We're failing to cope with the dilemmas of the modern world

O

ur moral instincts are failing to cope with the dilemmas of the modern world.

Is it time to use tricks, pills or brain zaps to hack this outdated mind set?

In June, a new voice backed up what many scientists have been saying for a while – that climate change is caused by human activity and we have a moral responsibility to tackle it.

In an historic edict, Pope Francis warned that failing to act would have “grave consequences”, the brunt of which would fall on the world’s poorest people. His words came as a stark reminder that global climate change is among the most pressing moral dilemmas of the 21st century.

It joins a long list. He could have added spiralling inequality, persistent poverty, death from preventable diseases and nuclear proliferation to the ethical challenges that define our times. Some are newer than others, but all could plausibly be fixed. The fact we’re struggling with all of them raises a troubling question: does our moral compass equip us to deal with the threats we face ...

This story – “Morality 2.0: How manipulating our minds could save the world” – is in New Scientist, but you need to be a subscriber to read the whole piece.