Can you name some things that are habitual but not morally good necessarily?

Question

What makes something morally good?

Answer 1

For a society to call something morally good, it has to be something they actually APPROVE of, not just something that they DO. For example, someone may habitually lie or steal, or less seriously, they might habitually be late or messy or tactless, and these things are not taken to be morally good. On the other hand, societies might value things that people DON'T DO, but that they think they OUGHT to. For example, many people think that if you are given too much change, you should give it back, but most people do not do this.

Philosophers have come up with several theories of what makes something good:

Utilitarianism: something is good if it increases the pleasure and decreases the pain of the community.

Kantian ethics: something is good if it would be reasonable for EVERYONE to do it (for example, language is there for communication. If everyone lied all the time, language wouldn't serve its purpose. Hence, it is wrong to lie, even if not everyone is lying).

Deontology: things are inherently good or bad, and this has nothing to do with reason. A version of this is the view that what is good is whatever God commands.

Foucaultian ethics (although he himself refused to be categorised this way): living a beautiful life.

Answer 2

Habitual and not morally good? Smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, sex addictions, etc. As far as what makes something morally good...it all depends on the society you live in. What may be moral for some cultures may be immoral to others. A child is given wine in some countries in Europe and that is just fine to the people within the culture. Here in the U.S., that would be viewed as immoral (as well as illegal).

Answer 3

Be willing to accept a pattern change. Habits are like old worn out records, every word and dance has been learned and stored in that jukebox in the brain," How to operate this person",has been a norm among employers There are coin phrases that are seen and heard and they push those invisible buttons.

Answer 4

White lies might be an example.

Morals are individual and often driven by religious or cultural practices - though individuals in various groups or societies often agree on certain actions that are universally considered immoral within their group (such as murder, stealing, lying, etc.).

Answer 5

Mostly it depends on what you call (or how you define) 'morally good'. When you meet someone who is your enemy, is it morally better (socially) to smile and be polite (i.e. to lie) or is it better to just go for their throat? (less civilized, but -much- more honest)

Doug

Answer 6

In my case, smoking.

what shall do good to others, this world, nature, and all living beings, all such things could be termed morally good.