an emergent basis for ethics (Jaak Panksepp, Jordan Peterson)

[Zenaan Harkness]

Perhaps this is an easier to digest approach:

Jaak Panksepp studied rats:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaak_Panksepp

 Why do rats laugh? Interview with Jaak Panksepp...
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ICY6-7hJo

He not only discovered that rats laugh and giggle (just in
frequencies above what we humans can normally hear), he discovered
that in repeated play-bouts, rats enjoy "rough and tumble" playing
(just like human children, and dogs).

Further, rather than stop after one round of playing and evidencing
that larger rats dominate smaller rats, he studied specific pairs of
rats over repeated play bouts (amongst other things).

A larger rat will always show its physical prowess by dominating a
smaller rat, in the first (and perhaps first few) play bouts, but
these rats enjoy playing, and if a larger rat of the studied pair
does not allow the smaller of the pair in a play bout to "win" at
least 30% of the time, the smaller rat will not continue to play with
the larger rat - it won't do that crouching type of invitation to
play, that dogs and some humans also do when they want to play rough
and tumble.

So to get maximum play time (which these rats will hammer away on a
button in order to obtain - they really do like playing rough and
tumble with each other), larger rats must allow smaller rats to win
at least 30% of the time, and, they generally do learn to do this.

So the ethic here is not "winning a play bout" but how to "win the
most across all play bouts, or, how to get more play time" which
requires some level of treating your play partners (or "opponents")
fairly.


Thus, emergent ethics.


Sam Harris and "scientific" "pure existentialists" who wish to base
their ethics purely on facts (and not on religious hogwash or "air")
would, I imagine, be lapping this up.

Pretty cool stuff.

And Jordan Peterson has been bringing an awareness of Jaak Panksepp
and his rat play bout studies, and the consequent theory of an
emergent basis for ethics, to an audience of millions - Peterson
presents Panksepp's work in a compelling, comprehendable, (evidently)
accessible, and enjoyable way. It is easy to appreciate and be
grateful for this fact.


So, how's that for a starter - tasty and accessible enough?