The Interaction between Morality and Society—Its Evolutionary Mechanism

Abstract

An interaction between the ways morality and society develop in the face of the challenges they are exposed to seems consistent with empirical evidence. However, within this frame man's instinct of self preservation and his individualism seem to play an important part. The former by its influence on the evolution of what I refer to as 'our social morality'. The latter by finding its expression in conservative and radical ideologies whose political confrontation appears to give rise to an evolutionary develop ment. The paper draws attention to the fact that in the face of contemporary challenges the evolutionary development of our morals may determine whether the corresponding evolutionary development of our societies will approach the patterns of those of insects, or whether our highly developed individual istic traits will result in new moral trends creating a society which is better suited to the present characteristics of humankind. It is also argued that the present growth of international organizations for cooperation and peaceful co-existence should make it possible to build a society worthy of the human race, but that it could be done only if we are able to develop a sufficient sense of responsibility to deliberately keep over-consumption and human population within a natural balance.