It’s ok to keep valuable items that you find, rather than try to locate the rightful owner

These statements (#MaC) form part of the Morality as Cooperation Quiz.

What is morality? Where does it come from, and how does it work? And how and why do moral values vary, between individuals, and across cultures?

The theory of ‘morality as cooperation’ (MAC) argues that morality is best understood as a collection of biological and cultural solutions to the problems of cooperation recurrent in human social life. MAC draws on evolutionary game theory to argue that, because there are many types of cooperation, there will be many types of morality.

These include: family values, group loyalty, reciprocity, heroism, deference, fairness and property rights. Previous research suggests that these seven types of morality are evolutionarily-ancient, psychologically-distinct, and cross-culturally universal.

Take the Quiz to work out what your particular mix looks like.

User Opinions

Turi (Mixed)

over 5 years ago I don't think there should be a moral requirement to expend serious effort returning a valuable item, however it is commendable when that effort is taken. The exception being when the item is something that could very obviously be tracked to an owner (i.e. a bike with a serial number, wallet/purse with identification).

akotran (For)

almost 5 years ago This is obviously circumstantial. If the item is valuable enough, you really should put SOME effort into getting it to the owner. Even if it's simply taking it to the lost and found. But of course, no one should be compelled to take time out of their day to deal with it. If you find something valuable in public, the best thing to do might be to walk away. Besides, the owner tends to come back to the location it was left. But simply, say, picking up a phone, turning it off, taking it home, wiping all of its contents, and reappropriating it without even TRYING to find the owner? It's wrong.