Introduction to Morality

As children, we were taught what is right and wrong, and good and bad about human
life. However, can we distinguish what is morally right from what is not? Science is
based on facts, but morality is according to one's values and understanding of things
and actions. While science is objective, morality is subjective. Living through values is a
perpetual part of our lives. For instance, morality is when we assess a particular action
as right or wrong, a person as good or bad, cruel or kind, and just or unjust; this is the
foundation of experience values. What we think and do as we experience them is the
primary concern of ethics.

The majority of us experience two contradicting feelings and share them with others in
life. One is based on our decision and judgment based on our moral values. The other
feeling comes from experiencing getting another person's advice on what should be
done in a situation. This advice is usually given based on the morals of the advice-giver.
With this context, we can say that no one person is a moral expert. For instance, some
believe that legalizing abortion is beneficial to society as it allows women to be more
active and helpful participants in society. Others believe that legalizing abortion limits
the benefits society will get from the next generation. Both arguments are based on the
moral principle of doing good to society. Both choices also make people uncomfortable
because it undermines certain morals.

Making moral choices are easier when we share the same morals as the people who
advise us. In reality, making decisions is challenging because different persons will
have different morals—making decisions becomes complicated when faced with a
dilemma.

Morality and Law

Occasionally, we associate something immoral as illegal, but what is the difference

between morality and law? Law is the set of rules created by state institutions, which
makes law the state's authority. Law has sanctions recognized by the state and
enforced by authorized state bodies. We may distinguish between morality and laws in
terms of sanctions, deliberation, and extent of implementation.

Law
 1. Law regulates and controls external human conduct. It is not concerned with
inner motives. A person may have an evil intention in his or her mind, but the law
does not care about it.
2. Law is universal in a particular society. All individuals are equally subjected to it.
It does not change from man to man.
3. Political laws are precise and definite because a regular organ that formulates
the law exists in every state.
4. Law is framed and enforced by a determinate political authority. It enjoys the
sanction of the state. A punishment generally follows the disobedience of the law.
5. Law falls within the purview of a subject known as jurisprudence.
Morality

1. Morality regulates and controls the inner motives and external actions. It is
concerned with the whole life of a man. Thus, the law's scope is limited
compared with morality because the law is only concerned with external actions
and does not take into its fold the inner motives. Morality condemns a person if
he or she has evil intentions; laws are not applicable unless these intentions
manifest externally.
2. Morality is variable. It changes from man to man and from age to age. Every man
has his moral principles.
3. Moral laws lack precision and definiteness because no authority makes and
enforces them.
4. Morality is neither framed nor enforced by any political authority. The state does
not support moral values. Breaching moral principles is not accompanied by
punishment. The only check against the breach of morality is social
condemnation or individual conscience. Moral actions are a matter of choice of
an individual's inner conscience; laws are a matter of compulsion.
5. Morality is studied under a separate branch of knowledge known as ethics.
Relationship Between Law and Morals

The impact of morality in a universal sense is also inherent in a wide range of various
laws. For instance, in the commercial world, laws criminalizing bribery and the
imposition of legal duties on company directors embody what would commonly be
considered the "right' or moral way to conduct business. However, the law is influenced
by a wide range of political, social, economic, and cultural factors, and the moral climate
of society is only one of these factors. In practice, many laws have a bureaucratic,
administrative, and technical function. They operate as an essential part of a complex
modern society and have little or no connection with morality. Moral values are not
static; they evolve. Laws may change as a consequence.

Morality and Religion

Exodus 20:13 stated that "Thou shalt not kill," one of the Ten Commandments in the
bible. If we can ground our morality to God, it can be objective; we can confidently
determine our moral obligations and rights. We can also answer why one ought to live
morally. In this sense, we will discuss two religious morality theories that will guide us in
determining the relationship between morality and religion and how it does not make
you a moral person. One of the religious morality theories is divine command theory
(DCT). DCT is a simple theory that our moral obligations are similar to our moral duties
and based on God's commandments. Thus, if God exists and issues a command, "thou
shalt not steal," then it is our moral duty not to steal, which will be the premise of our
morality. However, if God does not exist and does not issue this command, then it is
permissible. DCT also allows us to determine the overriding of the theory of other
motivations, such as self-interest and confidence. This theory emphasizes obedience
and submission to God. By contrast, Robert Adams (1999) believed that the actuality of
objective moral obligation is logical only if a personal God exists.

The next theory of religious morality is the natural law theory of morality (NLT). This
approach to morality does not reject that God issues commands; it takes morality to be
in God's creation of the universe and rational human beings. The impression is that the
universe is created by God while holding a natural tenacity. These purposes can be
determined by careful study through the use of our reason. From the knowledge of the
proper purposes of objects, one can identify the appropriate ways to interact with the
world and each other. The NLT simply bends the idea of an object's function to its
purpose, which further suggests how it is to be used.

Briefly, this approach to morality has the following three mechanisms:

1. God created the universe, including human beings and other objects, with
purposes.
2. The purpose of objects in the world can be discerned using natural reason. God
endowed humans with a capacity for natural reason.
3. The purpose for which God created an object determines its proper use.
Religious Morality

Relating our moral obligation and duties to religion and God brings about the action we
ought to perform and its governing action. Although our moral responsibility is
independent of our religious beliefs, we can still insist that religious faith significantly
contributes to our moral values and how we live our moral life. In other words, religious
practices might support our moral life in self-governing ways of defining how we ought
to live and act. A good example is that we fear divine punishment, which motivates us to
do what is right. One's reason for not committing murder is because they fear hell.
However, morality is doing the right thing for the right reason, and that fear is not the
right reason to do the right thing. Thus, such an action is not truly a moral action or does
not make you a moral person.

Moral Standard Vs. Nonmoral Standard

Different societies must have different beliefs and norms that are influenced by culture.
Therefore, values have implications for the moral standards of a particular community.
For instance, divorce is significantly allowed in Western countries; in the Philippines, it is
not acceptable. Another example is how Muslims dress compared with people of other
religions. Some cultures do not dictate how women should dress. On the other hand,
Muslim women wear a hijab (head covering) as part of their culture and norms. Hence,
different cultures and norms mean varying moral standards. Looking at differences of
moral values among cultures is how moral and nonmoral standards are differentiated.

Moral Standards and Its Characteristics

Moral standards are norms that are universally shared. Moral standards emphasize that
right decisions are those that contribute to the well-being and welfare of humans,
animals, and the environment. Moral standards guide us on what ought to be done in
terms of a human's obligations and rights. To some extent, many scholars argued that
moral standards are a combination of norms and values. Norms are rules about our
actions and behavior. For instance, telling lies is wrong. Meanwhile, values are said to
be a statement of what is right or necessary or not. For example, during an exam, we
may say that cheating is wrong.

Five Characteristics of Moral Standard:

1. Moral standards include substantial injuries or benefits whether humans, the

environment, or animals.
2. Moral standards are not set and may be changed by authoritarian bodies or
individuals.
3. Moral standards are favored over other values and consider even self-interest.
4. Moral standards are based on impartial considerations.
5. Moral standards are associated with particular emotions such as guilt and
shame, good or bad, and right or wrong.
Nonmoral Standards

Nonmoral standards are typically based on taste, choice, and preferences. For instance,
it is a moral standard that honesty is a good policy, but some cultures think it is
disrespectful to be brutally frank. Other examples include how we judge manners as
good or bad in the standard of etiquette, how we judge legal from illegal based on law,
and how we regard art as good or garbage in terms of aesthetics. The violation of these
standards does not harm the well-being of humans.

Differences of Moral Standards from Nonmoral Standards

Dilemmas

Do you remember a time when you had to choose with each option being hostile?
Perhaps you lied, and you were faced with revealing the truth or getting penalized for
lying. This circumstance is called a dilemma, a situation where you are being
challenged for an agreeable solution. The dilemma has three types that are still present
today; these are classical, ethical, and moral dilemmas.

Classical Dilemma – It is a choice between two or more alternatives in which the

outcomes are equally undesirable or favorable. The dilemma does not typically involve
a moral or ethical crisis, but the person or character's life may change due to their
decision. A classical dilemma is complicated because an individual will have to weigh
the outcomes of choices.

Examples of a Classical Dilemma:

1. choosing where to go for lunch on a first date

2. deciding which option to take between two job offers
Ethical Dilemma – This dilemma arises when an individual is involuntary in choosing
between two morally sound decisions. They may also struggle with the conventional
limitations of a commercial, a state agency, or the law. Several ethical dilemmas may
include the following: the truth versus being loyal to a friend, following the laws or rules
versus having sympathy for an individual's difficulty, and fears about a person versus
considerable influence on a community. Typically, an ethical dilemma arises when both
choices have advantages.

Examples of an Ethical Dilemma:

1. A secretary discovered that his boss embezzled money from the office. He must
decide whether he will turn him to the authorities or the owner of the company.
2. A doctor disapproves of giving a terminally ill patient morphine, but the nurse
suggests morphine because he sees the patient suffering.
Moral Dilemma – This dilemma is a choice where a person is torn between right or
wrong. A moral dilemma is where there is a conflict with a person's values and
principles. The person's choice may leave an individual to question their values, feel
guilty about their actions, and feel burdened or relieved. A moral dilemma forces a
person to act or decide which choice he/she can live with, but an outcome is seriously
unpleasant no matter what.

Examples of a Moral Dilemma:

1. A total of 11 passengers are on board a sinking ship, but only 10 lifeboats are
available. A decision must be made as to who will stay on the ship.
2. A train with broken breaks is fast approaching people on the tracks. On the left
side is a woman crossing with her children, while on the right side is an engineer
fixing the track. The train driver should decide on which side to divert the fast-
moving train.
3. A wife discovered that she is terminally ill; she wants her husband's help to end
her agony before her health deteriorates further.
A moral dilemma can also be present in several subject areas, such as legalizing or
decriminalizing marijuana, abortion, government spying, the death penalty, and the drug
war.

Three Levels of Moral Dilemmas

Individual Level – Dilemma is based on the individual perspective or moral values and
ethical standards of a person. It can be influenced by peer pressure, socioeconomic
status, and personal financial position.

Organization Level – Dilemma is based on the embedded ethical standards in terms of

policy and procedure and forms part of the organization's foundation. However, these
policies and procedures are derived from the system level or macro-perspective of
moral dilemmas.

Systemic Level – At this level or the macro-perspective, the ethical standards are
defined and influenced by the wide operating environment in which the organization
exists. Factors such as government policies, economic conditions, and societal attitudes
affect the organization's regulations, standards, and policies.