Reward as the Foundation of Ethics: A New Model for Understanding Human Motivation and Conflict Resolution

This essay presents a new ethical model based on the concept of reward as the fundamental principle of human motivation and moral action. Integrating insights from neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, Leandro Castelluccio argues that high reward states—such as self-esteem, happiness, and inner coherence—constitute the ultimate criterion for guiding ethical decisions and social organization.…