Preview

What Is Morality

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
435 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Is Morality
Definition essay: What is Morality?

I'll tell you that morality is probably one of the biggest, most confusing things to look at

when you need to write a paper about it. After some deliberation, I have concluded a few

things about morality and what it is.

Morality is one of those words that you don't hear very often, and use even less

frequently. It is perfectly described by Webster's Dictionary as a set of guidelines that govern a

person's actions. Without such a code, anarchy would rule supreme. Human beings are human

because we can limit ourselves and our behaviour. Moral values are a byproduct of a society

that must live together. Even though in Mother Nature the only restricting factor is that of

reproduction and supply of food, because our society groups together, (otherwise it probably

wouldn't be a society), it needs codes of conduct. We have established government, religion

and moral character to regulate this population. All are fairly organized, with moral character

being left entirely to the self, while with government or religion often times another person will

tell you what to do. Without self-limitation, the Jones's across the street would be hell to live

with. They would be insulting, perverse, lying and cheating neighbors. Morality, the set of rules

that limit excessiveness in our behavior, is the foundation of all government, religion. It

moderates our beliefs and laws; describes how one should act.

Moral rules, if you will, include several basic so called 'golden' rules: thou shalt not kill;

thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not commit adultery; etc. When people start losing some or all of

these moral rules, society falls apart. It has been proven, for example, by the Roman Empire.

Close to the end of Rome's "glorious" rule, they ruled most of the known world. Also, people

would have sex with any living thing that had a suitable opening. Human

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    A few thousand years ago, three sets of laws were composed that show remarkable similarities in their instructions on how to live a moral and righteous life. Although they were written hundreds of miles apart from each other, and in totally different cultures and civilizations, the Edicts of Ashoka, the Bible, and Hammurabi’s Code all elucidate the moral principles of self-control, justice, and abstention from harming living beings.…

    • 744 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In his essay, "The Golden Rule- One or Many, Gold or Glitter?" Jeffrey Wattles discusses the many carnations of the universal rule, "Do to others as you want others to do to you", and its influence on the way we live. This widespread advice from the Gods found in almost every religion is under scrutiny; "Is the rule golden? In other words, is it worthy to be cherished as a rule of living or even as the rule of living?"(Inquiry, p#237, paragraph 10)…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Having the right to make your own decisions is more than just a simple right. It means everything making your own decisions is what make you yourself. Without it there’s no freedom, you don’t get to be your independent self. Because everything you do is decided by someone else.…

    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Eth 316 Week 1 All Dqs

    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages

    .An example of morality and one of ethics would be homosexuality. My best friend from childhood is gay and I love him very much. My morality allows me to voice my thoughts on my feelings of his lifestyle. My Christian ethics has taught me the rules of conduct goes against everything about my friends lifestyle in regards to his sexuality. Although my ethics and morality goes against my friends lifestyle, I continue our friendship and I love him very much.…

    • 977 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Business Ethics Quiz 2

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages

    morality permits each of us a sphere in which to pursue our own plans and goals.…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    In our society there is a lot of tension revolving around concepts of morality. Constantly people are debating all over the world whether or not concepts like abortion, homosexuality, gambling, affairs, divorce, contraception, and premarital sex are morally acceptable or morally unacceptable. Right now there are even entire societies that believe the American way of life is morally unacceptable. In Moral Disagreement by Kwame Anthony Appiah, Appiah writes about differing values and morals around the world and within our society. He points out, “we aren’t the only people who have the concepts of right and wrong, good and bad; every society, it seems, has terms that correspond to these thin concepts” (658). However, these concepts…

    • 1440 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Final Exam Study guide

    • 2001 Words
    • 9 Pages

    - Norms that tell us what we Ought to do such as become educated, respect our elders, or obey the law.…

    • 2001 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Morality is a uniquely human characteristic. As it is something we have created but cannot touch. We can assume it is housed in the inner workings of our mind. Morality moves us to action, but we must first determine its origin. The mind has the…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Apol 104 Worldview

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Question of Morality is, what is right or wrong based upon God’s scripture in the biblical worldview? Psalm 4, tells us “lift up the light of your countenance upon us, Lord” implying that what is good and bad will be impressed upon us. Genesis 3, shares with us Adam’s poor moral behavior of eating the forbidden fruit.…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To be or not to be? Morality is something that leaves every human being with a concern with what's right or wrong. I think about my perception on the behavior that will follow my choices.…

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Supreme Moral Principle

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “The Golden Rule”, is it a universal rule or a rule to another hippie-saying? The Golden Rule is to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Before I read this piece of writing I was a strong believer of the Golden Rule, but as I read this section I slowly changed my outlook on life pertaining to the Golden Rule.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    There should be one moral code of conduct for everyone, young or old, religious or not.…

    • 608 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    morals I personally disagree with. There are alot of good morals to go by, then again, there are…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Personal Code of Ethics

    • 2388 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Morals, values, and ethics are one of the most important characteristics of a person. These features define who we are and what we believe in. Many different factors come in to play when determining a person`s morals, values, and ethics; childhood upbringing, later life experiences, family, friends, culture, religious beliefs, race, discussions with others, and many others that have an affect a person’s beliefs (Head, 2006). There are times when a person`s beliefs do not agree with someone else’s, which does not mean that one of these people is wrong, it means that we, as individuals, do not all think the same. As a whole, most people have a good sense of right and wrong, which is to say that for the most part most people have good morals, values, and ethics.…

    • 2388 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    All maxims or specific rules of conduct can be judged morally right or wrong according to the general criterion. If universal obedience to a proposed rule would contradict the very purpose of the rule, as is the case for rules that under certain circumstances permit lying, stealing or taking life, then the rule cannot be part of a true moral code. In contrast, a rule such as “Do not make false promises” can in principle be followed without exception and thus qualifies as a moral duty.…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics