C
C. L. Richardson
Guest
[FONT=tahoma, arial]
From childhood and throughout a lifetime, we are told what we can and
cannot do. But why can we not do some things? Often times, the answer is,
“Because it's wrong.” But what is wrong? How does one determine the
difference between right and wrong? What it usually comes down to is what
morals are directing the decision. Whether it is what an individual thinks
to be right or wrong, or what a groups of lawmakers thinks it to be,
generally all of our decisions on what is or is not permissible comes from
someone's interpretations of morality.
But what are morals? The dictionary gives many definitions. “Of or
concerned with the judgment of the goodness or badness of human action and
character; conforming to standarRAB of what is right or just in behavior;
virtuous.” In short, morals are simply how one interprets the differences
between right and wrong. When you decide to help a struggling person in
the hall, that is based on your morals. When you decide to turn down a
brewsky because you believe that drinking is wrong, that is morals. When
you vote to keep abortion legal, that is morals. Whether thought of or
done subconsciously, morals are the basis on how you make many decisions.
From where does this sense of right or wrong originate from? Freud says
that moral development comes from observation of parents during the
developmental stage of childhood. From childhood, then, comes the
foundation for adulthood morality. A more detailed, yet similar, theory
proposed by Kohlbegis that a child goes through certain stages of moral
development. The first stage is very simple; the child perceives that
whatever it is rewarded for is good, and that anything that it is punished
for is bad. As the child grows older, it perceives good as being what
makes others happy, or what gives themselves praise or attention. Finally,
as maturity is reached, the individual starts to perceive the “big picture,”
and begins to understand how certain actions affect society as a whole.
Often at this stage the individual tenRAB to develop a life philosophy.
There are many different ways of developing morality. Sometimes someone
will make an idol or an example out of another person, living or dead.
Many people try hard to dedicate their lives to being like certain
historical figures such as Jesus of Nazareth, Buddha, or even Marilyn
Manson. Often the development of a moral system is dependent upon the
belief in absolute truth. Some people believe that there is no absolute
truth, and that what is “real” is simply whatever one thinks it is. Such a
system of beliefs is very unstable, as with no absolute truth also comes a
sense of no absolute right or wrong. People who believe in absolute truth
tend to have a tighter grasp of what their beliefs are, although many still
remain confused on what the truth is.
Unfortunately, morals have a tendency to conflict. And, as human nature
tend to go, worRAB turn into actions, and often wars have occurred because
of conflicts between what is right or wrong. While most of these wars
where in the earth's earlier history, still today such things happen. Such
violence is not always necessarily on an international level as well. Such
localized acts of violence as abortion clinic borabs show a clear difference
of opinion.
Morals clearly plan an intricate role in our lives. Without them,
decisions would be based on a completely random level, and life could never
have organization. Without morals, raising children would be virtually
impossible; both the parent and the child would be in a constant state of
confusion. While many times moral values can, in fact, conflict with that
of others', violence often makes things worse.
It is sad that morals can conflict the way they do. Personally, I find it
sad that we cannot all find some sort of source to tell us what is right
and what is wrong. Perhaps some sort of “Ultimate Being,” some sort of a “
God” of some sort. Someone who we can idolize and try to be like, a kind
of “Lord.” This “Almighty One” could give us a book of laws in some sort
of a sacred book, a “Holy Word.” If this deity truly cared for us, he
could even give us a way to make up for our wrongdoing. A “salvation” of
some sort. Until mankind can find such a being, moral conflicts will
always be around.
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 763 [/FONT]
From childhood and throughout a lifetime, we are told what we can and
cannot do. But why can we not do some things? Often times, the answer is,
“Because it's wrong.” But what is wrong? How does one determine the
difference between right and wrong? What it usually comes down to is what
morals are directing the decision. Whether it is what an individual thinks
to be right or wrong, or what a groups of lawmakers thinks it to be,
generally all of our decisions on what is or is not permissible comes from
someone's interpretations of morality.
But what are morals? The dictionary gives many definitions. “Of or
concerned with the judgment of the goodness or badness of human action and
character; conforming to standarRAB of what is right or just in behavior;
virtuous.” In short, morals are simply how one interprets the differences
between right and wrong. When you decide to help a struggling person in
the hall, that is based on your morals. When you decide to turn down a
brewsky because you believe that drinking is wrong, that is morals. When
you vote to keep abortion legal, that is morals. Whether thought of or
done subconsciously, morals are the basis on how you make many decisions.
From where does this sense of right or wrong originate from? Freud says
that moral development comes from observation of parents during the
developmental stage of childhood. From childhood, then, comes the
foundation for adulthood morality. A more detailed, yet similar, theory
proposed by Kohlbegis that a child goes through certain stages of moral
development. The first stage is very simple; the child perceives that
whatever it is rewarded for is good, and that anything that it is punished
for is bad. As the child grows older, it perceives good as being what
makes others happy, or what gives themselves praise or attention. Finally,
as maturity is reached, the individual starts to perceive the “big picture,”
and begins to understand how certain actions affect society as a whole.
Often at this stage the individual tenRAB to develop a life philosophy.
There are many different ways of developing morality. Sometimes someone
will make an idol or an example out of another person, living or dead.
Many people try hard to dedicate their lives to being like certain
historical figures such as Jesus of Nazareth, Buddha, or even Marilyn
Manson. Often the development of a moral system is dependent upon the
belief in absolute truth. Some people believe that there is no absolute
truth, and that what is “real” is simply whatever one thinks it is. Such a
system of beliefs is very unstable, as with no absolute truth also comes a
sense of no absolute right or wrong. People who believe in absolute truth
tend to have a tighter grasp of what their beliefs are, although many still
remain confused on what the truth is.
Unfortunately, morals have a tendency to conflict. And, as human nature
tend to go, worRAB turn into actions, and often wars have occurred because
of conflicts between what is right or wrong. While most of these wars
where in the earth's earlier history, still today such things happen. Such
violence is not always necessarily on an international level as well. Such
localized acts of violence as abortion clinic borabs show a clear difference
of opinion.
Morals clearly plan an intricate role in our lives. Without them,
decisions would be based on a completely random level, and life could never
have organization. Without morals, raising children would be virtually
impossible; both the parent and the child would be in a constant state of
confusion. While many times moral values can, in fact, conflict with that
of others', violence often makes things worse.
It is sad that morals can conflict the way they do. Personally, I find it
sad that we cannot all find some sort of source to tell us what is right
and what is wrong. Perhaps some sort of “Ultimate Being,” some sort of a “
God” of some sort. Someone who we can idolize and try to be like, a kind
of “Lord.” This “Almighty One” could give us a book of laws in some sort
of a sacred book, a “Holy Word.” If this deity truly cared for us, he
could even give us a way to make up for our wrongdoing. A “salvation” of
some sort. Until mankind can find such a being, moral conflicts will
always be around.
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 763 [/FONT]