Understanding Morality, Ethics, and Human Behavior

Posted on Jan 23, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

1. Moral and Ethical Foundations

Morality is part of everyday life for people and societies. Ethics, or moral thought, is the philosophical reflection on morality. Morality is expressed in everyday language, while ethics uses philosophical language and methods to clarify what morality is. This includes defining what is moral, its basis, and how it applies to life through ethical theories. Being moral involves developing a character that guides one’s life and responding to challenges with human dignity.

2. Morality, Politics, Law, and Religion

Humans need to learn how to live. We gain knowledge through various means: Morality shapes us personally and in relationships. Law and politics do so in the social and public spheres. Religion helps us feel connected with others and the world.

3. Key Aspects of Our Being

  • Freedom: The ability to create possibilities and choose wisely. It’s how we respond to what happens to us.
  • Mood: Our freedom is influenced by our mood, which is our fundamental sense of reality.
  • Character: How we face reality through habit.
  • Virtues: A willingness to do good, developed through practice.
  • Attitudes: Learned predispositions that guide our behavior in different situations.

4. Why Are We Moral Beings?

Reliance on the Logos: According to Aristotle, humans are moral beings because we have reason and language, allowing us to distinguish between good and bad, which is essential for living in society. Feelings as a Basis: Hume argued that feelings, specifically sympathy, are the basis of moral life. The Foundation is Freedom: Kant believed that morality requires the presupposition of free will.

5. What is an Ethical Theory?

The Aristotelian and the Hedonistic: These theories, originating in ancient Greece, propose that morality is the pursuit of happiness. The Kantian and Dialogic: These theories focus on the dignity of beings and the criteria for respecting that dignity.

6. What is Happiness?

Happiness is when one feels that everything is going according to their desires. Happiness and Pleasure: Pleasure is a sensible satisfaction, while happiness is self-made. Happiness and Well-being: They are not the same; well-being includes physical and psychological health. Three Models of Happiness:

  1. Achieving goals specific to a human (Aristotle).
  2. Being self-sufficient (Cynic ethics).
  3. Experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain (Epicurean hedonism and utilitarianism).