“Understanding Moral Divides”

Our moral world is divided. People disagree on the morality of abortion, gay rights, and mask mandates, and there are many different acts that people judge as immoral, ranging from murder to religious blasphemy. Decades of research assumes that differences in moral judgment require a set of distinct moral mechanisms-a divided moral mind. However, my work demonstrates that, despite moral disagreement and diversity, the moral mind is ultimately unified by a common currency of harm. I will present studies revealing that interpersonal harm serves as the cognitive template of moral judgment. My research also provides a new understanding of harm, demonstrating that it is neither objective nor reasoned, but rather subjective and intuitive. A unified, harm-based moral mind argues against the psychological existence of "harmless wrongs" while embracing moral diversity and cultural pluralism. In addition to changing our understanding of moral cognition, this work reveals a practical application of a unified moral mind: sharing personal experiences of harm provides an effective means of bridging moral divides.