Morality Essay

Morality and Society Essay
"Man is a moral being, only because he lives in society. Let all social life disappear and morality will
disappear with it" – Emile Durkheim The statement that has been put forward by Emile Durkheim
is valid in many ways, and I do believe it is agreeable. A person's character or the guidelines that
lead him through life are impacted by society. Not only are we put on a certain path by society,
but we are set out to achieve the perception of what is truly right. Also 'right' can be objectified in
many ways, yet that which separates moral from immoral is society itself. Without it we will
never know how to deal with life's encounters. At a very young age we decide to follow a set of
rules that have been put forward by the people around us,...show more content...
However with social relationships come stress and other negative outcomes. For a person's
well–being, it is important to maintain healthy relationships with each other. Despite the
significance of maintaining such a relationship, people have been detached to each other due to
problems such as political upheaval and peer pressure. People occupy themselves with politics so
that they can fight for something they believe in, without the realization that a part of the society
we live in is in complete disagreement to what they believe is right. Thus due to this they get
completely disconnected with the other side of the society. It is not uncommon to have different
views, it is not only in this society, but it exists all around the world. But not being able to find
common ground on an issue that affects everyone is going to make it hard to form decisions in the
long run. Mostly people involve themselves in such activities so that they can take part in what is in
trend or when they are pushed in to that direction. According to a recent research done by
mathematician Professor Ernesto Estrada, peer pressure among people in any social group has been
in effect and it helps shape decisions (2013). According to his research individuals have
interconnectedness in accordance to peer pressure. It manipulates groups of people to trust others
without the realization that they are
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Morality and God
Can a person be moral and not believe in God
Name
PHI 103 Informal Logic
Instructor
Date of Submission
Morality only exists if we believe in God; therefore if God doesn't exist there is no morality. There
have been so many evil acts committed in the name of God that it is difficult to maintain that a
belief in God equates to morality. There are situations that happen every day where decisions are
made based off of human rights that contradict the word of God. Morality comes from within, it is
an understanding of right versus wrong and the ability to choose what is right. Knowing all this a
belief in God is not a requirement for a person to be moral. (Mosser, 2011)
We are taught that morals are basically the difference between...show more content...
If you do not fear the wrath of God, there is nothing to stop you from committing immoral acts, or
any crimes for that matter. Any situation can be overlooked because there is no fear of
punishment without a fear of God. Only a person with a firm belief in God can be considered
moral because they fear His punishment and desire his reward. God is the only person great enough
to enforce moral standards, without his guidance there can be no binding morals. Moral standards
come from God and without Him a person cannot be moral.
When we talk in absolutes we ignore possibilities that exist outside of our beliefs. There are many
examples of individuals that believed in God who acted immorally, as well as examples of people
who do not believe in God acting with good morals. Their beliefs do not determine their morality,
their acts do. If we are to base morality solely on a belief in God then which believer do we follow?
Do we follow the believer who commits crimes, or only the believer who is an upstanding member
of society?
Adolf Hitler was raised as a Catholic, and in his adult life spoke of his religious beliefs. He wanted to
create a pure Germany, through a religion known as positive Christianity. Positive Christianity
removed the Jewish elements from the standard Christianity doctrine and replaced them with Nazi
philosophy. More than six million Jewish people were killed during the Holocaust in the ideal of
positive Christianity. Bill Gates is

Morality Essay examples
Morality is defined as a system or code that we humans use to differentiate between right and wrong.
This system could be derived from a number of factors: religion, culture, and upbringing. It is
difficult enough to determine what an individual's morals are, but going further to determine how
we came to possess those morals is even more ambitious. Still, regardless of its difficulty, this subject
consumes many philosophers and psychologists. One such moral psychologists, Jonathan Haidt, is
theorizing the possibility of evolution causing ones morality. Haidt is a moral psychologist at the
Universtiy of Virgina further believes that complex social structures such as religion and politics as
well as our need for social structures affect...show more content...
One is the ancient system, a system that developed before humans could speak. This system drives
our emotions. It is with this system that humans received their instinctual reactions to specific
situations; it is these sorts of "gut reactions" that enabled human survival in ancient times. The other
is a modern system, a system that initiated when language was invented. This system, he explains,
is more associated with our ability to reason and judge. This system allows us to question our
instinctual reactions and determine some explanation as to why we feel a particular way. However,
he feels that these two complex systems are subconsciously active within the individual; he does not
believe that people are aware of these concepts affecting their morality. These two systems are the
key or answer to why moral dumbfounding occurs. It occurs when the two systems conflictВ—when
reasoning cannot explain your initial reaction. Furthermore, Haidt believes that emotions are linked
more to one's subconscious, while reasoning is linked to one's consciousness. He believes most
philosophy focuses too much on the conscious while underestimating the power of the subconscious.
In regards to his experiment testing one's disgust for eating one's pet, he believes this disgust
originated in ancient times when people first began to eat meat. When beginning this tradition,
people had to

Morality As Good Or Bad? Essay
MORALITY
(MORALITY)
"He makes the point that we judge particular acts as good or bad and that we say things like, "He
ought to have done this or he ought to have done that." How can these be unless there was a supreme
morality that we could compare our actions and thoughts against?"
– C.W. Lewis, Author of "Mere Christianity"–
The definition of morality is, best described as, "beliefs about what is right behavior and what is
wrong behavior. The degree to which something is right and good. The moral goodness or badness
of something", according to Merriam–Webster Dictionary. An article from, Pursing the Truth
Ministries, (http://www.pursuingthetruth.org/sermons/files/conscienceAndMorality.htm), it says,
"Morality can be broken down into three different areas, Individual morality, Systems of principles
and judgments (moral values) shared within a cultural, religious, secular, humanist or philosophical
community and Codes of behavior or conduct derived from the moral code."
Our moral values are derive by the culture that we live in. For example, our surrounding environment
that we choose to surround ourselves with like our religion, our peers, and our towns we live in. We
achieve our moral values through our personal experiences, which can be seen through peer
pressure, conscience, our beliefs and by the law that we set for ourselves.
The Bible talks about morality and as Christians how we are to live by the principles set forth. In
(Mark 7:20–23) NIV, "What comes out

My View Of Human Morality Essay
My view of human morality is that it is influenced by individual culture and experience. Because I
believe that as human beings, we all have our own values, beliefs and attitudes that we develop
throughout the course of our lives and contribute to our own sense of reality of ourselves and the
society. Regardless of what will influence and mold us throughout our lives, we have the
rationality inclined to know between what is right and wrong so that we will do good as we
want others to do so. We are exposed to cultural values from many sources: family, peers,
education, authorities, and religion. Because we spend most of our formative years with family,
the values of the family whether good or bad, are a powerful influence. These are a reflection of an
individual character and culture. We are born into a world of values that have existed throughout
humanity 's history. We absorb these values as children while we navigate our social environment,
processing and reevaluating them throughout our adult lives. Every individual understands that life
is important hence he or she needs moral values, which act as guiding principles. Our values form
the foundation of our lives. They dictate the choices we make and determine the direction that our
life takes. Our values will influence our decisions related to our relationships, career, and other
activities we engage in. The world we lived is complicated that there exist no universal morality and
absolute freedom and since our morals are

Morals Vs. Ethics : Morals And Ethics Essay
Morals vs. Ethics
Morals and ethics are often thought of as interchangeable terms, and both can be applied in various
situations. Morals are ultimately the "groundwork" for ethics. However, the two nouns have a
distinct meaning.
Morals are internal principles that a person focuses upon when deciding between right or wrong
conduct. A person's true character can be revealed by understanding that said person's morals.Ethics
are a set of rules or rules of conduct that a person follows due to social or company standards. For
example, stealing money from your workplace would be considered unethical, and disrespecting
your coworkers would be immoral. In addition, both morals and ethics could be applied in both
situations.
Another way to explain the difference between the two nouns is to discuss the alleged origins of
both morals and ethics. Morality first came about in the Latin language. It is derived from the word
"mos", meaning custom. On the other hand, ethics is derived from the Greek word "ethos", meaning
character. As I said before, both morals and ethics have similar terminology, but each have a separate
description.
Morals and Ethics in Business When dealing with contracts, each party has a duty to fulfill one's
contractual obligations effectively and on time. Each party must exchange must exchange something
of value, whether it's money, services, or a product. While morals and ethics aren't exactly terms that
come to mind when thinking of value, they both have a

Morals, Values, and Ethics Essays
Morals, Values, and Ethics Morals, values and ethics define who we are and what we believe.
Culture, religion, and many other things affect our beliefs. One uses various types off ethics when
surrounded by different groups. Knowing between right and wrong is a good foundation to
practicing good ethics and morals. These things make morals, ethics, and values important in society.
Many things can contribute to what you think is morally right or wrong. Religion, for example,
may create a barrier on to what extent you do something. Some religions set rules, or guidelines on
which they limit what people do. Cultures, as well, contribute to people's decisions. Many times our
values and ethics disagree with different people who hold different...show more content...
This doesn't mean our values or ethics are wrong it just means we think differently than others.
When surrounded by different groups, one uses various types of ethics. For example when one is
surrounded by friends and brothers or sisters one forgets what on was taught by our elders about
manners and about being courteous, but when dealing with elders or a superior, certain
carefulness is necessary. One cannot just say anything that pops out into one's head, because one
can be judged accordingly and would be thought to be vulgar or disrespectful. We develop many
values and ethics through past experiences whether it is a positive or negative experience. These
thoughts and beliefs are what guide us through our life. Knowing between right and wrong is a
good foundation to practicing good ethics and morals. In today's world, individuals can make a
single decision that can have an extreme positive or negative effect on their family, their
employer, a nation, and even on the entire world. The life we lead reflects the strength of our
character. For example, if we choose to steal, instead of earning it that makes one of weak
character or morals. Like in The Pardoner's Tale from Chaucer, " greed is the root of all evil."
Ethics are different for each person, but for the most part, people want to be known as a good
person. One wants to be known as someone who can be trusted, and one is concerned about his or
her relationships

Essay on Morality is Universal
Morality is Universal Throughout history, humankind has looked back to the past, to seek the truth
about morals, religion, and how they both impact and define civilization. Stories and myths from
ancient Greece show overbearing resemblance to our own Bible as both shun the many temptations
of our soul either by teaching the value of a characteristic or warning of the "ill fruits reaped".
Dante Alighieri revealed in his Divine Comedy that "Pride, Envy, and Avarice are the three sparks,
[the three universal deadly sins] that have set these hearts on fire" (Bartlett 80). This statement is
quite true for these three enticements have existed evidently in belief systems and moral codes since
the creation of fire. One of the most obvious...show more content...
Defying his brother, father, and family for the sake of avarice, Jacob used trickery to deceive his
father and steal the inheritance (Genesis 25:13). In this instance, Jacob's theft and departure results
in a family torn to pieces. This lesson of greed turned disaster is a valued one that today's society
must incorporate in order to reach a higher level of being. Unfortunately, pleasant epithets such as
"acquisitiveness" and "determined" that are viewed in the business world as favorable mask this
foul character trait in our present culture. Today, there are no gods and goddesses to openly and
immediately prosecute the cupidity and so this character trait spreads like wild fire from one
cut–throat to the next. Instead, the greedy realize their blunder only at death when they fall from
the glorious gates of Heaven to fiery depths of Hell, where they can covet only fire from their
neighbor. Mythological and biblical text most often target arrogance of all moral lessons. The
Bible clearly warns, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs
16:18). One of the many myths in Grecian time that cautions the vile effects of hubris is the folk–tale
of Arachne (Switzer 25). Arachne was so skilled in the art of weaving that observers came from
miles around to watch her enchanting motions on the spinner produce such magnificent tapestries.
Over time, the girl's

Values, Morals, And Culture Essay
Everyone has their own unique culture that they identify with which plays a huge role in shaping a
person's identity. Our values, morals, and experiences are structured by the society and culture that
surround us each day. A person's beliefs and morals are formed by culture and remains throughout
their entire life. Culture varies from one place to another and it makes people throughout the world
similar but very different as well. It made you the person you are today and determines who or what
you choose to associate yourself with in the future. One element of culture is the learned behavior
patterns and associated with it that we develop as we grow up living within the culture. Learned
behavior isn't something that is only exhibited by humans, but as well as animals such as dogs and
cats that follow what their owner teaches them.
Learned behaviors represent a crucial part of culture which can mean almost anything, from the
way choose to dress to what we decide what is edible and inedible. Whenever we listen to music,
celebrate holidays with others, cross our legs, or go out for relaxation we are practicing parts of
our culture. We are not born behaving like we belong to that culture. To be socially acceptable
citizens of a culture, we are taught from childhood of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Along with this, we are trained to become a part of our surrounding culture. Apart from what we are
taught, we also learn from people around us, from situations we

What is Morality? Essay
What is Morality?
Philosophers around the world have debated the meaning of morality for centuries. However, it is
a word too subjective to be either denoted or defined. Aristotle, often referred to as the father of
philosophy, advised that one could determine what is moral by examining the mean between two
"less desirable" extremes. For example, courage is a mean between fear and thoughtless rashness;
generosity, between extravagance and parsimony. Plato argued that "to know the good is to do the
good." In other words, those who behave immorally due so out of mere ignorance, not defiance.
Furthermore, Plato believed that a moral person is a truly happy person; and because people always
desire their own happiness, they always...show more content...
This reward system trains us to believe that what is legal is moral. Although a person may be a
law–abiding citizen, he or she may not necessarily be moral.
The morality of an individual is also based on his or her childhood. Parents have an immense effect
on their children's values. For instance, if parents teach their child at early ages to be a hard–worker,
to be honest and true, and to have integrity, then it is likely that the child will grow up with these
morals instilled within them. However, some children grow to be the antithesis of their parents.
They see that their parents are immoral and so they intentionally grow to think and behave
differently. If so, is the child immoral for defying his or her parents, or is the child moral for
defying his or her immoral parents?
Another factor in determining one's morals is one's religiosity. For instance, some religions, such as
Hinduism, believe in animal sacrifices as a way of worshiping; however, other religions, such as
Catholicism, do not. Thus, to a Catholic, the sacrifice of innocent animals may seem immoral
whereas followers of the Hindu religion view the practice as sacred. Therefore, one cannot conclude
that simply because a person is religious, he or she is also moral. There are thousands of religions
throughout the world; who has the authority to determine whose

Morality is an important component of a human being because it helps shape the ethical foundation
that every human being has. Whether to be good, evil, honest, or deceitful are just some of the traits
morality helps us develop. Thus, it is evident that morality is a crucial component of a human being.
However, what ultimately drives moral action? This question is debated and investigated against
many philosophers, a few of them being Thomas Hobbes, Frans de Waal, and David Hume.
Hobbes believes that in the state of nature, humans have no laws, morals, police force, property,
government, culture, knowledge, or durable infrastructure. Within this state of nature, people have
no morals and do as they please without any consequence. As...show more content...
Both are powerful forces that contribute to morality. However, Hume concludes that it is the
sentiment, feeling, or pleasure that human beings feel that ultimately shape their morality.
Both Hume and Hobbes have opposing views regarding whether or not humans are naturally moral.
Hume believes that humans are naturally moral. According to Hume, humans derive their morality
through sentiments or feelings that help shape behavior and action. Hobbes, however, believes that
humans are selfish individuals and in turn do not have moral values. This is described as the state
of nature. He further believes that humans do not have a unified moral code or system and must
thus find a higher power that would help shape their behavior. Such a power, Hobbes argues, should
be the government as it develops laws that all humans must abide by. Hobbes describes this as
common wealth.
Frans de Waal begins his argument by first stating the question as to whether or not a human's moral
actions originated from the psychological and behavioral nature of our evolutionary ancestors. He
concludes this thought by saying that our moral actions do, in fact, originate from the psychological
and behavioral nature of our evolutionary ancestors. De Waal further argues that the foundations of
human morals are found in the primates of today. They are composed of actions and emotions
whose evolutionary role assists us in our social organization and unity. In the beginning pages of his
book, De Waal

Reflection Paper On Moral Values
Reflective Essay (Morals) Morals and virtues have been a part of society and are pivotal to
surviving in any culture. All over the world, people are raised differently and have different beliefs
that ground them to their culture. Personally, growing up in a religious household I can see how
that has affected me and the foundation that my morals are based on. I think that there are different
cultures that have different morals and as difficult as it is to understand sometimes it is very
important to respect their beliefs. That being said, it is important to strive to live under a moral code
that I think is best. The vast variety of ethics and different moral beliefs can definitely cause
awkwardness or make some situations uncomfortable depending on the clashing cultures.
Although discussing morals can lead to awkward and uncomfortable situations, it is important to
stick to your moral foundations and respect other cultures as best you can. Growing up in a
moderately wealthy religious family in the United States, I had the ability to pick and choose
which set of morals I followed. Although my family did play a huge rule in creating the
foundation I live my life with, I was very free to decide which path I chose. As I grew up, the
influence of my parents slowly began to lessen and the virtues I had learned from them began to
mold me into the person I am today. I was also raised in a highly religious household. Even though
I am slowly moving away from the church going Christian I once was, the morals they engrained
into me are things I will hopefully never forget. The last and possibly most important ground was
where I was raised. The suburb outside of Cleveland Ohio where I grew up wasn't the worst place
to be raised, but it has definitely changed my morals from the ones set by my parents and the
church. Often times in school, I would have inner conflicts with the virtues set by my church, and
the nefarious activities my friends and I would want to do. I think this is a part of growing up.
This struggle has rounded my morals out leading me to be a good mix of both uptight and relaxed
depending on the situation. Regardless of the journey to moral satisfaction, the goal of perfection
should never leave your

Nietzsche: Morality Essay
Morality Essay
Have you ever asked yourself where your conscience comes from? The feeling that takes a hold
of you when you do what you feel is wrong. This feeling is almost like a consequence when you
tell a lie or commit a crime. Your conscience helps you sort out the good and bad and feels your
mind with sorrow when you see a sad story on the news or gives you the initiative to donate money
to a contribution. But where does it come from. Is it something you are naturally born with, taught
over time or given to you by a higher power? This argument leads to the existence of moral values by
many philosophers including William Lane Craig. One of his excerpts argues that if there is an
existence of moral values, which some people agree,...show more content...
With this said, Nietzsche would not agree with Craig. His idea on perspectivism also shows that
he would not agree. One idea is the real verse the apparent world, which he states that language and
grammar tricks us to imagine there is an "essence" for what makes up the things we see. For
example the idea that "lightening flashes" is false because in reality the lightening is the flash. He
would use this in his argument towards the existence of moral values and God because not everyone
sees things the same way. Nietzsche's examples show that he does not believe in moral values
and does not believe in God. Craig argues back with Nietzsche's idea that proclaimed that the
death of God meant the destruction of all meaning and value in life. In William's excerpt he says
that Nietzsche is right but we've got to be careful because the question is not "must we believe in
God in order to live a moral life?" Craig doesn't believe that we do. Nor is the question: Can we
recognize objective moral values without believing in God? Because he does believe that you can
recognize them. Rather, the question is: If God does not exist, do objective morals exist? Craig
proves that they do by explaining that actions such as rape, torture, and child abuse aren't just
socially acceptable behavior. And that they are moral abominations and that there are some things
that are really wrong and everyone knows it. Craig also says in his excerpt that even

Can Morality Be Taught Analysis
At a young age, children are taught to beware of strangers, but are parents also creating a divide
between races when they teach about strangers and whom to beware of? Parents tell their kids to be
scared of people who approach them that they don't know. Therefore, kids are taking these warnings
as something entirely different than what parents intended. These days, children and even adults are
scared of people who are different from them. It's creating a divide and without even realizing it,
parents may be teaching their children racism, but aren't educating them on bridging the gap
between the races. Morality can be taught to shape the youth, but eventually everyone has to draw
their own conclusions and make their own choices of right and wrong....show more content...
"I believe the problem is not what is taught in schools, but how it is taught." (Lamb–Sinclair)
Teachers are telling students that bullying and racism are wrong but are not showing students how
to handle real world situations. They have little experiences with people who are different.
Growing up in nice neighborhoods, students are uncomfortable in a neighborhood that may be
perceived as inferior and treat the people in those areas as if they are lesser beings. Who are they to
judge? Lamb–Sinclair tells readers that during her teachings she brought some of her classes from a
rural school to an urban school. By doing this, she enlightened her students on the fact that maybe
they weren't so very different. The encounters between the students helped them to realize that they
weren't so very different. Parents expressed concerns for the safety of their children, revealing their
racial bias(?). Maybe teachers and parents aren't immersing their students and children in multiple

Nietzsche Chapter 17
Jonathan Liddle
Chapter 17 Essay Friedrich Nietzsche begins with a proposition that there are only two basic
types of morality Slave morality and Master Morality. These types of moralities that Nietzsche
proposes were initially formed when society was actually made up of masters and slaves. In
society masters were completely free and slaves simply did whatever their masters said. Based on
their respected situations Nietzsche argues these groups of people came up with two very different
types of morality. Of course there are no longer any literal masters and slaves in todays society,
however Nietzsche proposes while master and slaves no longer exist, the moral systems they came
up with do....show more content...
If you're a slave then your entire life is dominated by your master, everything you do is for him
/her. Clearly in this position as a slave, you will come to resent your master, in fact you will come
to resent your master so much that you will begin to think of your master as evil and everything
that she values is equally evil. Moral evil enters the picture in slave morality as a form of
resentment for the master and everything the master values things like courage, pride, nobility
and bravery. So if slave morality gets off the ground by thinking about the evil master, then where
does goodness come into the picture for slave morality? The slave will think about it like this,
evil is the opposite of goodness, I am the opposite of the master and the master is evil. Therefore,
it must be good to be a slave. Moral goodness in other words means being a good slave. For
instance, a good slave is humble, never draws attention to himself, so it must be morally good to be
humble. A good slave is also blindly obedient. Does whatever he is told without questioning.
Therefore, blind obedience must be a good

What Is Morality?
Morality involves the knowledge between good and bad and right and wrong. Good and bad
refers to the positive and negative effects the actions have on people and what effect it has on us.
Morality is purely internal and is based upon what you believe and also the arguments you have as
to whether or not something is good or bad. Morals differ between cultures, dependant on different
situations and beliefs. For example abortion; if a woman believes that it will benefit her life and
that it would be wrong of her to bring a child into a world that she could not support, and then her
personal morals think that it is right. Morality, though it is the knowledge between right and wrong,
has no straight answer; it is personal morals that make up what...show more content...
Many values and beliefs have changed as have society's views on pregnancies. When questioning
people about their own personal views on contraception and birth control, I received a range of
different opinions. Here are some of the many different responses I got when questioning a range of
people.
пѓ "Contraception is a good way to make sure you don't become pregnant, people now–a–days use
contraception all the time and don't even think about the church or the church's teaching. I think
contraception is okay."
пѓ "Contraception is perfectly okay because it stops babies being brought up in a poor family if the
parents can't support them. Unplanned pregnancies happen all over the world to too many people so
I think contraception should be spoken about more widely and not be such a touchy subject."
пѓ "Birth control stops reproduction of the human race and should be banned, if someone wants to
have sex then they should know the consequences of their actions, I think we should go back to the
church views and have sex as an act between a married couple, because they are capable of having a

Morality of Today Essay
Olympian morality was potent in ancient Greek society yet it is incomplete by today's moral
standards of what is acceptable. Modern morality is not only taught through actions, stories or
experiences however constructed by the feelings within. In both, The Iliad and the Hesiod, external
actions are the most important however, without logos, a look into the soul no decisions are made
by choice. Eris, the force of pulling apart and Eros, the force of pushing together were vital pieces
in the aspect of morality through traditional Greek society. Ancient morality combined with natural
science and logos creates a balance that allows for perfect moral structure. Olympian morality was
built upon the aspect that the Gods determined human existence...show more content...
Socrates believed that justice and desire could not be determined without reason and logic (Reno).
Going along with Socrates ideas, Eris and Eros can be confined in the soul but the structure of
Olympian morality will never be destroyed. Destroying Eris would also destroy Eros and not only
would no bad exist, but nothing good would exist either. Therefore the Sophist's mentality could
never become the mentality in which society is driven by. If all good and bad were removed from
society there would be nothing to fuel desires, hopes, dreams, hardships or emotions. Preluding to the
Trojan War, Helen is always property. Never once is choice an option of Helens. She is given as a
prize, a trophy, to the one who will triumph over the other (Homer). No one considered asking
Helen what she truly desired; therefore to settle the issue, men were killed in warfare to come to a
conclusion that should have been determined by choice. Women were not deemed important
figures in ancient society and men ruled the world in which they lived. Until Socratic ideals, one
can say that women were only the property of men. Socrates tried to explore the world of
femininity and discover the soul; he was killed for believing that there is more to an individual then
what the divine interprets (Plato's Apology). Unlike ancient times, a war of nations would not break
out over a romantic conflict because women and men can choose whom they love. Logic has
allowed modern

A Basis for Morality Essay
A Basis for Morality
In humanity's quest to distinguish itself from the rest of the animal world, a claim to morality has
long been one of its greatest arguments. Perhaps second only to reason as a distinguishing
characteristic, the ability to exhibit moral behavior instills in humans a distinct sense of natural order.
Yet when anthropocentric egoism is dropped and we recognize that we are not, in fact, much
different from other animals, our distinctive moral behavior begs explanation. What compels the
majority of humans to behave morally? Why do some not? How should we respond to behaviors that
are either immoral or amoral? Do we possess an innate sense of morality, determined by our
neurobiology? Or to put it another (more...show more content...
While specifics of morality vary across cultures, and often across individuals, some basic trends
appear universally. Benevolence, fairness, and honesty – in short, those traits that make a social
existence possible – are consistently named when people in many different cultures are asked to
describe moral behavior (1). This is the first cause to think that a basic morality may be innate in
humans and not merely a product of cultural education, although it is not in itself proof of that
possibility. With this evidence, it is just as reasonable to hypothesize that the basic similarities in
social structure are sufficient to give rise to similarities in acceptable behavior as it is to hypothesize
that ideas of acceptable behavior are innate.
The original source of morality aside for the moment, we can effectively consider the cause of moral
behavior in individuals. Psychological literature tends to focus on the emotional basis of morality.
One of the most important affects in determining moral behavior is empathy, an emotional response
triggered by the apprehension of another's emotional state and characterized by having feelings
similar to what the other is feeling (2). This ability to perceive another individual's emotions is
crucial to our ability to make moral decisions – that is, to make decisions that positively influence
others. The

Is Morality Subjective or Objective?
Morality must be objectively derived because (1) the concepts of good and morality exist; (2)
cultures differ regarding certain moral actions, thus there is the need to discover which is right but
cultures are similar regarding the existence of and need for morality; (3) relativism is not logical
and does not work, (4) for moral principles to be legitimate and consistent, they must be derived
external to human societies. Otherwise morality is merely one person's choice or feeling, not an
understanding of truth; and (5) the existence of religion. People recognize a moral aspect to the
worship of deity; even if the deity does not exist, we still perceive a need for morality to be decreed
by Someone...show more content...
One culture may value theft, as in some of the American Indian tribes of the plains, particularly
against enemies. Such action showed bravery and skill in battle. Another culture might abhor the
idea that one person should be allowed to steal from another, and the value here is the sanctity of
private property, as in the Western industrial countries. When differences occur, the question arises
as to what moral idea produces the right action. Somewhere in the history of human cultural
interaction, these two values will collide. They can not both be right. What is the truly moral idea?
Hence there is a need for an objective criterion, again one that transcends either culture, rather than
simply be a preference of one culture over another.
Human cultures do tend to agree about some moral ideas, such as murder of one's own people,
cruelty (except against enemies), rape, and other violent actions which force one person's will upon
another. The fact that there is agreement seems to indicate a common source of moral conscience, a
standard to which all humans attempt to adhere. C.S. Lewis called this idea the "Moral Law" or a
natural law of morality [1], an idea similar to Immanuel Kant's "Law of Nature" idea. Kant grounds
his concept in an a priori purely practical human reason, which Lewis identifies in the imago Dei
within human nature. Kant's categorical imperative insists that morality is based on valid
impersonal principles, in the intrinsic worth of right itself, upon

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