Lesson 5: De Waal argues that humans, more than chimps and apes and other animals, use "reason and judgement" in making moral decisions and more rigorously enforce moral codes with rewards and punishments.

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Restating the question and options: The claim is that De Waal argues humans, more than chimps and apes and other animals, use 'reason and judgement' in making moral decisions and more rigorously enforce moral codes with rewards and punishments. The answer options are: True; False.

Option 1: True. This option asserts that De Waal contends humans outperform other primates and animals in employing reason and judgement for moral decisions and in enforcing moral norms via rewards and punishments. In discussing morality, De Waal emphasizes moral emotions and fairness in animals and argues there is continuity rather than a sharp divide between humans and other primates. He notes that humans do rely on sophisticated cultural norms, abstract rules, and institutions to enforce morality, which can involve rewards and punishments. The nuance is that while humans have more complex systems of moral reasoning and codified enforcement, De Waal does not claim animals are devoid of moral behavior; rather, he highlights both similarities and differences. Misconceptions to avoid here include thinking he claims moral reasoning is exclusive to humans or that animals lack moral judgment altogether. The reasoning supports that humans may use more explicit and formalized reasoning and enforcement, but it does not deny moral capacities in other species.

Option 2: False. This option would assert that De Waal does not make such a claim about humans using more reason and judgement or about stricter enforcement via rewards and punishments, perhaps arguing instead for no difference between humans and other animals in moral reasoning, or that enforcement mechanisms are not more rigorous in humans. If one adheres strictly to a view that De Waal denies any greater reliance on reason, judgement, or formal enforcement in humans relative to other animals, this option would be the fit. However, this reading would be at odds with De Waal’s emphasis on moral cognition across species and on the development of culture, norms, and punishments as part of human social complexity. A common pitfall is treating his position as a binary human-versus-animal gap rather than a spectrum of moral capacities with varying degrees of complexity and institutional enforcement across species.

In summary, option 1 aligns with the perspective that humans exhibit more advanced or explicit moral reasoning and codified enforcement mechanisms, while option 2 would assert the opposite or no distinction, which is less consistent with De Waal’s nuanced view of continuity and differentiation in moral behavior between humans and other animals.

Introduction to Ethics Quiz for Unit 3

Lesson 5: De Waal argues that humans, more than chimps and apes and other animals, use "reason and judgement" in making moral decisions and more rigorously enforce moral codes with rewards and punishments.

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