Ethics and Morality: Understanding Moral Action
Unit 4: Practical Rationality: Ethics and Political Philosophy
Ethics
Morality and Ethics
Both terms refer to the character or mode of being that a person acquires throughout their life, through acts, habits, and customs, through which the individual develops their way of being. Moral and ethics are terms with different meanings in philosophy.
Moral refers to a way of behaving, regulated by norms and values present in the relations between individuals and society.
Morality is present at all times and in all societies, which establish moral values and norms that guide the conduct of individuals towards what is considered good and fair. Moral problems often arise, so there is a need for ethical reflection.
Ethics is the philosophical discipline that aims to make a critical reflection on morality in general, not specific cases. Its objectives are:
- Analyze the characteristics of moral behavior to distinguish it from other types of behavior (e.g., religious behavior).
- Study moral values (e.g., define what is good) and the standards that result from them, and questions like: Is it necessary that moral standards exist?
- Determine what constitutes moral responsibility. Moral conduct exists when one is responsible for their actions.
- Investigate whether human beings act freely, or if it is predetermined (Am I responsible for my actions if I could not choose between them?).
- Analyze why and what the scope of moral obligation is.
Aristotle emphasizes that moral knowledge is intended to achieve happiness. Kant says that practical reason reflects on the freedom to drive when heading toward the realization of human justice.
Moral Action
Animals follow their natural instincts to act, which are set by their genetic characteristics.
In humans, instinctive behavior does not have as much weight, allowing freedom to decide how to behave at all times. This freedom has two sides: it means that human beings have the ability to choose how to behave, and it puts you in a situation of insecurity. This freedom makes you accountable for your actions.
The free choice of each act allows human beings to model their way of being and behaving. With repetition of these acts, habits are acquired that predispose you to act a certain way. Thus, people become good or bad, just or unjust, and so on, depending on the acquired habits (if you lie once you are not a liar, but if you have that habit, you are).
Characteristics of Moral Action
- It is a uniquely human form of behavior.
- It is regulated by a system of principles, norms, and values.
- It occurs in society, in our relationship with others, since the rules and duties of conduct that uphold moral actions are intended to regulate relations between individuals so that everyone can achieve a good life.
- It can be valued or sanctioned by others in terms of objectively valid norms and values for all.
- The norms and values must be internalized by the individual at the time of action. It is, freely and consciously, abiding by them. So the moral is only human. Animals are satisfied with instinct.
Moral Conscience
The term conscience refers to the ability of the human being to realize something.
Conscience is defined as the ability of practical reason to capture the moral principles, which can distinguish between morally good and bad, and to make judgments about the morality of an act. It performs several functions:
Moral Values and Rules
Freedom makes us moral beings by nature; if we were not free, we could not speak of moral standards. It is present in all individuals.
At first, the child undergoes heteronomy. But little by little, awareness has to direct the conduct independently.
This process of internalization and development of standards is subjected to rational critical analysis in order to find its justification or legitimation.