In search of the evolutionary origin of morality: the social brain and empathy

Abstract

Recent comparative evidence suggests that some nonhuman species feel empathy towards fellow group members and empathy is a necessary capacity for the presence and evolution of morality. On the other hand, the Social Brain Hypothesis suggests relationships between the evolution of brain’s neocortex in primates and the size of their social groups. This paper links these ideas by suggesting that (i) empathy and morality are by-products of the expansion of brain’s neocortex, and that (ii) the function of such capacities is to facilitate cooperation between individuals, increasing their social cohesion.