The neurobiology of disgust is fascinating as well. Robert Sapolsky touched on it a bunch in his book Behave.
One thing that stuck with me is that the most unique and recently evolved neurons in our brain (von-economo neurons) can be found in the insula, which is involved with disgust sensitivity—including moral disgust. This suggests that as group evolution gained traction in the past few hundred thousand years, reinforcing the delineation between good guys and bad guys—and justifying atrocities against the bad guys—with moral disgust was likely adaptive.
He also presents a quadrant that humans use classify Us and Thems — High warmth/high competence: pride; low warmth/high competence: envy; high warm/low competence: pity; low warmth/low competence: disgust.
Those nearing the disgust category are those more likely to face threats of extermination.
It is not surprising that disgust sensitivity has evolutionary roots. As humans, we would rather be in the middle of the flock of sheep rather than on the outskirts.
The neurobiology of disgust is fascinating as well. Robert Sapolsky touched on it a bunch in his book Behave.
One thing that stuck with me is that the most unique and recently evolved neurons in our brain (von-economo neurons) can be found in the insula, which is involved with disgust sensitivity—including moral disgust. This suggests that as group evolution gained traction in the past few hundred thousand years, reinforcing the delineation between good guys and bad guys—and justifying atrocities against the bad guys—with moral disgust was likely adaptive.
He also presents a quadrant that humans use classify Us and Thems — High warmth/high competence: pride; low warmth/high competence: envy; high warm/low competence: pity; low warmth/low competence: disgust.
Those nearing the disgust category are those more likely to face threats of extermination.
Thank you for the book recommendation John.
It is not surprising that disgust sensitivity has evolutionary roots. As humans, we would rather be in the middle of the flock of sheep rather than on the outskirts.