#moralcircle
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uehiro.ox.ac.uk
Why do some lives matter more than others?
Drawing on research in moral psychology and ethics, @kathrynbfrancis.bsky.social examines how people come to include or exclude different beings from their moral circle.
youtu.be/LB8q7f6J4HM?...

#PhilosophyMatters #ethics #animalethics #moralcircle
Bitesize Ethics 2026 Session 6: Why do some lives matter more than others?
YouTube video by Uehiro Oxford Institute Channel
youtu.be
August 12, 2026 at 12:44 PM
byrdnick.com
What can we learn about people's #MoralCircle using dilemmas about who to save?

Daniel Martin et al. showed really nice plots of reaction times, similarity scores, and choice changes.

Follow Daniel via @researchgate.bsky.social: www.researchgate.net/profile/Dani...

#bioethics #appliedEthics #xPhi
Significant main effect of entity x*(44) = 43,250, p < .001, and significant interaction between specie and charity, x°(132) = 593, D < .001. EEMs for the probability of saving each family across the four charity conditions: Humans had the highest average probability; mammals also received high support; birds and plants showed more variability. Insects and others consistently showed lower probabilities of being saved. Entity Distance Matrix (Ordered by Save Probability) Study 1. Profiles - From Response Times and probabilities to Moral Maps Non-donors (baseline): Humans were strongly prioritized (0.91), but little variation across other families, insects (0.20) the lowest. Global Health and Wellbeing Fund: Humans again led (0.93), with mammals (0.65) and plants (0.34) in the middle, and insects (0.20). Founders Pledge Climate Change Fund: Humans led similarly as animal adv. (0.90), while plants saw relatively higher support (0.38) than in other charities, and insects remained low (0.22). Effective Animal Advocacy Fund: Humans again led (o.86), but a more balance support across mammals (0.67), birds (0.57), and especially insects (0.19). One dimension 'distance' predicts likelihood of saving a species. 0.91> R° > 0.94 Study 2. Goal Framing and Choice History
June 26, 2025 at 9:29 AM
byrdnick.com
What beings are in your #moralCircle?

The 1st keynote by @mattiwilks.bsky.social reported that
- kids, effective altruists (EAs), and vegetarians showed less #speciesism, #anthropocentrism
- EAs performed better on cognitive tests

Follow Dr. Wilks on #gScholar: scholar.google.com/citations?us...
"Children Prioritize Humans Over Animals Less Than Adults Do" Matti Wilks, Lucius Caviola, Guy Kahane, and Paul Bloom https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620960398 "Does Distance Matter? How Physical and Social Distance Shape Our Perceived Obligations to Others" Julia Marshall, Matti Wilks Open Mind (2024) 8: 511–534. https://doi.org/10.1162/opmi_a_00138 Recap: The moral circle across development Children appear to be more morally expansive than adults Non-human animals, physically and socially distant others artificial intelligence Why are children's moral circles more expansive? What drives the contraction? Recap: Unusually altruistic groups Differences in moral judgements for GWWC and vegetarians GWWC pledgers also differ on thinking style Few other differences for vegetarians (non-moral) What drives these differences? Where else might we find them?
June 26, 2025 at 8:19 AM
multispecies.bsky.social
Jeff Sebo's The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why.

A philosopher calls for a revolution in ethics, suggesting we expand our “moral circle” to include #insects, AI systems, and even #microbes.

#MoralCircle #MultispeciesJustice #AnimalWelfare

wwnorton.com/books/978132...
The Moral Circle
A philosopher calls for a revolution in ethics, suggesting we expand our &#8220;moral circle&#8221; to include insects, AI systems, and even microbes., The Moral Circle, Who Matters, What Matters, and...
wwnorton.com
February 20, 2025 at 10:21 AM
drgavazzi.bsky.social
Moral Future-Thinking: Does the #MoralCircle Stand the Test of Time?

We tend to prioritize the present & not the future with moral issues. With priming, we can contemplate moral issues with a future orientation

#EffectiveAltruism #imagination #longtermism

www.ethicalpsychology.com/2023/11/mora...
November 9, 2023 at 10:51 AM