Morality Handout 1 PDF

DREAM LAND COLLEGE DEVELOPING THE CONCEPTS OF MORALITY Concept of morality Morality comes from a Latin word “mores” meaning custom, habit, manner, character or proper behavior. Therefore, the manners you learn like politeness of behavior, way of saluting, or giving h...

DREAM LAND COLLEGE DEVELOPING THE CONCEPTS OF MORALITY Concept of morality Morality comes from a Latin word “mores” meaning custom, habit, manner, character or proper behavior. Therefore, the manners you learn like politeness of behavior, way of saluting, or giving helpful hands for elders, showing sympathy to people during sadness are valued as morality. Even if what are considered good and bad differs in different societies, learning moral values is significantly important in a society, because it helps individuals or groups to live together in peace and unity. Different scholars define Morality as:  Those principles and values that actually guide, for better or worse, an individual „s personal conduct (Guy, 2001)  Morality is the informal system of rational beings by which they govern their behavior in order to lesson harm or evil and do good, this system, although informal, enjoys amazing agreement across time and cultures concerning moral rules, moral ideas and moral virtues (Madden, 2000) Hence, learning about morality which involves what we ought to do, right and wrong, good and bad helps us to adjust ourselves in a society we are living in. Morality and its Application Morality may be applied to four areas: 1. Religion: Morality determined by relation between human being and supernatural being. In the Jewish and Christian traditions, for example, the first three of the Ten Commandments pertain to this kind of morality. These commandments deal with a person‟s relationship with God, not with any other human beings. 2. Nature: Morality determined by relation between human being and nature. Natural morality has been prevalent in all primitive cultures, such as that of the Native American, and in cultures of the Far East. 3. Individuality: Morality refers to individuals in relation to them-selves and to an individual code of morality that may or may not be sanctioned by any society or religion. 4. Society: Morality determined by relation between human being and society. It is probably the most important aspect of morality; in that it cuts across all of the other aspects and is found in more ethical systems than any of the others. a) Who is morally responsible? Should only human beings be held morally responsible? Humans have a moral sense because their biological makeup determines the presence of three necessary conditions for ethical behavior: i. The ability to anticipate the consequences of one's own actions; ii. The ability to make value judgments; and iii. The ability to choose between alternative courses of action. Are all animals non-moral? Is domesticating animals‟ moral? As long as you think it is acceptable to kill and eat animals, the more abstract argument about domesticating animals to use as “pets” is not likely to resonate. Domestication is morally wrong Morality Handout 1 Page 1  DREAM LAND COLLEGE but they are here now and they need our care. Their lives are as important to them as our lives are to us. Example, are Dolphin‟s moral? Some animals are capable of responding to moral motivations due to their sophisticated cognitive abilities - such as elephants, cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and primates - and are capable of feeling things like empathy, compassion, pain and loss of a loved one. Where does Morality come from? Morality can be considered as having a subjective or objective origin. As objective there are three possibilities for the origin of value: i. Values are given by a supernatural being. ii. Values are part of the fabric of nature. iii. Values are part of the „furniture‟ of the world, independently of human beings. These possible explanations of the origin of values are expressed in the „supernatural theory‟, the theory of „natural law‟ and „objectivism‟. As subjective, the origin of value is related to human beings. Without human beings, subjectivist theorists argue, there would be no value. Forms of Morality We can separate morality into two forms: 1. Customary/Traditional morality: Traditional morality refers to the moral systems handed down through custom from generation to generation. We might call this static morality 2. Reflective morality: Reflective morality requires that moral ideas are carefully examined and tested. Traditional morality can become reflective and dynamic when those moral ideas that are simply handed down and accepted are subjected to analysis and criticism. The relation between Morality with Law and Religion Morality also overlaps with Law and Religion but shouldn‟t be confused with them.  Morality and law. Morality and law are not the same although of course they overlap. Law might be thought of as a public codification of morality for a culture, although certain laws in that system, or even the system itself, might be deemed immoral, e.g., apartheid. Law is not a necessary attribute of morality although morality may well be thought to be a necessary attribute of law.  Morality and religion. Is morality dependent upon religion? Morality need not be based exclusively on religion for five reasons.  Supernatural existence cannot be proven.  Non-religious people can be moral.  Religious foundation for ethics is difficult to establish.  No religion would be best ethically  We could not show that one religion is best Why should human beings be moral? Morality Handout 1 Page 2  DREAM LAND COLLEGE  Enlightened self-interest – I will be better off  Tradition and law – best to do because some authority says so  Shared human needs, goals, desires and objectives Generally, morality deals with humans and how they relate to others and the world around them. It deals with how we treat one another so as to promote what is good and right. Purpose of morality The purpose of morality is constituted in the five purposes to: i. Keep society from falling apart; ii. Ameliorate human suffering; iii. Promote human flourishing; iv. Resolve conflict of interest justly and orderly v. Assign praise, blame, reward, punishment and guilt Self-Check: - 1 Direction: 1 chooses the best answer. Each question contains 2% 1. …………...involves what we ought to do, right and wrong, good and bad helps us to adjust ourselves in a society A. Ethics B. Morality C. Civics D. Politics 2. To what does morality apply? A. Religion B. Culture C. Nature D. All of the above 3. Which of the following is not the characteristic of reflective morality? A. Static B. Dynamic C. Flexible D.B and C 4. Why Morality need not be based exclusively on religion? A. Supernatural existence can be proven. B. Religious people can be moral. C. Religious foundation for ethics is difficult to establish. D. Religion would be best ethically Direction: 2 Give short and precise answer for the following questions.Each question contain 2% 1. Who is morally responsible? 2. Mention the main source of morality. Morality Handout 1 Page 3  DREAM LAND COLLEGE Moral principles Moral principles are principles based on reason and rationality. They guide us on what we should do, what qualities we should nourish, and what kind of lives we should look for. Moreover, the application of moral principles should not be limited to a specific society or culture. Types of Moral Principles There are two types of moral principles: absolute and relative. Moral absolutism is an ethical view that certain actions are intrinsically right or wrong. Moral relativism believes there are no absolute rules to what are right or wrong, and that moral principles can change depending on the situation. 1) Absolute Moral Principles Absolute moral principles are based on universal truths about the nature of human beings. For example, murder is wrong because it goes against the natural order of things. These are also sometimes called normative moral principles, or those that are generally accepted by society. Below are some examples of absolute moral principles:  Don't kill.  Speak the truth.  Be careful with what you say and do to others.  Respect the property of others.  Treat people in need or distress as we would want to be treated if our situation were reversed. 2) Relative Moral Principles Relative moral principles are based on opinions and circumstances that may change over time or from person to person or for different situations. Relative moral principles depend on a person's beliefs. Relativism is to what people perceive as good or bad in relation to themselves. In other words, when someone says something is good, in most cases they are really saying it is good for them, or perhaps it contributes to their well-being. Below are some examples of relative moral principles including:  It is morally wrong to spend money on a luxury item.  It is morally right to care for our planet and preserve it for future generations. 2.1.1 Impacts of Moral Principles Moral principles are important for society because they help people learn how to get along and live well with each other. They teach us that all human beings deserve the same rights, which is why it's not okay to discriminate against someone based on their ethnicity or race. People who follow moral principles also tend to have a better quality of life than those who don't. Moral principles can also impact an individual's identity and sense of self-worth. For example, someone who is honest may feel that they are a good person because they follow the moral principle to be truthful at all times. And for people with strong values about equality, it might Morality Handout 1 Page 4  DREAM LAND COLLEGE make them feel better about themselves when they don't discriminate against people who are different from them. In general, moral principles are beneficial both to society and the individual person. However, blindly following moral principles without considering their origin or using your judgment based on the situation can be problematic. The best course of action is usually to adhere to a set of moral principles that align with your beliefs and society as a whole but to also consider each situation individually and weigh the cost of adhering to your morals in terms of its impact on other individuals. 2.1.2 Ways to Develop Good Moral Principles There are various ways to develop moral principles that transcend culture, religion, and country. If you are just starting on your moral journey, you might consider exploring morals in various philosophical texts. However, there are also many practical steps a person can take to develop good moral principles:  Think about what you would do when faced with an ethical dilemma and why you would make those decisions.  Ask yourself what you think is right or wrong and make sure that your actions are in line with those thoughts.  Watch out for double standards, like being nice to one person while not being so kind to another.  If it helps, write down a list of moral principles and post them where they're easy to see, like on a mirror or in your workspace.  Don't worry if you're not perfectly adhering to your moral principles. The important thing is that you are trying your best. 2.1.3 Moral Characters in School or College Moral (character) education, then, encompasses deliberate efforts to help the young learn, practice, and apply moral virtues and character habits that will help them individually live good lives – and at the same time become productive, contributing citizens. Examples of Legal judgments of good moral character at school or college can include consideration of honesty, trustworthiness, diligence, reliability, respect for the law, integrity, candour, discretion, observance of fiduciary duty, and respect for the rights of others, absence of hatred and racism, fiscal responsibility, mental and emotional stability 2.1.4 Practice of morality in the work place Morality, whatever else may be said about it, is about things over which we have control that lead to bettering human life. It is different in every society, and is a convenient term for socially apply habits. Moral is how your employees feel about coming to work every day, how they approach their assigned tasks, and their attitude about the direction the company is taking. Put simply, employee morale is the culmination of job satisfaction, life outlook, and attitude. Having moral character in the workplace helps you to become the type of leader who inspires your employees. It keeps you in tune with their needs and gives you the urge to reward them Morality Handout 1 Page 5  DREAM LAND COLLEGE favourably for their accomplishments. Employees with good morals set a positive example for their co-workers. Self-Check 2 Direction: 1 chooses the best answer. Each question contains 2% 1___________principle is based on universal truths about the nature of human beings. A. Absolut B. Relative C. morality D. ethics 2. ___________principles depend on a person's beliefs. A. Absolutism B. Relative C. Morality D. Ethics Direction: 2 Give short and precise answer for the following questions. Each question contains 2% 1. Discuss impact of moral principle? 2. What ways to what are the ways to develop moral principles? 3. How do you have good moral character in the workplace to become the type of leader who inspires your employees? Note: Satisfactory rating 5 and above points unsatisfactory below 5 points Morality Handout 1 Page 6