The inquiry of morality proves to be a complex interrogation. Should I be moral? If I should be, so why? Why is morality of import to society? An premise can be made that ethical motives derive from a strictly spiritual position or the Golden Rule attack. We are told that it is right to be moral.
This is an uneffective reply, since it does non use to person outside the moral circle( Olsen, 79 ) . This in head, there is truly no manner to turn out this excessively a individual who wants to cognize why he/she should be moral. Harmonizing to Olen, the lone reply to them would be because you are. Happiness could besides be included in the list of moral grounds.
I personally feel that this is the best supported ground for being moral. Although there will be times when the moral determination will non be enjoyable, it will finally take to happiness. Morality is of import for society as a whole, as it makes life liveable. Now spread outing on the felicity theory, I will discourse the thoughts of Aristotle.
Aristotle believed that felicity is the quality of whole human life. We all have misconceptions about felicity. Most of us believe that felicity is sing a lively feeling of joy or pleasant feelings. We can be happy at one minute, but non the following.
Aristotle on the other manus said that true felicity includes pleasances, joys, and successes every bit good as many strivings, heartaches, and problems in 1s life. A happy life is non cause by the pleasances we’ve had, nor marred by the displeasures we’ve had. Aristotle besides contended that kids could non be happy as the demand for felicity was a complete life. For case, an old adult male looking back on his life and being able to state that it was good, is happiness.
Aristotle defined the things that make felicity as wellness, wealth, friendly relationship, and good moral character. Aristotle stated that felicity was besides the highest good go for thing nil more to be desired. Life is made perfect by ownership of all good things. We seek felicity for its ain interest.
All others are sought for felicity. Aristotle believed to go happy one must hold good character and be willing to endure to obtain the greater good subsequently on. We should seek the good in the long tally. Most men/women will non make this.
We take the immediate pleasance. Most people think that felicity is alone to each individual. Aristotle believed that there is merely one true construct and that it holds the same for all worlds. Power is non an property to happiness because it would prevent some people from being happy if they are ruled.
Aristotle believed as our for male parents that everyone has an ultimate right to the chase of felicity. He believed that this chase must be concerted, non competitory. All this said, it is clear that it fits into his belief that everything in nature has a end towards which it of course strives ( i.e. felicity ) . A morally virtuous individual is one who is moderate in his actions. He chooses the mean as opposed to the extremes. Aristotle was more concerned with the existent universe than with the theological universe.
His bottom line position point was that we have no reply to the inquiry Why do you desire to be happy? other than to be happy. He believed that we must be moral in order to obtain our life long end of felicity. I find myself in understanding with Aristotle to some grade. When I as myself why do you desire to be happy? I am stuck.
I merely want to be happy. I can see where society as a whole must pattern morality as a whole to let everyone the non-competitive chase of felicity. I can besides associate to the fact that following the immediate pleasance doesn’t unnecessarily property to the hereafter good. I have non been able to populate one metropolis longer than a twelvemonth at a clip.
As a consequence of this, I am unable to buy my dream place because the fiscal tolls. I am nevertheless happier when I foremost move to a new province. I am non wholly convinced that the chase of felicity entirely is merely cause for morality. I do believe that morality has much to make with a theological footing.
I believe that there is an duty instilled in each of us by the current spiritual belief of out society. I believe we make determination based on the effects we could face in our hereafter. I believe we discern right and incorrect on the footing of what is right or incorrect to our philosophy. True moral issues, but for the most portion Don’t we judge thing based on what was instilled into us as kids? We were socialized to suit a form and our society even today is still tinged with spiritual attitudes and beliefs.
Harmonizing to Kohlberg phases of moral development, kids give the right reply to moral issues, but with different grounds as they progress.
1Preconventional Desire to Avoid penalty Avoidance of penalty and the superior power of authorization ; obeisance for its ain interest. Desire to obtain wages Serves ones ain demands and recognizes that other people have their involvements to ; conforms to obtain wages. Values the blessing of others and attempts to keep common relationships affecting trust, trueness, regard, and gratitude ; believes in the Golden Rule. 4 Respect for Authority Values society Torahs and attempts to continue them ; tyres to maintain the establishment traveling.
Post-Conventional Respect for the societal contract Beliefs in continuing the societal contract because it provides the greatest good for the greatest figure recognizes that a societal contract is an understanding between people that benefits the public public assistance.
Universal Ethical Rules
Personally committed to a set of self-chosen ethical rules, mot of which may be compatible with the Torahs of society. When Torahs conflict with ethical rules, the individual acts in conformity with his/her rules. Beginning: Based on L. Kohlberg Stage and Sequence: The Cognitive – Developmetal Approach to Socializtion in Handbood of Sociliztion Thoery and Research, 1969, edited by D.A. Goslin, Rand Mcnally, Chicago ; and L. Kohlberg, Moral Stages and Moralization ; in T. Lickons Ied. ) , Moral Development and Behavior. New Yord: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976. Now as I take this tabular array into consideration I see that kids are systematically respond in to the effects given to them by parents, schools, and so forth.
These thoughts are ingrained into us from birth, therefor they become a portion of us. Not merely do they go a portion of us, but the existent ground that they are of import gets lost and becomes a merely because ground. Possibly this is why it is so hard to explicate why a individual should be moral. Having said all of this, I believe that Aristotle’s thoughts were for the most portion correct.
His doctrine O morality being linked to the accomplishment of felicity does suit into my ideas on social casting. In our society, or any for that affair, there seems to be a design from which we set our ends and construction our lives. Bing healthy, affluent, and respected are a large portion of that design we in our religious order call the American Dream. Inherent to being respected is being known for making the right thing and doing the right determinations, and maintaining promises.
We do all desire to be happy but I say society has created those points which we see of import our out felicity. Would wealth be of import if there was no money with which to postulate? I think non, therefor I don’ t think ethical motives would be an of import ingredient to happiness if faith had non affected society. Through the ages the beliefs of the moral issues of the clip. Therefor, I think the thoughts we accrue throughout our life times refering what is right our incorrect are so past to our kids merely the same.
Why should I be moral? I strongly believe it is because society says so.
Bibliography
- Olen, Jeffrey. , Persons and Their World. McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1983
- Wallace, Patricia M. , Goldstein, Heffrey H. , Nathan, Peter E. , Introduction to Psychology.Brown Publishers, 1990.
