Moral Psychology Major

Scientific and Philosophical Studies of Mind (SPM) seeks to bridge the sciences and the humanities in the study of a common topic: the nature of mind. In order to provide a breadth of perspective as well as depth in an area of special interest, the SPM curriculum divides into two majors: Cognitive Science and Moral Psychology. 

Cognitive science is concerned with how minds fit into the natural world. Nature is mechanistic; could the mind be a machine? Can other animals-or even computers or robots- think? What is the (neural?) basis for consciousness? How do minds and mental abilities develop as we mature? 

Moral psychology is concerned with what it is for an individual to be a worthwhile and responsible moral agent, and with the psychological processes that lead people to engage in altruistic actions and to evaluate and punish others’ behaviors. Can we square our moral assessment of persons with a psychological understanding of the self? What does it take for a life to be significant or meaningful? Are humans primarily motivated toward good or evil? Is a moral sense innate or learned? To what extent do emotion and reason underlie moral judgments and actions? 

Successfully bridging the sciences and humanities so as to answer these questions requires that students gain a broad background in both the content and methodology of philosophy and psychology; the courses in the “Core” of the program aim to provide this background. The needed depth is provided in the majors themselves, in which students further hone their skills of critical thinking and philosophical analysis in the context of the interpretation, assessment and even construction of empirical research. The SPM majors culminate in the Senior Research Seminar, in which students conduct research on a topic that combines both philosophical and scientific approaches to the study of a topic of their choosing. Students may also expand their senior thesis with the goal of presenting the project for departmental honors.