Your Morals Depend on Language

Summary

Should you sacrifice one man to save five? Whatever your answer, it should not depend on whether you were asked the question in your native language or a foreign tongue so long as you understood the problem. And yet here we report evidence that people using a foreign language make substantially more utilitarian decisions when faced with such moral dilemmas. We argue that this stems from the reduced emotional response elicited by the foreign language, consequently reducing the impact of intuitive emotional concerns. In general, we suggest that the increased psychological distance of using a foreign language induces utilitarianism. This shows that moral judgments can be heavily affected by an orthogonal property to moral principles, and importantly, one that is relevant to hundreds of millions of individuals on a daily basis.

Related articles

• Waiting for Godot tragicomedy in 2 acts

  "Waiting for Godot" is a tragicomedy by Samuel Beckett, featuring two main characters, Estragon and Vladimir, who wait for someone named Godot. Their dialogues explore themes of existentialism, the human condition, and the absurdity of life.

• STRANGE VIRTUES: ETHICS IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD.Chapter 7

  This chapter discusses the ethical implications of bribery in different cultural contexts, focusing on Western moral theories and their applicability to situations faced by missionaries in "Third World" countries. It includes a case study of a missionary's interaction with corrupt authorities, evaluating moral choices and cross-cultural ethical dilemmas.

• STRANGE VIRTUES: ETHICS IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD.Chapter 6

  This document explores the relationship between language and culture, emphasizing how language shapes perceptions and ethical understandings in multicultural contexts. It highlights the importance of learning languages for effective communication and deeper cultural connections.

• To the Lighthouse

  "To the Lighthouse" is a modernist novel that explores themes of time, memory, and the complexities of human relationships, centered around the Ramsay family during their visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

• THE ELEMENTS OF ARTS Visual Auditory

  This document explores the fundamental elements of visual and auditory arts, delving into specific aspects such as lines, colors, textures, and the elements of music like rhythm, melody, and harmony to enhance understanding of artistic expression.