Why Is Killing Bad?

In this episode, we discuss Dávila's essay, "Eat What You Kill, No Matter What," which explores the evolutionary origins of the moral prohibition against killing. Dávila argues that our revulsion towards killing stems from the inherent connection between killing and eating in our early hominin history, particularly the practice of cannibalism. He suggests that the shift away from cannibalism, driven by the risk of disease and cultural transmission of disgust, instilled a moral aversion to killing, even when separated from the act of consuming. The essay uses paleoanthropological evidence, and examples from history, literature and popular culture to support its thesis. Ultimately, Davila proposes that the disgust associated with killing, particularly in cases of homicide, is a lingering physiological response rooted in our evolutionary past, serving as a powerful underpinning for moral judgments about killing.