Morality
up:: Philosophy, Love, Ethics
related:: Immanuel Kant
Morality** (from Latin moralitas ‘manner, character, proper behavior’) is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal. Morality may also be specifically synonymous with “goodness” or “rightness”.
Moral philosophy includes meta-ethics, which studies abstract issues such as moral ontology and moral epistemology, and normative ethics, which studies more concrete systems of moral decision-making such as deontological ethics and consequentialism. An example of normative ethical philosophy is the Golden Rule, which states: “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.”Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any particular set of moral standards or principles.
Morality Vs Moral Philosophy(Ethics)
Morality and moral philosophy are closely related concepts that involve distinguishing between “good and bad” or “right and wrong.” While many people use the terms interchangeably, there are distinctions between them. Morality is often seen as personal and normative, reflecting an individual’s sense of right and wrong, while ethics typically refer to standards of “good and bad” established by a community or social setting. Morality is subjective and can be influenced by personal beliefs, family upbringing, and religious teachings. On the other hand, ethics are more relative to different communities and cultures, serving as guidelines for larger groups or societies.
Ethicists may use the terms morality and ethics to explain the differences between right and wrong, with ethics often being considered as a set of moral principles that are community-based rather than individual-based. While some scholars differentiate between morals and ethics, many definitions describe ethics as a system of values that are determined by a community, emphasizing that morals affect individuals while ethics guide entire communities.
In summary, morality is more personal and subjective, reflecting an individual’s beliefs about right and wrong, while ethics are broader principles that are community-based and culturally influenced.