# Professor Jonathan Haidt's work on moral judgment is featured

1 Faculty News September 5, 2016 ![The New York Times Logo](/sites/default/files/styles/246w/public/assets/images/uat_027320.jpg?itok=W8xBr66g)>

Excerpt from [The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/05/opinion/a-life-of-meaning-reason-not-required.html?_r=0) -- "The psychologist [Jonathan Haidt](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/jonathan-haidt) and others have shown that our moral stances strongly correlate with the degree of activation of those brain areas that generate a sense of disgust and revulsion. According to Haidt, reason provides an after-the-fact explanation for moral decisions that are preceded by inherently reflexive positive or negative feelings. Think about your stance on pedophilia or denying a kidney transplant to a serial killer. Long before you have a moral position in place, each scenario will have already generated some degree of disgust or empathy."

[Read more](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/05/opinion/a-life-of-meaning-reason-not-required.html?_r=0)