The Evolution of Morality

The evolution of morality is both highly contested and the background to philosophical and theological accounts of the intellectual and practical virtues that comprise wisdom. Some evolutionary biologists argue that morality emerges out of a rich social complexity that has a deep history among particular species. Yet many social scientists press for the primary significance of a much more recent origin of morality as it emerged in tandem with religious beliefs and practices. A similar bifurcation exists among theologians. Some hold that evolutionary explanations suffice to account for the framework on which the further development of morality is based, while others claim that such an evolutionary basis is far less relevant for morality, which can only be explained in a satisfactory way with reference to theological matters. The authors of this paper illustrate how wisdom can emerge from the creative integration of work from both evolutionary theory and theology. We also draw some important conclusions about the pitfalls and insights that arise from scholarly discussion of the evolution of morality, while beginning from very different starting points and methodologies.