Do you often encounter a situation where something is not prohibited, but it is better not to do it? When there are no legal prohibitions, only two restrictions apply: the laws of physics and moral standards.
Today we will discuss the rules and norms of public morality, we will understand what it is and why society needs it. Our “Cognitive Science” and “Self-Knowledge” programs will help you, which will teach you to think and act in such a way as to achieve success using environmentally friendly methods, without violating the rules of morality and legal norms.
So let's get started!
What is morality?
Morality is a set of ideas about good and evil, as well as rules of behavior that are generally followed in a certain society based on these ideas. While compliance is encouraged, it is not strictly required.
Moral rules are formed under the influence of generally accepted ideas about what is “good” and what is “bad”, and therefore depend on society, government, the dominant religion and other social factors.
Moral standards have the following features:
- they are universal for everyone;
- do not need legislative support (since they are considered obvious to any reasonable person);
- justified by the prevailing ideas in society about justice, good and evil;
- play the role of a behavioral guide for people;
- non-compliance with moral standards is condemned in society.
The moral component of most actions can depend on the circumstances. So cooking is a neutral activity, but if a person prepares food for the homeless, it is a highly moral act. Laughter is normal, but if someone laughs at someone else's failure, it is immoral.
You cannot harm another person. But if you do it in defense of your family, even this act can be justified.
Moral norms were formed long before legal norms. It was with their appearance that primitive societies began to emerge. Morality protected them from self-destruction, allowed them to organize, accumulate knowledge and build civilization.
On the basis of established moral norms, the first laws were formulated - clearer, unambiguous and logically justified rules of behavior.
Affect exit
Kohlberg, as a supporter of the rational approach, connected moral development with logical development: the higher our cognitive level and the more complex our inferences, the closer we are to the top of that same ladder of six steps.
Today, a number of researchers who study morality take a different position and believe that our reasoning is based not on rational arguments, but on emotions. Sometimes we even use logic to rationally and shamelessly justify an action committed intuitively. Such cases of “moral confusion” have been shown in experiments where participants solved an ethical dilemma straight away, and then spent a long, long time trying to explain how the hell they did it.
In fact, both factors matter—feelings and reasoning. The difference is in the approaches: rationalist scientists focus on cognitions (this or that behavior is primarily a “product” of thinking), while “intuitionists” believe that the main thing is a feeling, an erupted emotion.
It is clear that the second approach will not gain popularity in pedagogy and education. Forming an emotional reaction is more difficult than teaching someone to cheerfully talk about rays of light in a dark kingdom.
How is morality formed?
A person's morality largely depends on himself. Only the individual himself is responsible for what happens to him. Whether a person will be successful or not is accepted by others depends on how willing she is to follow the orders established in society.
The development of morality and moral concepts occurs in the parental family.
It is those first people with whom a child begins to interact in the early stages of his life who leave a serious imprint on his future fate. So, the formation of morality is significantly influenced by the immediate environment in which a person grows.
If a child grows up in a dysfunctional family, then from an early age he develops a misconception about how the world works and develops a distorted perception of himself in society.
As an adult, such a person will begin to experience enormous difficulties in communicating with other people and will feel dissatisfaction on their part. If a child is raised in a prosperous average family, he begins to absorb the values of his immediate environment, and this process occurs naturally.
Awareness of the need to follow social instructions occurs due to the presence in a person of such a concept as conscience. Conscience is formed from early childhood under the influence of society, as well as individual inner feelings.
Functions of morality
Few people actually question why morality is needed? This concept consists of many important components and protects a person’s conscience from unwanted actions. The individual is responsible for the consequences of his moral choice not only to society, but also to himself.
There are functions of morality that help it fulfill its purpose.
The evaluative function is related to how other people or the person himself determines the actions he has committed.
In the case when self-assessment occurs, the person is usually inclined to justify his own actions by some circumstances. It is much more difficult to bring actions to public court, because society is sometimes unforgiving when assessing others.
The regulatory function helps to establish norms in society that will become laws intended to be followed by all. The rules of behavior in society are acquired by the individual at a subconscious level. That is why, when we find ourselves in a place where there are a large number of people, most of us, after some time, begin to unerringly follow the unspoken laws adopted specifically in this particular society.
The controlling function is directly related to checking how much an individual is able to follow the rules established in society.
Such control helps to achieve a state of “clear conscience” and social approval. If an individual does not behave appropriately, then he will certainly receive condemnation from other people as a backlash.
Does a primary school teacher have the moral right to earn extra money in the evenings at a strip club?
If you don’t like thinking about it, then you have high demands on teachers on the fifth point (cleanliness). Do native Muscovites have any preferences over visitors? This is about group membership and fairness. Should all residents of the area be required to help victims of domestic violence? A matter of care.
Everyone can evaluate their system of moral attitudes according to the five listed parameters and note whether changes occur over time and what factors influence this.
Science knows that the views of an entire society change from era to era. Thus, psychologists from the University of Melbourne have found that care, compassion and safety are more important to us now than forty years ago, and, for example, the value of respect for authority has noticeably decreased since the beginning of the 20th century.
So, moral imperatives should be considered intermediate results of cultural evolution. How can you develop the necessary qualities in yourself without waiting for the next social paradigm to change?
Moral standards
They are consistent with Christian ideas about good and evil and what a real person should be.
Prudence is an essential component of any strong person. It presupposes that an individual has the ability to adequately perceive the surrounding reality, build harmonious connections and relationships, make reasonable decisions, and act constructively in difficult situations.
Abstinence involves a ban on looking at married people of the opposite sex. The ability to cope with one’s desires and impulses is approved by society, while reluctance to follow spiritual canons is condemned.
Justice always implies that for all deeds committed on this earth, sooner or later retribution or some kind of response will come. Treating other people fairly means, first of all, recognizing their value as significant units of human society.
Respect and attention to their needs also relate to this point.
Resilience is formed through the ability to endure the blows of fate, endure the necessary experience and constructively emerge from a crisis state. Resilience as a moral standard implies the desire to fulfill one's purpose and move forward despite difficulties.
By overcoming obstacles, a person becomes stronger and can later help other people go through their individual trials.
Hard work is valued in any society. This concept means a person’s passion for something, the realization of his talent or abilities for the benefit of other people. If a person is not ready to share the results of his work, then he cannot be called hardworking.
That is, the need for activity should not be related to personal enrichment, but to serve the consequences of one’s work to as many people as possible.
Humility is achieved through prolonged suffering and repentance. The ability to stop in time and not resort to revenge in a situation where you have seriously offended is akin to real art. But a truly strong person has enormous freedom of choice: he is able to overcome destructive feelings.
Politeness is essential when people interact with each other. Thanks to it, it becomes possible to conclude deals and agreements that are beneficial for both parties. Politeness characterizes a person from the best side and helps him move constructively towards a given goal.
Principles of morality
These principles exist, making significant additions to generally accepted social norms. Their significance and necessity lies in contributing to the formation of general formulas and patterns accepted in a given society.
The principle of talion clearly demonstrates the concept of uncivilized countries - “an eye for an eye.”
That is, if someone suffered any loss due to the fault of another person, this other person is obliged to compensate the first through his own loss. Modern psychological science says that it is necessary to be able to forgive, reorient oneself to the positive, and look for constructive methods to get out of a conflict situation.
The principle of morality involves following Christian commandments and observing divine law. An individual does not have the right to harm his neighbor, or to deliberately try to cause him any harm based on deception or theft. The principle of morality most powerfully appeals to a person’s conscience, forcing him to remember his spiritual component.
The phrase “Treat your neighbor the way you want him to treat you” is the most striking manifestation of this principle.
The principle of the “golden mean” is expressed in the ability to see moderation in all matters. This term was first introduced by Aristotle. The desire to avoid extremes and move systematically towards a given goal will certainly lead to success.
You cannot use another person as a way to solve your individual problems. You need to feel moderation in everything, be able to compromise in time.
The principle of well-being and happiness is presented in the form of the following postulate: “Act towards your neighbor in such a way as to bring him the greatest benefit.” It doesn’t matter what action is performed, the main thing is that it can benefit as many people as possible.
This principle of morality presupposes the ability to predict the situation several steps ahead, to foresee the possible consequences of one’s actions.
The principle of justice is based on equal treatment between all citizens. It states that each of us must observe the unspoken rules of treating other people and remember that the neighbor living in the same house with us has the same rights and freedoms as us.
The principle of justice implies punishment in case of illegal actions.
The principle of humanism is the leading one among all those mentioned above. It assumes that every person has the idea of a condescending attitude towards other people. Humanity is expressed in compassion, in the ability to understand one’s neighbor and to be as useful to him as possible.
Morality in modern society
If you want to understand how the morality of modern society works, you will find mainly such values as:
- Respect for others' personal space, beliefs and faith;
- The desire to be successful, strong and energetic;
- Development and self-education for the benefit of all humanity;
- High incomes, wealth and a life of abundance.
But just a few centuries ago, much of this was considered immoral. In those days there were completely different views on what morality was. People were told to be humble and not to strive for great achievements.
Wealth was considered a terrible sin, forever closing the path to Paradise, and the imposition of one’s religion and other views was encouraged in every possible way.
Probably, a representative of the Middle Ages would harshly criticize modern morality, saying that these norms pander to “base instincts.” At the same time, he would not have noticed that the main guideline for modern society is universal prosperity. And the well-being of the entire society depends on the success of an individual.
At the same time, the norms of medieval morality were too primitive and did not imply at all that anyone should be happy.
Modern morality requires us to constantly work on ourselves. We must develop and be successful, and everyone must find their own path to success on their own. In return, we receive an inspiring sense of our own uniqueness - we ourselves find our calling and build our own success with our own hands.
The feeling of self-development and self-realization is inspiring, and moral standards push us towards this.
An important difference between modern morality and medieval morality is the removal of many meaningless prohibitions and restrictions (for example, related to sexual life). Having received greater freedom in the sphere of personal life, we have not lost anything, and life has become much more pleasant and interesting.
At the same time, modern morality requires that a person restrain such primitive instincts as aggression, thirst for revenge, desire for dominance and chauvinism.
Every person should feel as free as possible in terms of self-development and self-realization. At the same time, he must treat others with respect and never allow himself to infringe or humiliate anyone - this is what morality is in the modern world. And the main difference from the Middle Ages is that now no one is forbidden to be happy.
On the contrary, the pursuit of happiness and well-being of one's family should be the goal of every person.
Proper meditation technique for relaxation at all levels
There are a few things to consider before you start practicing meditation. This practice requires some work, and it is not so easy to master. But those who own it are able to fully relax in 20-40 minutes more than those who don’t – in an entire night of sleep.
For meditation you will need silence and solitude.
- Body position – lying on your back or sitting upright on a chair. In any case, your back should be straight. You need to stretch the top of your head straight, feeling how your spine stretches. The eyes should be closed - the main perception is now tactile. You need to feel the part of the body that relaxes.
- Each part of the body must be felt in turn. Bring all your attention to your right leg. Feel how the muscles relax in it - from the hip to the foot. Repeat the same with your left leg.
- Feel how your hands relax one by one.
- Relax the muscles of your back, abs, chest and shoulders. Feel the tension release from them. Feel that your torso is no longer constrained by the need to constantly hold in an unnatural position.
- Relax your neck and facial muscles.
This meditation requires some practice. One day you will feel like you did everything right. Then your body will be in a state close to weightlessness - as free and relaxed as possible. You will feel that a little more - and soar from the resulting lightness.
Education of moral qualities
What is good and what is bad begins to tell us from a very early age.
The education of moral qualities (in fact, this is socialization) is carried out not only by parents, but also by other significant adults - grandparents, aunts, uncles, educators, teachers. Also, even friends, classmates and society as a whole participate in this.
How does this happen:
- through personal example (dad led grandmother across the road);
- moral teaching (lectures and instructions);
- literature. Let's take the same fables. Each of them explains how to and how not to behave, and ridicules human vices through allegory (a literary device). An allegory is an allegory.
For example, in the fable about the dragonfly and the ant, the first is the personification (what is this?) of idleness, laziness, irresponsibility, and the second is hard work. Having heard this story, the child understands that being lazy is bad, working is good;
- good films, cartoons, music;
- creating a positive experience for the child (give way to the girl, share).
Morals and ethics
The term ethics is of Greek origin from the word "ethos". The use of this word denoted actions or actions of a person that were powerful to him personally. Aristotle defined the meaning of the word "ethos" as the virtue of a subject's character.
Subsequently, it was customary that the word “ ethicos ” is ethos, meaning something related to the temperament or disposition of the subject.
The emergence of such a definition led to the formation of the science of ethics - the study of the virtues of the character of the subject. In the culture of the ancient Roman Empire there was a word “moralis” - defining a wide range of human phenomena. Later, a derivative of this term “moralitas” appeared - relating to customs or character.
Analyzing the etymological content of these two terms (“ moritas ” and “ ethicos ”), it should be noted that their meanings coincide.
Many people know that such concepts as “morality” and “ethics” are close in meaning, and they are also often considered interchangeable. Many people use these concepts as extensions of each other.
Ethics, first of all, is a philosophical direction that studies moral issues.
Often the expression “ethics” is used to designate specific moral principles, traditions, and customs that exist among subjects of a limited group of society. The Kantian system views the word morality, using it to denote the concept of duty, principles of behavior and obligations.
The word "ethics" uses Aristotle's system of reasoning to denote virtue, the inseparability of moral and practical considerations.
About increasing complexity
It's nice to feel good and moral. Don't steal, don't lie, eat healthy food... (oh, no, that's different), don't kill - these are obvious truths!
Today, however, life constantly forces us to make increasingly difficult choices: neither the biblical sages, nor Aristotle, nor Kant had to think about genetic experiments, feminist scandals or the ethically questionable production of Chinese sneakers.
The world is becoming too fast and complex, and it is no longer possible to use the Ten Commandments, unambiguous virtues or an imperative formulated once and for all as a universal tool and guide to action. Representatives of different eras, nationalities and even social groups evaluate many phenomena far from the same. It is enough to remember how attitudes towards euthanasia, abortion, contraception, religious intolerance, gender scripts or hierarchy change, and the seemingly indestructible monolith of moral principles shatters into small fragments.
Research shows that our moral paradigms are not static. Thus, Australian scientists analyzed the frequency and context of the use of “moral” terms in literature from 1900 to 2007. It turned out that some concepts become extremely popular in one era, and in another, humanity seems to forget about them. For example, ideas related to holiness and piety, as well as sin and pollution, almost disappeared from discourse by 1980, only to suddenly re-emerge closer to the 21st century.
What is the difference between morality and law?
Basic values and moral norms often resonate with laws, but do not always repeat them, and sometimes come into conflict. A person may commit a crime with good intentions, his conscience will be clear, but he will have to answer to the state.
Let us consider in more detail how moral norms and legal norms differ.
- The legislative aspects are dealt with by the authorities, they regulate them and monitor their implementation. Morality is based on the individual’s worldview and the opinions of others; there cannot be clear control.
- Moral norms are encouraged to be followed, but they give a choice. The laws do not provide it.
- If you ignore the laws, you will be punished (fine or prison term). If you fail to follow moral rules, you will earn the censure of others and a bad conscience
- Legal standards are enshrined in writing, but moral ones can be transmitted orally.
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Types of moral standards
There are several types of moral standards:
- Related to the safety of life - a ban on killing a person or animal.
- Concepts of honor and dignity.
- Privacy Policy.
- About independence and basic personal freedoms.
- Related to trust.
- Ideas about justice.
- Relating to social conflicts.
- Ethical principles formulated in the form of recommendations.
- There is a separate group that regulates what moral norms there are and the procedure for their application.
Development of moral standards
Researchers claim that the age of the rules governing relationships is approximately equal to the age of humanity. The following forms arose in the clan system.
- Taboo. Places strict restrictions on erotic and aggressive actions towards certain objects. It is reinforced by the fear of punishment from mystical forces.
- Custom. Applies to members of a group that has historically established rules. Gives a person strict instructions, leaving no freedom of action, and is supported by public opinion.
- Tradition. A stable type of custom maintained by many generations of people. Forms of behavior also do not require thinking; they must be strictly followed.
With the decomposition of the tribal system, a moral principle appeared - concentrated and generalized norms regulating a person’s worldview and behavior in different spheres of life. They apply to all people, give a person a guideline and leave him the opportunity for self-determination.
Support comes from the concepts of good and evil and the influence of public opinion.
