Moral Reputation: An Evolutionary and Cognitive Perspective

From an evolutionary point of view, the function of moral behaviour may be to secure a good reputation as a co-operator. The best way to do so may be to obey genuine moral motivations. Still, one\u27s moral reputation maybe something too important to be entrusted just to one\u27s moral sense. A robust concern for one\u27s reputation is likely to have evolved too. Here we explore some of the complex relationships between morality and reputation both from an evolutionary and a cognitive point of view