Jonathan Haidt explores the foundations of moral psychology

In his book ‘The Power of Morality’, social psychology professor at New York University Jonathan Haidt explores the foundations of human morality and its role in enabling civilization.

Haidt’s research focuses on the psychological basis of morality, moral emotions, and cultural variations in moral concepts. A central theme of the work is the principle of ‘intuition first, strategic thinking second’, suggesting that intuitive moral judgments occur almost instantaneously, long before conscious reasoning can intervene.

The author uses the metaphor of an elephant and its rider to describe the human mind: the elephant represents the 99 percent of mental processes that drive behavior outside of conscious awareness, while the rider represents logical reasoning and rational thought.