title: Two Distinct Moral Mechanisms for Ascribing and Denying Intentionality.
abstract: Philosophers and legal scholars have long theorized about how intentionality serves as a critical input for morality and culpability, but the emerging field of experimental philosophy has revealed a puzzling asymmetry. People judge actions leading to negative consequences as being more intentional than those leading to positive ones. The implications of this asymmetry remain unclear because there is no consensus regarding the underlying mechanism. Based on converging behavioral and neural evidence, we demonstrate that there is no single underlying mechanism. Instead, two distinct mechanisms together generate the asymmetry. Emotion drives ascriptions of intentionality for negative consequences, while the consideration of statistical norms leads to the denial of intentionality for positive consequences. We employ this novel two-mechanism model to illustrate that morality can paradoxically shape judgments of intentionality. This is consequential for mens rea in legal practice and arguments in moral philosophy pertaining to terror bombing, abortion, and euthanasia among others.
authors.affiliation: Medical Scientist Training Program, Duke University School of Medicine Box 102005 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710.|Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine 412 Research Drive, Box 3209, Durham, NC 27710.|Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University Box 90432, Durham, NC 27708.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University Box 90432, Durham, NC 27708.|Program in Neurosciences, Duke University Levine Science Research Center, Durham, NC 27710.
authors.forename: Meagan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90086, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27710.|Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90999, Durham, NC 27710.|Brain Imaging Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center 2424 Erwin Road, Suite 501, Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Coutlee
authors.affiliation: Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90999, Durham, NC 27710.|Brain Imaging Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center 2424 Erwin Road, Suite 501, Durham, NC 27705.|Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder 1777 Exposition Dr., Room 171, Boulder, CO, 80301.|Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder Muenzinger Psych Building, UCB 344, Boulder, CO, 80309.
authors.forename: R McKell
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University Box 90432, Durham, NC 27708.|Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90999, Durham, NC 27710.|Department of Philosophy, Duke University 201 West Duke Building, Box 90743, Durham, NC 27708.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sinnott-Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90086, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27710.|Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University Box 90999, Durham, NC 27710.|Brain Imaging Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center 2424 Erwin Road, Suite 501, Durham, NC 27705.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Huettel
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions / Q000941:ethics; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000941:ethics*; D009014:Morals; D010684:Philosophy; D000091402:Prohibitins; D012938:Social Perception; D023481:Terrorism / Q000941:ethics