Abstract

Evolutionary Psychology human-nature.com/ep – 2005. 3: 133-141 ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Book Review The Nature and Nurture of Morality A review of What Makes Us Moral? Crossing the Boundaries of Biology by Neil Levy, Oneworld publications, 2004. Dennis L. Krebs and L. James Climenhage, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University drive, Burnaby B.C., Canada. Email: krebs@sfu.ca. What makes us moral? asks Neil Levy, a philosopher from the University of Melbourne, in a book sporting this title. In particular, Levy examines the roles played by nature and nurture in the origin of moral dispositions. Levy’s answer to the question addressed in the book is foreshadowed in the subtitle—“crossing the boundaries of biology”—and stated clearly in the conclusion: “Evolution gave us the preconditions of morality, but it is only as a result of the cultural elaboration of this raw material that we come to be moral beings…We are animals, and we cannot ever free ourselves of our biological heritage. We have no need: it enables all the flexible, rational, and caring behavior that we could want, and allows us to seek to become ever more moral beings” (p. 205). Overall, we recommend this book. Levy is a gifted writer and a clear