Jonah, Derb, If I may say so, in a way you are arguing at cross-purposes. All Derb is doing is pointing out the way that scientific knowledge appears to be evolving. And he’s right. The fact is that the more that we understand about what makes us tick, the more uncomfortable it is likely to become for those looking to defend some approximation of ‘conventional’ morality. What Jonah is saying, however, is not that the science doesn’t count, but that ‘science’ alone should not determine how we decide what is right. I’m sure Derb would agree.

Now, if I really want to muddle things further, I’d add the argument that (in all probability) most traditional morality, including religious belief, is in no small part the product of our genes….