Name: Science can answer moral questions
Uploaded: 2010-03-22T09:13:00Z
Duration: 22 min 49 s
Description: Questions of good and evil, right and wrong are commonly thought unanswerable by science. But Sam Harris argues that science can -- and should -- be an authority on moral issues, shaping human values and setting out what constitutes a good life.

Questions of good and evil, right and wrong are commonly thought unanswerable by science. But Sam Harris argues that science can -- and should -- be an authority on moral issues, shaping human values and setting out what constitutes a good life.

Science can answer moral questions

Morality is often seen as separate from science, but our values are grounded in real facts about conscious well-being. The distinction between good and bad actions, from corporal punishment of children to the treatment of women, can be investigated through evidence and reason. Just as nutrition and health are open to scientific refinement, so too are questions of human flourishing. Recognizing this can transform moral debates and drive genuine progress.