Thesis 1: Human morality originates in cooperation, not competition.
Argument 1 (Quote): “Humans are adapted for cooperation in ways that other primates are not.”
Argument 2: Chimpanzees act on greed and dominance, while humans evolved cooperative survival strategies.
Explanation: Morality grows from shared goals and mutual dependence, not selfish struggle.
Thesis 2: Shared intentionality is the foundation of moral life.
Argument 1: In joint action, individuals must see the task from a “bird’s-eye view” that includes both partners.
Argument 2 (Quote): “The individual imagines being in the partner’s position.”
Explanation: Morality comes from the capacity to coordinate perspectives and intentions with others.
Thesis 3: Self–other equivalence is central to cooperation.
Argument 1: In joint activity, partners recognize each other as equally responsible for the shared goal.
Argument 2: This mutual recognition leads to fairness and obligation.
Explanation: Treating self and other as equivalent is the seed of moral obligation.
Thesis 4: Obligations arise naturally in cooperative activities.
Argument 1 (Quote): “When two individuals pursue a joint goal, each is obligated to do her part.”
Argument 2: If one partner fails, the other feels resentment or indignation.
Explanation: Moral “oughts” are grounded in expectations built into cooperative action.
Thesis 5: Morality begins in dyadic cooperation and extends to groups.
Argument 1: Children first learn morality in two-person interactions (sharing, fairness).
Argument 2: Later, these dyadic norms expand into larger cultural and group norms.
Explanation: Morality starts small—in shared activities—and grows into collective rules.
Thesis 6: Moral norms are enforced through second-personal attitudes.
Argument 1: Partners in cooperation enforce expectations with guilt, blame, gratitude, or resentment.
Argument 2: These emotions regulate cooperation and sustain fairness.
Explanation: Morality is kept alive through interpersonal emotional responses.
Thesis 7: Culture transforms second-personal morality into objective norms.
Argument 1: Once shared in groups, second-personal obligations are generalized into impersonal “rules.”
Argument 2: This is how morality evolves from “you and me” to “what everyone ought to do.”
Explanation: Human culture universalizes interpersonal fairness into societal morality.
Thesis 8: Morality is natural but distinctively human.
Argument 1: Other primates lack shared intentionality and cannot take the partner’s perspective.
Argument 2: Only humans can see themselves and others as equals in a cooperative project.
Explanation: Morality is an evolutionary step beyond animal sociality, unique to human psychology.
