensuality, it made an idol of asceticism, which has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/christian-morality-so-called-has-all-the-characters-of-a-reaction-in/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“Our moral thinking is much more like a politician searching for votes than a scientist searching for truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/our-moral-thinking-is-much-more-like-a-politician-searching-for-votes/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [At the foundation of moral thinking lie beliefs in statements the truth of which no further reason can be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-the-foundation-of-moral-thinking-lie-beliefs-in-statements-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I reviewed five areas of research showing that moral thinking is more like a politician searching for votes than a scientist searching for truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/i-reviewed-five-areas-of-research-showing-that-moral-thinking-is-more/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [“moral thinking is more like a politician searching for votes than a scientist searching for truth:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/moral-thinking-is-more-like-a-politician-searching-for-votes-than-a/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [My work is based on the assumption that clarity and consistency in our moral thinking is likely, in the long run, to lead us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/my-work-is-based-on-the-assumption-that-clarity-and-consistency-in/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [We plan to eliminate the state of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-plan-to-eliminate-the-state-of-israel-and-establish-a-purely/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [“the higher the psychological safety in a unit, the fewer errors they made. Why? In the units that lacked psychological safety, health care professionals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/the-higher-the-psychological-safety-in-a-unit-the-fewer-errors-they/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) ## More by Joshua Greene > [We now have a better biological and psychological understanding of our moral thinking. The idea that we should do what maximizes happiness sounds very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/we-now-have-a-better-biological-and-psychological-understanding-of/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer to call it "deep pragmatism." Humans have real limitations, obligations, and frailties, so the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/utilitarianism-is-inherently-pragmatic-in-fact-i-prefer-to-call-it/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [When you share your moral common sense with people in your locality, that helps you to form a community. But those gut reactions differ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/when-you-share-your-moral-common-sense-with-people-in-your-locality/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [When there is a conflict, which group's sense of right and wrong should prevail? If a morality is a system that allows individuals to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/when-there-is-a-conflict-which-group-s-sense-of-right-and-wrong/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [Since functional brain imaging first emerged, we have learned that there aren't very many brain regions uniquely responsible for specific tasks; most complex tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/since-functional-brain-imaging-first-emerged-we-have-learned-that/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) > [When you are thinking about whether you have an obligation to try to save people's lives, you don't usually think, well, how close by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-greene/when-you-are-thinking-about-whether-you-have-an-obligation-to-try-to/) [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) [Explore all 7 Joshua Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Morality is essentially a suite of psychological mechanisms that enable us to cooperate. 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