Scientists discover moral compass in the brain which can be controlled by magnets

Scientists have discovered a real-life 'moral compass' in the brain that controls how we judge other people's behaviour. The region, which lies just behind the right ear, becomes more active when we think about other people's misdemeanours or good works.

In an extraordinary experiment, researchers were able to use powerful magnets to disrupt this area of the brain and make people temporarily less moral. The study highlights how our sense of right and wrong isn't just based on upbringing, religion or philosophy - but by the biology of our brains.

Dr Liane Young, who led the study, said: 'You think of morality as being a really high-level behaviour. To be able to apply a magnetic field to a specific brain region and change people's moral judgements is really astonishing.' The moral compass lies in a part of the brain called the right temporo-parietal junction. It lies near the surface of the brain, just behind the right ear.

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Frankly, this doesn't seem so amazing to me. After all, alcohol can make people less moral. I wonder if practising Dhamma could counteract this effect? There is a story in the Canon where a woman falls in love with Ananda and drugs him to make him stay with her, but Ananda realizes what is happening and immediately enters samadhi to counter the effect.

That the magnet disruption makes one less moral rather than more moral suggests that morality is a behavioural pattern that evolved because of some evolutionary advantage. But selfishness is also a behavioural trait that gives us some advantage, and yet that can be overcome by practising Dhamma.

Looks like all those people that like to wear tinfoil hats were right after all.

Interesting!

I wonder if changing the polarity of the magnetic field could increase the morality?

Or the thing is at it's peak, when occuring naturally? Poor humanity!

P.S. Can see the real potential in this discovery,- crowd control, election results control, acceptance of 'shit in life' control, etc. Oh, now I understand why they do not allow me into the bank with a helmet on!

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