Chapter 3

Summarized by

MELVIN P. CARUMBA

THe NATURE , SCOPE AND ESSENCE OF MORALITY

INSIGHT USED in different views :• When we laugh at joke, we say we have insight on a joke.

• Becoming aware that 9 x 9 = 81 means we have mathematical insight.

• Being able to appreciate how plants and animals grow and die, means we gained biological insight.

When we cannot accept in conscience senseless killings, murder, homicide,

suicide, adultery , bribery, graft and corruption, SOP in government offices we have

MORAL INSIGHT

MORAL TENDENCIES

1. MORALITY compliance with moral law

2. IMMORALITY non-compliance with moral codes

3. AMORALITY ABSENCE of any moral codes

MORALITY defined

* From latin “mores” – meaning behavior

1. Quality affecting human behavior ; *nominal definition

2. That specific quality by which human behavior becomes good; * real definition

MORALITY defined

* From latin “moralitas” – meaning manner, character , proper behavior

3. Code of conduct held to be authoritative in matters of right and wrong ; *descriptive definition

* morals are created by and define society, philosophy religion and individual conscience.

MORALITY defined

4. An ideal code of conduct, one which would be espoused in preference to alternatives by all rational people under specified conditions. *normative and universal definition

MORALITY is synonymous with ETHICS

ETHICS the philosophical study of the moral domain

Applied ethics how a moral outcome can be achieved

Normative ethics how moral values should be determined

Descriptive ethics what morals people actually abide by

Meta-ethics what is the fundamental nature of morality is and does it have objective justification?

Moral Psychology how moral capacity or moral agency develops and what its nature is

Moral realism holds that there are true moral statements which report objective moral facts.

Moral anti-realism holds that morality is derived from any of the norms prevalent in society

Moral relativism cites empirical evidence from anthropology to support its claimsThere is no correct definition of right behavior; morality can be judged with respect to particular situations, within thestandards of particular beliefs and socio-historical concepts

Moral absolutism holds that there are universal, eternal moral truths

Forces of social conformity significantly shape moral decisions, but deny that cultural norms and customs definemorally right behavior

Who is a morally good person?

_they are the ones who attain the end or primary purpose for which they exist

“Clearly not all ends are final ends, but the chief good is something final”. -Aristotle

TERRITORIAL MORALITIES

- Defines a person’s territory including his or her property and dependents which is not to be damaged or interfered with- permissive

TRIBAL MORALITIES

- Imposing the norms collective of an individual- prescriptive

IN-GROUP AND OUT-GROUP

IN-GROUP Individuals and those they believe to be in the same culture or race

OUT-GROUP Individuals and those they believe not to be treated according to some rules

EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES OF MORALITY

Morality is a product of evolutionary process; set of behaviors evolve because they were good for the individual and good for the group.

*evolutionary biologist, socio-biologist

EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES OF MORALITY

Morality is a product of evolutionary process; set of behaviors evolve because they were good for the individual and good for the group.

*evolutionary biologist, socio-biologist

CHRISTOPHER BOEHM (1982)

-hypothesized that the incremental development of moral complexity throughout

the hominid evolution was due to the increasing need to avoid disputes and

injuries in moving to open savanna and developing stone weapons

RICHARD DAWKINS in The God Delusion

“Our morality is a result of our biological evolutionary history and the Moral Zeitgeist helps describe how morality evolves from biological and cultural origins and evolves with time within culture”

In Judicial Systems

Lack of morality of the individual can beSufficient cause for punishment or can be an element for grading of thepunishment

In Politics Group morality develops from shared concepts and beliefs

In Politics • Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham studied

the differences bet. attitudes in morality and politics among Liberals and Conservatives

CONSERVATIVESMoral choices depends upon:

Harm/care, fairness/reciprocity,

In-group loyalty,Authority/respect

Purity/sanctity

LIBERALS

Moral choices depends upon:

Harm/care, fairness/reciprocity,

In POLITICS

Individuals who choose moral action are popularly held to possess “moral fiber” ; otherwise, they may be labeled as sociallydegenerate.

*Continued existence of a group may depend on widespread conformity to codes of morality; Inability to adjust to moral codes in response tonew challenges is sometimes credited to demiseof a community

Nationalist movements have the tendency to feel that-

*A nation will not survive or prosper without acknowledging one common morality;

regardless of what it consists.

MORAL CODES

Since religions have provided both visions and regulations for an ideal life,morality is often confused with religious precepts

Individuals sometimes feel that making an appropriate lifestyle choice invokes a true morality, that accepted codes of conduct within their chosen community are fundamentally moral, even when such codes deviate from more general socialprinciples.

MORAL CODES

Moral codes give way to legal codes, which couplePenalties or corrective actions with particular practices.

*While many codes are merely built on a foundationof religious and/or cultural moral codes, oftentimesthey are one and the same.

Ex. Golden rule, 8 fold path of Buddhism, ancient Egyptian code of Ma’at,Commandments of Juadaism, Christianity, Qur’an in Islam

Degree of religiosity is associated with higher ethical attitudes.

Dysfunction (Paul)

Homicide (Jensen)

moral behavior Religiosity

criminal behavior

DIVINE COMMAND THEORY : Religion as a source of Moral Authority

Claims: Religion and morality are intimately connected

*The Bible claims its morality is based on spiritualJoy. God is good because his divine commands areReasonable, they are meant to fill us with joy.

-God works within us making us to do what is moral.

For anthropologists-

Morality refers to that code of conduct that isput forward by a society. It only applies within a society

In small homogeneous societies that haveno written language, there is distinctions amongmorality, etiquette, law and religion.

Etiquette - sometimes included as part of morality - applies to norms less serious than norms for behavior

Accdg to Hobbes (Leviathan, chapter XI)

manners are not decency of behavior, as how should one salute another or wash his mouth but those qualities of mankind that concern their living together in peace and unity.

LAW OR LEGAL SYSTEM

distinguished from morality or a moral system by having explicit written rules, penalties, and officials who interpret the laws and apply thepenalties.

What is legal need not be moral

Religion differs from morality or a moral system in that includes stories about supernatural beings,that are used to explain or justify behavior that it prohibits or requires.

Sometimes morality is regarded as the code of conduct put forward by religion, or still, it needs religious justification.

Sometimes , morality is simply used to refer to a code of conduct put forward by any actual group. (in descriptive sense).

The descriptive use of morality is made prominent by psychologist (Haidt, Hume) who tried to present a naturalistic account of moral judgments.

*A society might have a morality that is primarily concerned with practices not related to whether other persons are harmed but rather with

What they regard as necessary for purity orsanctity.

In a normative account of morality, it is concerned primarily with avoiding and preventing harm.

• It can be argued that society might have a morality that takes accepting the traditions andcustoms of the society, including accepting andemphasizing loyalty to the group, as more impt.than avoiding and preventing harm.

*It is possible to regard morality as being concerned with practices that minimize the harmsthat all human beings can suffer.

The descriptive sense of morality might allow slavery or allow some people with one skin color to behave in ways that those with different skin or color are not allowed to behave.

Ethical relativist deny that there is universal normative morality.

Descriptive sense of morality holds that morality is that guide to behavior that is regarded by anIndividual as overriding and that he wants tobe universally adopted.

-’a guide to behavior accepted by an individual rather than that put forward by a society or anyother group.”

Not endorsing

OTHER ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF MORALITY

a. Morality presupposes a person

b. Man is responsible for his moral behavior, not for his abilities, such as mental acumen, characteriological types, etc. c. This responsibility presupposes freedom of the will.

d. Morality is indispensable.

OTHER ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF MORALITY

d. Moral rectitude expects a reward, and and the unique disharmony of guild demands atonement.

e. This responsibility presupposes freedom of the will.

f. Reward and punishment imply the notion of God

g. Morality is universal

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITYA. The OBJECT

To hate - A disease like AIDS or herpesDiabetes

One’s own mistakes

One’s parents or God

good

good

bad

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITY

A. The OBJECT

To kill - An animal

An enemy soldier inA just war

A business rival

Indefferent/ good

good

bad

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITY

A. The OBJECT

To spendmoney of-

One’s own

Somebody else’s

The PTA’s

Indefferent/ good

bad

bad

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITY

A. The OBJECT

To slap-

A rapist

One’s mother

good

bad

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITYB. The CIRCUMSTANCES. Accidents which, accompanying or surrounding the act, increase or decrease its morality.

Who , what , where, what meansWhy , how, at what time

e.g. gossiping in church, paying debts slovenly, obeying promptly, stealing a big or small amount, killing by stabbing or shooting, or poisoning

3 sources or principles of determinants

of MORALITYC. The INTENTION. The free choice for which an act is performed, or the aiming at the end to be achieved by the act.

It increases or decreases morality

To give alms in order- -to help-to boast-to torture

To give alms to- -to correct-to give way to anger

To reveal faults in order -to gossip-to harm-to prevent harm

To make up in order -to please-to seduce-to attract others

“A good end does not justify an evil means”

-Aristotelian principle