Morality

Question 1

Define Morality

Answer 1

• A set of rules within a social system
• Guides and Regulates behaviour
• It is culturally and contextually influenced
• Helps judge the quality of people’s actions
• A code of conduct that helps society operate efficiently, for the benefit of its members, so that society survives

Question 2

What is a Moral Theory?

Answer 2

Something that tries to justify and explain moral codes within a social context
Closely aligned to ethics

Question 3

What is GroupThink?

Answer 3

Subsets of society creating their own moral framework
Gangs and close friends may subvert society’s moral code and have pacts and hidden goals
People validate codes, good or bad

Question 4

What does a good moral decision take into account?

Answer 4

All facts surrounding the situation
The interests of all affected parties
The moral principles involved
The impact of these principles on others

Question 5

How do you evaluate moral decision making?

Answer 5

Rational Intuition

• does it ‘make sense’ to people
• gut feeling in the social and cultural context

Can it be justified by independent reasoning
- system of ethics required to do this

Do moral rules have a coherent organisation and relationship

• primary ones that are at the heart of the system
• secondary ones that are related to the primary, but with more distinct and concrete implications
• can be difficult when there is a difference between the law and the intent

What are the consequences of the actions?
- decide whether the worse they are, the more immoral the act. Not always easy to tell.