The Role of Protected Values and Causal Reasoning in Social Discourse
Moral and political arguments based on the consequences of actions would seem to be incommensurate with arguments based on protected values (values about actions, not consequences). Indeed, some empirical evidence suggests that the two have quite different psychological properties. Protected values discourse leads to a greater sense of understanding and a reduced willingness to compromise. Accordingly, encouraging a consequentialist perspective by requesting causal explanations can reduce group polarization.
