2007-10-18 08:17:34 · 7 answers · asked by minstrel 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
An obligation is a legal term. If we believe that God exists and that He has commanded us to be honest, then we have a legal obligation to obey that command or else renounce our belief in God. The penalty for failing that obligation is to live as a hypocrite.
Conscience is just a set of feelings and one cannot rationally have an obligation to a feeling.
" ... you as a decent human being feel is incumbent upon you to do." If we have to resort to the word "feel" instead of "reason", then there is no real obligation.
2007-10-19 23:37:36 · answer #1 · answered by Matthew T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's doing the right thing even if you don't want to.
Taking care of an elderly parent is a moral obligation.
Putting your kids before yourself is a moral obligation.
2007-10-18 15:21:44 · answer #2 · answered by MEL T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is something which no law or regulation requires you to do, but which you as a decent human being feel is incumbent upon you to do. For example, if your parents had been very kind to me in the past and you came to me poor and hungry and in trouble, I would feel a moral obligation to do all I could to help you myself, rather than direct you to the homeless centre down the road.
2007-10-18 15:39:23 · answer #3 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doing the right thing even if the truth hurts in some way.
2007-10-18 17:15:01 · answer #4 · answered by flint 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A duty which one owes, and which he ought to perform, but which he is not legally bound to fulfil.
2007-10-18 16:34:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
your conscience and whether or not oyu can live with yourself after you've done it or not as the case may be.
2007-10-18 15:20:57 · answer #6 · answered by dabdab1000000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's doing the right thing because you know it's right.
2007-10-18 16:53:58 · answer #7 · answered by gillm 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋