I'm not a pacifist. I think the suffering of innocent people can be a catalyst for moral action. But empathy puts too much weight on the scale in favor of war. Empathy can really lead to violence.
Paul BloomFamilies survive the terrible twos because toddlers aren't strong enough to kill with their hands and aren't capable of using lethal weapons.
Paul BloomI am never going to write about dogs again. You can write about Islam, you can write about sexuality, but no, not dogs.
Paul BloomThe irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. There may be good arguments against gay marriage, partial-birth abortions and human cloning, but the fact that some people find such acts to be disgusting should carry no weight.
Paul Bloom