Agriculture Quote by Paul Bloom
“Morality is often seen as an innovation, like agriculture and writing. From this perspective, babies are pint-sized psychopaths, self-interested beings who need to be taught moral notions such as the wrongness of harming another person.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Against Empathy, Paul Bloom, 2013
Morality develops like a cultural tool, not innate; babies start self‑centered, needing moral teaching.
In simple terms: Morality is learned, not innate.
Key Takeaway
Teach moral concepts early.
Themes
ethics
development
education
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- parenting
- early education
- curriculum design
- media messaging
Key Concepts
cultural evolution
psychology
child development
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we nurture empathy without imposing?
- What role does culture play in moral development?
A Different Perspective
Moral teaching may clash with natural self‑interest.
![“If you kill me, you kill yourself." [...] He only wanted to convey to Janegg the truth of ahimsa, which is that all beings were connected to each other in the deepest way and thus it was impossible to harm another without harming oneself.” quote by David Zindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c0/david-zindell-19617_ahimsa_if-you-kill-me-you-kill-yourself-he-only_458294.jpg)
![“Our best hope for the future [...] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their lives have the same value as the lives of those we love.” quote by Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/630/paul-bloom-3720_appreciation_our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an_177200.jpg)
