Intelligence an morality - is there a link?

[emong]

Guess I'm looking for views as to whether intelligence and morality are linked.
And on the same note: Do animals have a sense of morality?

[brucegdc]

Originally Posted by emong

Guess I'm looking for views as to whether intelligence and morality are linked.

I think that morality is separate from intelligence - some of the more intelligent people I know are some of the least moral. On the other hand, some others are the most moral people I know.

On the other hand - morality is not an absolute. My moral code is probably somewhat different than yours. If you do something that I believe is wrong, does that make you less moral? If you have a belief that cookies in grocery store bins are free for the taking, and you take one, you're acting according to your moral standard.

On another tactic, you're right - I think there needs to be cognition to have morality. Morality requires remembering actions and consequences and making a conscious decision - otherwise it's sheer instinct.

As for animals having morality - I think it depends on whether you believe they have volition and cognition. Without those, there can't be morality. My one dog has the morality to look ashamed when I catch him eating something he shouldn't - either that or the wits to realize he looks so cute when he does that that I can't stay mad too long.

Boy do I find myself delving into semantic arguments on this board :-)

[emong]

And then you have religious morality as opposed to social morality.

Guess I have my question confused.

And it doesn't belong on this thread......I'll rethink and post elswhere.

[I, Brian]

No - it's a good thread. I know when I studied psychology at college we covered morality, and how there were different levels of it that supposedly corresponded with different degrees of reasoning or intelligence.

It focussed upon research using long and complex moral situations - I believe it was tied to child development psychology. I will definitely try and find something on the issue to post up this week.

[littlemissattitude]

Personally, I've never seen any evidence of a link between intelligence and morality.

[emong]

Originally Posted by littlemissattitude

Personally, I've never seen any evidence of a link between intelligence and morality.

yes..but...isn't morality the indicator of "true" intelligence. Over IQ that is. I would rather relate with persons of high moral fiber than those who over-exibit their knowledge.

[littlemissattitude]

Originally Posted by emong

yes..but...isn't morality the indicator of "true" intelligence. Over IQ that is. I would rather relate with persons of high moral fiber than those who over-exibit their knowledge.

I don't know if I would say that morality is an indicator of "true intelligence", so much as that I would say that morality is a different type of intelligence.

But yes, emong, I agree that I'd rather deal with people who share my convicitons of what constitutes being a moral person than I would people who are just "book-smart". Being "book-smart" isn't that difficult thing to accomplish; apparently, being a moral person in the generally accepted definitions of that, is somewhat more difficult - at least in my experience. Sorry if that seems cynical, but I've just dealt with too many people who are highly educated and who consider themselves to be "moral" persons, but who would sell out their own grandmother if they thought there was some benefit in it for them.

[mikie8]

are animals intelligent ? some species of monkey or ape have been found to use more than 10 different tools , this i would call intelligent but not moral .lions will kill a mates offsping to mate himself and sercure its own gene pool not very moral but a lioness uses tactical knowledge to kill prey intelligent ? maybe

adam and eve knew not right from wrong or morals untill the serpant gave them the apple

linked maybe but illegence dont mean morals

[Alex P]

Originally Posted by emong

Guess I'm looking for views as to whether intelligence and morality are linked.
And on the same note: Do animals have a sense of morality?

Look at suicide statistics... That should tell you something.