Moral Foundations Research Articles

La protección del erario por el derecho penal y su relación con el deber fundamental de pagar impuestos. Una perspectiva filosófica del integrativismo tridimensionalista

In the modern world, there is a clear phenomenon of legal science impoverishment due to disconnection from ethics, even though it should keep present and intact in the law formulation, interpretation, and enforcement. Drawing on the three dimensions (philosophical, political, and legal-scientific) that come into play when examining a crime, should the crime of tax evasion aim to protect Public Funds or the fundamental and solidaristic duty to pay taxes? How should the payment of taxes be configured within the realm of criminal law? This article aims to analyze, albeit superficially, the criteria for interpreting and applying the ethical foundations of Western taxation, given that life in a democratic society requires citizens to fully exercise fiscal solidarity. This is because of their fundamental duty to contribute, according to their economic capacity, to the achievement of the common good. Thus, those who deliberately fail to do so are engaging in behavior deserving criminal reproach.

Mindfulness Meditation and the Meaning of Life

Throughout the history of philosophy, ethics has often been a source of guidance on how to live a meaningful life. Accordingly, when the ethical foundations of mindfulness are considered, an important question arises concerning the role of meditation in providing meaning. The present article proposes a new theoretical route for understanding the links between mindfulness meditation and meaningfulness by employing the terminology of Susan Wolf’s contemporary philosophical account of a meaningful life. It opens by examining the question of what kinds of life-meanings are made available by Buddhist doctrine, considering the two alternatives of a cosmic, human-independent meaning of life versus the subjective meanings that humans give to their individual lives. After surveying current psychological theories that aim to explain the correlation between mindfulness as a trait and meaning in life, all of which see mindfulness as a mediating factor in the production of meaning, I argue that Wolf’s framework offers a promising theoretical basis for clarifying the relationship between mindfulness and meaning in that it explains why mindfulness has a direct bearing on meaning in life. I then show that mindfulness meditation, as understood in Buddhism, can respond to some of the philosophical worries that arise from Wolf’s theory, specifically her concern with the standards for securing the objective value of meaningful activities and projects. My claim is that mindfulness meditation is representative of a broader class of activities that are non-subjectively valuable insofar as they are required for any exploration of objective meaning or standards of values, as well as for engagement in objectively valuable projects and activities.

Philosophical and Psychological Foundations of Social Responsibility and Ethics

The topic of the paper was the philosophical and psychological foundations of social responsibility and ethics, and the subject was the component composition of social responsibility and ethics in the philosophical and psychological context. The purpose of the article was to empirically clarify the philosophical and psychological foundations of social responsibility and ethics. The research methodology included the following steps: the development of a questionnaire containing clarification of the features of social responsibility and ethics in a philosophical and psychological context; formation of a sample of students of higher educational institutions of Ukraine; collection of results using Google forms; mathematical calculation of the obtained results; formation and characteristics of groups of students in accordance with the peculiarities of the perception of social responsibility and ethics as a philosophical and psychological phenomenon. The structure of social responsibility and ethics includes ten components: cognitive; worldview; axiological; behavioural; sensual; communicative; social; cultural; national; historical. It is shown that behavioural features and socio-cultural background are the most important for the formation of social responsibility and ethics, sensory and communicative features, as well as the historical basis, are the least important. For a clearer understanding of the peculiarities of the studied phenomenon, a cluster analysis was carried out. It was revealed that variants of the interpretation of social consciousness and ethics can be divided into four clusters: the form of manifestation of individual behaviour; a form of manifestation of socially determined behaviour; form of manifestation of individual consciousness; a form of manifestation of social consciousness. The results obtained are the first step towards analysing the phenomenon of social responsibility and ethics. The following research ideas are related to a comparative analysis of the understanding of social responsibility and ethics by representatives of different social, age and national groups.

Moral trade-offs reveal foundational representations that predict unique variance in political attitudes.

Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) explains variation in moral judgements on the basis of multiple innate, intuitive foundations and has been subject to criticism over recent years. Prior research has tended to rely on explicit self-report in the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ). In contrast, we seek to capture intuitive choices between foundations in a novel task - the Moral Foundations Conflict Task (MFCT). Across four studies, responses on this task reflect foundations measured by the MFQ (study 1), are not altered under cognitive load or reduced cognitive control (studies 2a and 2b); and explain unique variance in political orientation and related constructs (study 3). Furthermore, using responses and response times generated on the MFCT, we present a computationally explicit model of foundation-related intuitive judgements and show that these patterns are consistent with the theoretical claims of MFT. These findings show that the MFCT outperforms the MFQ and can contribute to the understanding of moral value conflicts, furthering debate on the nature of moral values.

Broad informed consent or partial informed consent

The establishment of clinical research resource platforms, including research databases and bio-sample library, is an important development in the field of clinical research. The international academic community proposes broad informed consent to regulate the ethical management of the issue. However, the broad informed consent fails to capture the main features of incomplete informed consent and authorization, misleads researchers and managers and leads to miss ethical management for clinical research projects. Therefore, the author proposes a named partial informed consent to improve ethical management for clinical research projects. Partial informed consent separates ethical management for establishing clinical research resource platforms and clinical research projects. After reviewing the legal and ethical foundation of clinical research ethics management, the author discussed the similarities and differences between project management and task management in the two informed consent solutions, the basis for approval of exempted informed consent signatures by the ethics committee, issues to be noted in the ethics management of multi-center research at the task level, and explained the substantive differences between broad informed consent and partial informed consent.

Moral reframing in contemporary U.S. presidential debates

ABSTRACT Moral reframing is an effective technique at altering the political views of conservatives and liberals. Moral reframing happens when a political position that a voter is opposed to is framed to match that voter’s moral values. The present study, which is based on Moral Foundations Theory, investigates the moral reframing efforts of candidates during U.S. presidential debates to understand how candidates can reach out to those who are not their core supporters. A computational content analysis using the extended Moral Foundations Dictionary examined the debate transcripts and found that Republicans were five times more likely than Democrats to reframe, though both parties were equally negative in sentiment. Also discussed is how reframing varies by candidate, issue, and incumbent vs. challenger status.

Vocational and University Paramedicine Education

This paper highlights key research areas within paramedicine education in Australia. Firstly, it discusses the need for a comparative analysis of accreditation standards, focusing on the recent shift towards a pre-employment model and its impact on program content, particularly the balance between theoretical and practical components. Secondly, it addresses the importance of exploring the influence of ethics education on paramedic practice, investigating how a robust ethical foundation acquired during education translates into ethical practices in real-world scenarios. Additionally, it suggests conducting a comparative study of international models to understand different education approaches, emphasising the importance of identifying best practices to enhance paramedic education in Australia. Lastly, it emphasises the significance of assessing the impact of accreditation changes in 2018, specifically the shift in accreditation responsibilities from the Council of Ambulance Authorities to the Paramedicine Board of Australia, aiming to understand its implications on the quality and consistency of paramedicine education across various institutions. Overall, this paper highlight the critical research gaps and areas of investigation essential for advancing paramedicine education and improving the quality of paramedic training in Australia.

Pratiloma Paranoia: Class Hierarchy, Conservatism, and Ethics in Classical Hindu Law

The Hindu law tradition grounds its social ethics on an ideological hierarchy of class or caste known as varṇa. The positive inculcation of this hierarchy is bolstered by a fear of social inversion, known as pratiloma, in every area of law and society. Through an examination of the concept of pratiloma, this article contends first that the central Hindu law principle of dharma, religious and legal duty, depends upon knowing and abiding by one’s place in society. From this Hindu articulation of social rank as the foundation of ethics, the article then draws a comparison between classical Anglo-American conservatism and Hindu law to suggest that conservative traditions in general base moral action on social station and the fear of breaking social rank. Ethics in Hindu law, therefore, are derived from an acceptance of social station within the varṇa hierarchy and the constant cultivation of local expectations of proper behavior according to social position.

A Political Radicalization Framework Based on Moral Foundations Theory

Moral foundations theory proposes that individuals with conflicting political views base their behavior on different principles chosen from a small group of universal moral foundations. This study proposes using a set of widely accepted moral foundations (fairness, in-group loyalty, authority, and purity) as proxies to determine the degree of radicalization of online communities. A fifth principle, care, is generally surpassed by others that are higher in the radicalized groups’ moral hierarchy. Moreover, the presented data-driven methodological framework proposes an alternative way to measure whether a community complies with a certain moral principle or foundation: not evaluating its speech, but its behavior through the interactions of its individuals, establishing a bridge between the structural features of the interaction network and the intensity of communities’ radicalization regarding the considered moral foundations. Two foundations were assessed using the network’s structural characteristics: in-group loyalty measured by group-level modularity, and authority evaluated using group domination, for detecting potential hierarchical substructures within the network. By analyzing a set of Pareto-optimal groups regarding a multidimensional moral relevance scale, the most radicalized communities were identified among those considered extreme in some of their attitudes or views. An application of the proposed framework is illustrated using real-world datasets. The radicalized communities’ behavior exhibited increasing isolation, and their authorities and leaders showed growing domination over their audience. Differences were also detected between users’ behavior and speech, showing that individuals tended to share more “extreme” in-group content than they publish: extreme views get more likes on social media.

Penerapan Program Sosialisasi Pendidikan Karakter di SDN Musir Kidul

Character education has become the primary focus in efforts to develop individuals with strong moral values and ethics. In the context of modern education, character education goes beyond teaching discipline or enforcing rules; it strengthens the core of good personality and fosters positive behaviors in daily life. This paper reviews character education from various perspectives, including the conceptual understanding, implementation approaches in educational institutions, and its impact on shaping a better future generation. By integrating values such as integrity, empathy, honesty, and responsibility, character education plays a crucial role in shaping individuals who are not only academically competent but also ethically sound and capable of making positive contributions to society. Through a profound understanding of these values, educational institutions can play a crucial role in laying a solid moral foundation for future generations.

Examining the Relationship Between Marital (and Parental) Status and Moral Foundations

Examining the Relationship Between Marital (and Parental) Status and Moral Foundations

Review on: Public Perception of Biotechnology on Genetically Modified Crops, Bio Policy and Intellectual Property Rights

Public discussion about genetically modified crops is strongly heavily influenced by debates over their risks and benefits. Supporters of biotechnology point to its potential to reduce hunger, prevent malnutrition, treat diseases, and improve overall health and quality of life. However, there is considerable opposition to biotechnology. Some critics argue that it poses risks to human health and the environment, while others oppose it on moral and ethical grounds. The transfer of genes between different species is often criticized as "playing God" or breaking the "Law of Nature." Biosafety on (GM) crops is a rapidly growing field that includes scientific research, ethical issues, and policy and regulatory frameworks to assess and manage risks to human and animal health, including food and feed safety, as well as environmental risks related to modern biotechnology products. Bio-policy refers to the rules, norms, and ethical considerations that govern the development, production, and use of biotechnology products. These policies differ by country and can be influenced by international agreements and organizations. A key international agreement (TRIPS) Agreement, which sets global standards for intellectual property protection. The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement requires governments to issue patents in technological sectors, including modern biotechnology, to protect innovations in this field. This ensures that biotechnological advancements, including GM crops, are protected under intellectual property laws, aiding their development and commercialization while addressing ethical and safety concerns.

Emer de Vattel in context: the moral philosophical foundations of a natural law for states

ABSTRACT In line with its influence, Emer de Vattel’s Le droit des gens (1757) is most often conceptualised in terms of far-reaching political intentions and epochal intellectual developments. However, the core axioms of the work constitute a surprisingly exact application of Vattel’s philosophical premises, developed within the highly specific traditions of Swiss Calvinism and the école romande of natural law, integrating Leibnizian influences. The present article provides basic context for this claim by excavating two early debates that Vattel intervenes upon as an apologist for Leibniz: first, Vattel demonstrates an adherence to non-fatalist Leibnizian metaphysics when countering Swiss anti-Leibnizians in 1737–1741 and, second, in 1747 Vattel develops Leibnizian-Wolffian moral philosophy in response to Barbeyrac’s vindication of Pufendorfian voluntarism. These interventions point toward an evolving but systematic philosophical substratum, which I claim can also be found, mutatis mutandis, in Vattel’s account of the law of nations. Thus, whether applying natural law to people or states, Vattel considers both to be (moral) persons who naturally prioritise duties to themselves, this principle of self-interested utility conceived of as coterminous with altruistic virtue, and, by consequence, belonging to a universal society of moral actors.

Filming sex, language, and alienation in Morocco: the lens of Nabil Ayouch

Nabil Ayouch’s cinematic corpus has always been subject to vivid debates as his works target the sexual and linguistic status quo in Morocco, among other ideological patterns. The filmmaker’s distrust towards the hegemonic order is palpable in his corpus, as illustrated by Much Loved (2015) and Razzia (2017). Ayouch’s films offer an opaque questioning of the structural intersections between sex, socioeconomics, language, religion, and alienation. It could be argued that, in terms of opacity, Much Loved blurs the lines of identity and intimacy instead of simply pushing and widening cultural/ideological barriers. A few years later, Ayouch released Razzia , which not only escaped censorship, but was also a great success. However, the film fits well in the lineage of Ayouch’s productions as the director continued his momentum of subtle artistic subversion questioning of the foundations of morality in Morocco.

Rational Optimism

Optimistic beliefs have been criticized by philosophers as being irrational or epistemically deficient. This paper argues for the possibility of a rational optimism. We propose a novel four-fold taxonomy of optimistic beliefs and argue that people may hold optimistic beliefs rationally for at least two of the four types (resourced optimism and agentive optimism). These forms of rational optimism are grounded in facts about one’s resources and agency and may be epistemically justified under certain conditions. We argue that the fourth type of optimism in our taxonomy (perspectival optimism) is not subject to epistemic scrutiny in the same way. It is better evaluated on practical and moral grounds. This paper advances the discussion of optimism within both the philosophical and psychological literatures by providing a compelling and philosophically rich taxonomy of optimism that clarifies the sometimes-competing forms of optimism identified by psychologists. This advances the field by putting forward cases of epistemically justified optimism, in contrast with unrealistic optimism, that is sometimes justified for its instrumental or adaptive characteristics, and also by highlighting a form of optimism, perspectival optimism, that is not being considered in the mainstream optimism literature in psychology. The paper concludes by suggesting several avenues for future empirical and philosophical research.

L’impact environnemental peut-il être considéré comme une dimension du bon usage des médicaments ? Retour sur le 5e Forum de l’Association Bon Usage du Médicament

Through their footprint throughout their life cycle, from production to use, medicines have a significant impact on the environment. Reducing this impact is rarely considered from the perspective of the choices that healthcare professionals might have to make when prescribing or dispensing medicines. Should we consider environmental impact, alongside effectiveness and tolerance, one of the dimensions of the proper use of medicines? To address this question, the 5th Forum of the Association for the Proper Use of Medicines highlighted the main sources of pharmaceutical pollution: the carbon footprint linked to production, greenhouse gas emissions, the impact of residues on water and waste from packaging. While the eco-design of medicines should make it possible to limit their environmental impact upstream, there are still few initiatives aimed at their use. The Swedish "Hazard Score" assessment tool, which classifies compounds according to their potential to pollute the aquatic environment, was presented as a tool for guiding prescription choices. Through the exchanges between the various stakeholders (public authorities, doctors, pharmacists, manufacturers, patients) during this forum, recommendations were drawn up both on scientific and ethical grounds.

Unearthing the Foundations: Testing the Universality of Moral Foundations Theory in Three Non-Industrialised Populations [Conference Presentation Abstract

Unearthing the Foundations: Testing the Universality of Moral Foundations Theory in Three Non-Industrialised Populations [Conference Presentation Abstract

Kyai’s Leadership Model in Managing the Al-Khairat Islamic Boarding School, Gorontalo City

This study aims to examine the Kyai’s leadership model in the management of the Al-Khairat Islamic Boarding School in Gorontalo City. It also seeks to explore the impact of Kyai’s leadership approach on the administration of the Al-Khairat Islamic Boarding School in Gorontalo City. Employing field research, this investigation endeavors to delineate the realities of Kyai’s leadership model at the Al-Khairat Islamic Boarding School in Gorontalo. The research was conducted on-site at the Al-Khairat Islamic Boarding School, utilizing observational methods, interviews, and document analysis to gather data. The process involved the collection of diverse information, which was subsequently refined by sorting through the data to deduce conclusive findings. The research reveals that the Kyai’s management of the Al Khairat Islamic Boarding School in Gorontalo City is underpinned by a clear vision and mission to develop the institution. It emphasizes the importance of Ahlussunnah wal Jama’ah Islam as a foundation for ethics, morality, motivation and inspiration for the students. Furthermore, it cultivates Alkhlakul karimah in students, aspiring to nurture a generation steeped in Rabbani values. The study identifies several leadership models employed by the Kyai, including visionary, charismatic, situational, and participative leadership. Significantly, the Kyai’s leadership is found to have a beneficial impact on educating students to become the next generation of Muslims leaders, equipped to enlighten their religion as rahmatan lil alamin.

The Traces of Qur’anic Women’s Hakiki Justice Interpretation in KUPI's Fatwas

<p>Mainstream Islamic epistemologies are gender biased due to two primary reasons. First, women are often seen as men’s sexual tools and reproductive machinery, making them sexual objects. Second, legalistic interpretations of the Qur’an require formal interpretation. The Indonesian Women Ulama Congress (KUPI) proposes an alternative Qur'anic women's <em>Hakiki</em> Justice interpretation. In this context, women are respected as whole persons with physical, intellectual, and spiritual qualities deserving of respect as complete subjects. Islamic welfare ideals are shaped by their unique bodily and social human experiences. Islamic teaching system consists of vision, moral foundation, and method verses. As a process of transformation, the verses comprise the starting point, intermediate, and final goals verses. KUPI’s fatwas are examined for Qur'anic women's <em>hakiki</em> justice interpretation. The library research method is employed using credible books and online resources. The key texts are <em>Nalar Kritis Muslimah</em>, <em>Metodologi Fatwa KUPI </em>books, and KUPI's fatwas documents on the Kupipedia website. The results highlight that the traces of Qur'anic women's <em>hakiki</em> justice interpretation in KUPI's fatwas are indicated by how KUPI integrated women's bodily and social experiences in understanding the issues and the Qur'an. </p>

Tinjauan Hasil Evaluasi Pendidikan Karakter Anak dalam Pembelajaran PAI

Islamic Religious Education (PAI) has an important role in shaping the character of students, as a moral and ethical foundation in the education system. PAI not only teaches religious knowledge, but also focuses on developing students' attitudes and behavior in accordance with Islamic teachings. Thus, character education through PAI aims to create an intellectually intelligent generation, with high moral integrity, ready to contribute positively in a complex and dynamic society. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of children's character education in PAI learning by examining the teaching approaches used by educators, the methods applied, and the results achieved. The research method uses a qualitative approach. Data was collected through literature studies and in-depth interviews with PAI educators from various schools in Indonesia. Research findings show that the integration of character values ​​in PAI significantly improves students' morals and ethics. Students not only understand religious concepts cognitively but are also able to apply these values ​​in everyday life.