Ownership is (likely to be) a moral foundation

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Moral Philosophy
• Evolutionary Psychology

Background:

• Ownership is often viewed through legal or economic lenses.
• Cognitive science offers insights into the psychological underpinnings of ownership.
• Moral pluralism acknowledges diverse ethical frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate Boyer's cognitive model of ownership into moral pluralism.
• To evaluate ownership as a potential moral foundation.
• To highlight the importance of cultural variation in ownership norms.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis integrating cognitive and moral theories.
• Literature review of ownership, moral pluralism, and cultural variation.
• Theoretical argumentation for ownership as a moral foundation.

Main Results:

• Boyer's model positions ownership as an emergent property of cognitive interactions.
• Ownership satisfies criteria to be considered a moral foundation.
• Cultural diversity in ownership norms challenges universalist moral claims.

Conclusions:

• Ownership, grounded in evolved cognitive systems, can function as a moral foundation.
• A pluralistic approach is necessary to understand diverse ownership norms.
• Monistic explanations are insufficient for complex, contested moral phenomena like ownership.