Is a person's morality innate or acquired?

Question

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please explain too!!! x]

Answer 1

Acquired

That's why morality differs from society to society, and through history.

Examples: It's no longer moral (in western society) to hang horse thieves, duel, attend gladiator fights to the death, have concubines, or to sanction prostitution (Like General Hooker did in the 1800's). Drug use, various forms of sexuality, marriage, cannabalism, religion, and many other forms that reflect morality also differ drastically from society to society, and through history. Mayans considered it moral to cut the heart out of sacrifices, Egyptians killed family pets and servants for company in the tomb, Romans used boys for entertainment, Greeks used phallic symbols as decorations routinely, and North American tribes shared their wives on cold nights. Look at the most recent - an entire society wanting to put an "immoral" school teacher to death for naming a stuffed bear incorrectly.

The reasons why morality APPEARS innate is that the same feelings and emotions universely affect morality. So there are similarities in the evolution of "moral" behavior because they respond to similar stimulus. But despite that, morality has proven to take significantly different guises depending on the community and environment. Most similarities really began to occur after the civilizations have met each other, and unified moral behavior out of necessity.

There's not a single behavior that has not been regarded as moral by at least one society, either historically and/or geographically. This would not be true if morals were innate to humanity.

Answer 2

I believe it is both.
Human beings have the capability of bestowing unbelievable acts of kindness and charity (ie: organ donation, life saving rescues, etc) . We also are capable of the basest and most horrific acts (see Hitler, Pol pot, Stalin) . I believe that most of us are born with some semblance of empathy...that allows us (often from a very young age) to "feel" the pain of others. Many primates also exhibit empathetic tendencies. Say for instance, that a group of people see a man severely beat another to near death. Now imagine its a puppy, or a small child.There seems to be a universal feeling we share (even across cultures) when we are witness to a base act. This feeling can vary from mere discomfort to repulsion depending on what we witness, but its the fact that we all agree that certain acts are "bad" that makes some say that morality must be innate. Societal, cultural and religious values also shape our belief systems, which goes to the acquired part of your question.

Answer 3

Both, morality on the whole is subjective another words what is moral for some may not be for others (naming a teddy bear muhammed), but it is also innate murder is pretty much a bad thing in most cultures as long as you are part of that culture (but murder during war is considered ok).

Answer 4

The morality of a person is basically innate. If one is not born with it, no acquisition of it , either due to schooling or training can last long in his/her life.However morality varies in degrees from one person to another, and shortfalls in morality , observed in childhood can be made good by training .
Human beings , I believe , have the sense of right and wrong, imbedded in their nature. A person may do all wrong things in his life but still the sense of doing wrong must have been born with him ;otherwise no bad teaching or bad company can lead him to the wrong path.Similar is the case with all good people, they understand the goodness taught to them comparing it with what they have within them .When a person is able to correlate the external morality(the teaching or training) with the internal morality(his innate nature) he makes a good person.
Thank you.

Answer 5

a little bit of both. Rules and boundaries.. the stuff of conscience.. can be instilled at an early age, but I think the greater part of it really is innate - our instincts as social animals.

Morality, said Nietzsche, is the herd instinct in the individual.

Answer 6

Just as there are natural laws, like gravity; there are laws that govern the spirit. Pain lets the body know that something is wrong. Conscience lets the spirit know that something has gone awry. Morality are the parameters that you acquire through interaction with existence so that the body and the spirit may survive. But like gravity, morality is one super natural law that is instituted in us when we are born and we learn to use it as we evolve. We must obey or we will destruct.

Answer 7

Acquired. A man raised in isolation would not be moral in any way. Humans acquire this concept of morality to better adapt to their surroundings.

Answer 8

most people are born with the potential to be part of a the moral majority- some are moral agents, and some are not, the ones who are not able to be moral agents are morally obligated to take care of the ones who cannot become moral agents due to disability of the mental, emotional or physical kind.

Answer 9

Like our other mental tenants morality is half nature half nurture.

Answer 10

well i would say innate