Investigating Morality

Thank you for visiting my website! My name is Andrew Koller, and I’m a psychology Master’s student at the University of Chicago. My background is in psychology and philosophy, and my primary research interest is morality. Now, you may ask yourself how exactly morality could be the subject of scientific research. Isn’t morality just some idea that helps us make the right decision? How do you quantify that?

I've always been fascinated by the concept of morality. While some may see morality as a nebulous guide through life, I view morality as a powerful behavioral modifier that significantly influences our decision-making. We base our decisions on what we deem right or wrong, and if our morality informs these judgments, then it necessarily influences our choices. Therefore, I believe a sincere attempt to understand morality quantitatively is not only interesting but necessary.

Much of my perspective on morality is inspired by Nietzsche, particularly his view that our evaluations of “Good” and “Bad” are deeply rooted in our ideological background. In the West, this means that our values are profoundly influenced by our Judeo-Christian heritage.

Consequently, it is this heritage that informs our notions of “Good” and the “Bad”. But, we believe a thing to be “Good” or “Bad” only because we have been socialized within this heritage. These evaluations are not necessarily inherent truths but rather consequences of judgements made by prominent individuals throughout history.

Why is this important? Because we still hold on to these values today, despite the drastically changing times. Changing times bring complications foreign to traditional thought, requiring a persistent reevaluation of conventional morals to accommodate these ongoing changes. As Nietzsche understood, when a reevaluation is in order, especially when it concerns morality, you need to understand its genealogy, or its origins.

This is precisely why I believe that philosophy too is a relevant topic for psychological research. To study philosophy is to study the historical ideas that have molded our intellectual heritage, which in turn allows us to better comprehend the concepts and beliefs that guide our thinking and decision-making processes today. For this reason, I see philosophy and psychology as intrinsically linked; the former investigates the roots of our thought, while the latter examines how these thoughts manifest in our behavior.

As Nietzsche puts it, we are all Pieces of Fate. We contain within us that which preceded us, and it both shapes who we are and determines our course. But if we can understand the fate that made us – both philosophically, and practically – then perhaps we can come closer to achieving the Delphic directive to “Know Thyself” – much to Nietzsche's chagrin!