How do you determine what's moral and what's not?

Question

I guess i'm asking...

What's the determining factor for you in terms of morality and immorality?

Answer 1

I determine whats moral and what is a-moral by asking myself a few questions:How does it affect me, how does it affect my family and friends, and how does it affect society and nature?

Then I determine the best, safest, cheapest, and most convienient way to carry out my plans. Though someone may get hurt in the process, you can not please everyone.

Answer 2

I enjoy the sociobiological view, so my answer is mostly based on the "theory" of evolution. I'd just say there are some acts that have become intrinsicly negative to us as homo sapiens evolving from primapes, then for 3 million years going from wild creatures to actual societies. Generally, humans do not enjoy the sight of blood, mothers are not prone to leaving their children, and the crying of a baby is instinctively negative. Thats just some short examples, but based on this instinctive feelings I believe one can have a basic guideline to moral behavior. I'm reminded of that sweet little "March of the Penguins" movie when one penguin attempts to steal another egg, and the group all stops the thief. Even penguins can perform "moral" acts, though they are not necessarily labled as "moral" to penguins, just as orderly or instinctively the best way to keep the survival of the group, learned through years of trial and error. That's the biology side or the "nature" side one can say.

Humans, I believe, have one more element that animals do not have, and that is formal, labelled societies. Within a society a child will be taugh (the "nurture" side or morals) what is right and what is wrong be his/her parents, peers, maybe tv or books
(for many, in America, this is the Bible) or videogames or whatnot. What they are scolded for or rewarded for will re-enforce certain attitudes and thus in that way form their moral system. (With their nuerological system acting in conjunction, changing the shape of the nueral system to be more efficient with the actions that, and processes that, the child has learned or preforms).

So, basically, I take a nature and nurture stance. I say it is both biology, with its learned actions over millions of years of trail-and-error (evolution), and sociology, with a person's morals influenced by how they are raised. Personally, I just say, if it's intentionally going to hurt someone, don't do it.

Answer 3

You already have some fantastic answers here. I have to say that when determining morality, you have to look at what makes you and those around your comfortable, safe, natural. If things make you uncomfortable, feel unsafe.....or if the act is unnatural, it very well could be immoral.

It is so hard to determine what is immoral for one vs. another. Therefore, the determing factors for me have always dealt with my comfort and safety levels.

Answer 4

Moral laws/codes are as ambiguous as the number of religions, and societies that exist. That is why all of them need separate civil laws, and courts !
Since Moral and immoral things are not recognised by law, it has become a matter of personal choice, and so no universal standards available, to really decide.

Answer 5

if what u do harms other without a reason, then what u do is immoral...if ur actions bring them relief, comfort, help, then it.s moral- anyways these 2 terms are overrated and i.d personally go for: moral-what brings me energy, immoral- what makes me lose it, and the most moral is to make use of energy in a way that benefits everybody!

Answer 6

I don't think there is a single filter for morality. There is no genuine standard for morality - it varies from culture to culture and place to place. It also varies as we age, and as conditions alter. Is it immoral to steal to feed your starving children? Would it be immoral to allow your children to starve to death because you would not steal? Are there degrees of morality? Religious beliefs dictate that killing is wrong/immoral. Yet, the overwhelming majority of religions have waged war on (killed) those who do not believe similarly.

And of course, the discussion goes on, and one, and on...

Answer 7

what feels right and level to you.

Let me explain.

whats right to you is wrong to someone else, right ?
hence how much simpler to follow you heart and judge by that. Moral and immoral is all on a perspective and can never be resolved by anyone other than the one asking the question.

Read the Tao Te Ching...it explains very well.

Answer 8

If it's for selfish reasons is immoral. Like another person answered, we are all born with some sense of good and bad. Who do you want to please? Do you care if your actions hurt others? Who benefits? If you want to go deeper, find out what God says about that particular issue you are questioning and let your conscience dictate (follow your gut feeling).

Answer 9

Technically speaking you just asked a paradoxical question... nice one. Life here is mortal, but your soul where your perception spawns from is eternal. You can say we are all immortal, it's just the universe where in that dies from time to time, or just a perception switch with death being the change factor. The question itself is judged by a perons understanding of life, the universe, the god factor, and your own leap of faith bound answers. Ask a paradoxical question, get a paradoxical answer.

Answer 10

your beliefs determine your morality and immorality i suggest the holy bible