What Causes Morality?
March 8, 2008 9:09 pm PhilosophyBefore jumping into what might cause morality, I want to clarify what I mean by morality.
Morality is doing what benefits the people around you. Immorality is hurting others.
The three most commonly pointed at culprits when discussing why people behave morally are: society, religion and innate goodness.
1. Society: Many people believe that morality is taught. We are born amoral, and then learn morality through our parents, teachers, friends and by adhering to the law.
Evidence For: Examples of learning morals through a teacher, friend or parent.
Evidence Against: Society can encourage extreme cruelty, such as the attempted genocide of the Jewish race.
2. Religion: Another common belief is that people behave morally because of religion. This view can be based on the belief that religion is divinely inspired, or that religion is a tool resulting from either society or innate goodness.
Evidence For: Often teaches morality and encourages moral service.
Evidence Against: Responsible for holy wars and terrorism..
3. Innate Goodness: Some people think we are born with a desire to help other people, and with a sense of guilt about hurting other people.
Evidence For: Altruistic behavior that isn’t the result of being taught. There are people who are brought up in bad situations that end up good. A young child who cares for and protects his/her sibling.
Evidence Against: Violent behavior that that isn’t the result of being taught. There are people who are brought in good situations who end up bad. A young kid raised by moral parents that vandalizes and is violent.
It seems clear that all three of these play a role in morality. Which, if any, is the primary basis for morality? To test which one of these primarily causes morality, you would have to have an environment where only one of these causes has an influence.
Since it is near impossible to eliminate any of these factors, this leaves this topic very open to debate.
What’s your opinion?
March 11th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I believe the majority have been brainwashed into thinking that morality has to do with religion. But I believe the spirituality within your own self sways the pendulum of your own personal morality either way.
I believe society, in this age, has had a negative effect on the individual’s perception of wrong and right. For instance, we are persuaded to be materialistic, being guided by the corporations and the government, with the idea that there is nothing wrong with wanting everything.
In these times, we are left wanting for something that can’t be bought and held in our hands, then lose interest in a moment later. Because of our greed, we have practically destroyed our only world. The individuals who do know right from wrong are too few to save us from ourselves.
We need action to correct this current situation. Not words.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I think religion really falls under society. I separated it out because I know most people disagree :).
We are definitely taught to be greedy. The question in my mind is whether we are also taught to be good, or if we are born good. I’ve seen lots of stuff pointing both ways. I think we are either born with a blank slate, or with an inclination to be good(with rare sociopathic exceptions).
Whether because of birth or society, there are a lot of things that we are messing up. And we do need action.