Yilin Quan

Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities

Abstract：

This paper focuses on the “three confusions” of evolutionary theory proposed by Simon Blackburn in Being Good: A Short Introduction to Ethics and conducts a critical analysis. From an interdisciplinary perspective, it first explores the influence of genetic factors on animal maternal care in combination with motherly love and expounds on the complexity of human behavior. Then, it uses game theory and biological concepts to analyze the evolutionary logic of “reciprocal altruism”. Finally, in response to the debate between genetic selfishness and moral acquisition, it proposes an environmental shaping hypothesis for moral behavior. The research aims to emphasize that evolutionary ethics should go beyond the gene-adaptation paradigm, attach importance to the autonomy of moral rationality, and the constructive role of social and cultural factors.

Key Words：

evolutionary ethics; maternal instinct; reciprocal altruism; genetic determinism; moral sentiment