University Seminar: Moral Motivation, Moral Styles, & Religion, Monday, 3/9, 7-9pm

Michael Schulman has argued that moral motivation derives from three independent sources: empathy, moral principles, and moral affiliations. All three motivational sources affect the behavior of most individuals, but to different degrees. The relative strengths of these sources determine an individual's "moral style." Religions foster moral motivation by tapping into all three sources, but different religions emphasize each source to different degrees. Thus, different religions have their own moral style.

In the seminar, Schulman will present an overview of these ideas, to be followed by responses from four members of the Seminar on Comparative Philosophy: Christopher Gowans (Fordham University); Bronwyn Finnigan (University of Auckland); Hagop Sarkissian (Baruch College, CUNY); and Jonathan C. Gold (Princeton University).

Michael Schulman, Ph.D. is a psychologist and the author of the books, Bringing Up a Moral Child: A New Approach for Teaching Your Child to Be Kind, Just, and Responsible (Doubleday, 1994; Addison-Wesley, 1985); The Passionate Mind: Bringing Up an Intelligent and Creative Child (Free Press, 1991; a Book-of-the-Month Club selection); Schools as Moral Communities: A Framework and Guide for School Administrators, Principals, and Teachers (The Anti-Defamation League, 1995); and Building Moral Communities: A Guide for Educators (CSEE, 2006). His new book, Becoming Moral: A Theory of Moral Motivation, will be published by Oxford University Press.

Dr. Schulman has written two chapters, "The Passion to Know: A Developmental Perspective" and "How We Become Moral: The Sources of Moral Motivation" for The Handbook of Positive Psychology (edited by C.R. Snyder and S.J. Lopez for Oxford University Press, 2002), and the chapter "The Prevention of Antisocial Behavior Through Moral Motivation Training (or Why Isn't There More Street Crime?)” for Protecting the Children (edited by R.P. Lorion; Haworth Press, 1990). He has also written many professional and popular articles and book chapters on moral motivation, aggression, child rearing, and acting, including articles for Parents and Working Mother magazines. He has appeared on many television shows, including Oprah and Sally Jessy Rafael, and is often consulted for articles on child rearing and other topics by periodicals such as The New York Times, Time Magazine, and Newsweek.

Schulman’s work as a psychologist at Leake and Watts Service, Inc., a foster care agency in New York, includes providing psychological treatment to inner city adolescents and youngsters and designing "moral motivation" programs for adolescents living in congregate care settings (see "The Caring Profile: A Values Modification Program for Adolescents in Residential Facilities," Journal of Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 1996, Vol. 14, No. 1 and "Who Fits the Caring Profile?", Residential Group Care Quarterly of the Child Welfare League of America, Spring 2000).

Michael Schulman is Co-chair of the Columbia University Seminar on Ethics, Moral Education, and Society, had assistant professor positions of psychology at Rutgers and Fordham Universities, has lectured widely to professional and parent groups, has been a consultant to public and private schools and television programs on values and character education issues, and was a task force leader at the White House Conference on Character Education.

He has been an acting teacher, director, and playwright, founded the British-American Acting Academy (dedicated to combining the best of British and American acting technique), and has authored a number of best-selling theater books, published by Penguin, Bantam, and St. Martin's Press. Before opening his own acting school, he taught at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and The Actors Studio in New York and LAMDA in London. His innovative work as an acting teacher was featured in a chapter of the Penguin book, The New Generation of Acting Teachers by Eva Mekler. He has written on the psychology of acting for Psychology Today and in a recent paper, "Clinical Discoveries in an Acting Class: Applications to Clinical Practice."

This session is the fifth meeting of the 2008-2009 season of the University Seminar on Innovation in Education which is co-chaired by Ronald Gross who also conducts the Socratic Conversations at the Gottesman Libraries; and Robert McClintock, John L. and Sue Ann Weinberg Professor in the Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education at Teachers College. Founded in 1970, the Seminar explores the process of learning in individuals, organizations, and society – throughout the lifespan and via major institutions.

Next University Seminar: Monday, April 6; Topic: "The Brain on the Stand: How Neuroscience is Transforming the Legal System” with Jeffrey Rosen.

Where: 305 Russell