What is morality?

Question

Do you think morality comes from religion? Do you think it comes from a social need? Or maybe both?

If it doesn't come from religion, then why is "sleeping around" something immoral? Then why is arguing with your parents something immoral? Or is it not?

I am not a religious person, I am just trying to define this word as more accurate as I can and understand what really is moral and what isn't

kool dude, there are religions that do not forbid sleeping around. Paganism forbids only what can harm others for example

Answer 1

Morality comes from social needs. Moral rules-of-thumb start out as mores which became etched into people's psyche through several generations of it being followed. In order to explain morality, one has scale down to a simple form of society and a simple social more and see how it can evolve and become into a morality rule.

Take a small ranching community in Northern California. It is not uncommon for cows from one ranch to go into another ranch when the fence between the two becomes broken due to wear or a storm. The basic rule-of-thumb is that the rancher with the bigger piece of land is responsible for building and upkeep the fence between the two ranches and that when a cow goes from one ranch to the other, the rancher that has the cow calls the rancher that owns the cow and the latter is responsible for picking up the stray cow in a timely manner and make a apologies. The grass that the cow eats while its in the the wrong ranch is forgiven.

This is the system that works best in this type of a society because it would be too difficult to asses an actual damage to the rancher that receives the stray cow and because it is understood that someday a cow from that farmer will end up on his neighbors property.

When a rancher does not pick up his cow in a timely manner, he is punished in several levels depending on the frequency and grievance of the infractions: 1) Gossip, which is furious in a small community of families ranching the same lands for several generations, 2) Leaving the stray cow in a difficult place for the rancher to retrieve it from, 3) for the most aggrevious violators, rustling the cow.

If this community continued to live in a similar manner for hundreds or thousands of years, it could be construed that it would be considered as immoral to not pick up one's stray cows in a timely manner as sleeping around is considered immoral today.

Sleeping around is considered immoral because for thousands of years it presented a real danger to the community. Before safe sex and medicines for STD's, sleeping around could put a whole population in risk of getting STD's. This was also a time before there were any medicines for STD's, so a person who slept around was putting the health of the community in jeopardy.

In today's society, the health risk has been lowered, but the social stigma has not. A promiscous person who follows safe sex and is tested regularly is less likely to contract an STD than an average person. It is a situation sociologists refer to as social lag, when society continues to act a certain way even though the reasoning behind it is no longer existant.

Answer 2

Morality is a code which tells you what's right and what's wrong, strictly speaking.

Now, there's relative morality, which depends what you do on the situation, and there's absolute morality, which says that whatever situation you do it in, it's wrong.

Religions mostly practice absolute morality, which is absurd and inflexible and not very suited for our purpose, which is why we have relative morality, which is more flexible and reflects our conscience more.

However, the real reason behind the invention of this sort of morality is population control- if everyone slept around, there'd be lots of bastards jumping about doing crime and whatnot. And since overpopulation is already a problem in most of the world you don't want too many kids. (Although if you're in america there's still quite some space left- I wouldn't mind a big house and a plot of land).

So yeah, it's religion trying to control the process of reproduction- but religion is OLD! GET RID OF IT. TAKE NO HEED.

So yeah, go and have sex all you want, just be careful you don't catch any STDs...

Answer 3

There are multiple levels of living and the patterns that produce the highest quality of life are labeled 'norms' or 'mores'. Those who live by the senses or by emotion cannot see anything higher than personal pursuit so to try and explain another level is considered to be 'schizophrenic'.

Marriage is an accepted norm because when two mature individuals committ in a long term relationship both are not living for self; they are living in respect and service to one another and in time, will unite their love and invest it in another little person. This lifestyle strengthens a society by creating a stable foundation for human emotion and expression. (Trust is not built by going in and out of relationships and in the end, wounded hearts become bitter and selfish, thus not contributing or caring for the good of society).
Sleeping around is immoral to the extent that it is not a standard that will strengthen or prolong a society. An act labeled 'immoral' is one that elevates ME at the expense of someone else. (That's why raping a woman is immoral to most. However for one who says there is NO morality, they then cannot judge someone who enjoys rape; there's no rules, remember?? )

There's a Higher Life and a lower life to live. Rather than use 'moral' or 'immoral' I prefer the term 'temporary' and 'abiding' when labeling behaviour. It's an act that is short term and serves self or long term and benefits those who are overlooked and forgotten.

Answer 4

Morality is a definite word which is a complete part of a religion.. Religion is what makes you moral until and unless u follow a religion which is more authentic and shows u the right path cant make u a moral person... NO religion allows you to sleep around and be disrespectful to ur elders not even parents ... "GIVe respect and take respect.....Religion teaches u to earn respect in the society as well as self respect for urself....Drinking bull s****ing is a bad habit which is prohibited in all religions but stilll ppl for their convinience have changed the rules ... and stopped banning which has to be banned............

Answer 5

It's basically your own values, what you think is right and wrong. Those are your morals. As for morality...I think it's just caring about other people and not wanting to put them through pain. It comes from empathy. I don't think sleeping around is immoral. We all have sexual needs, and it's not harming anyone, but a lot of people think it is. Those are their morals, I guess. Sorry I couldn't give you a better definition.

Answer 6

Morality is learned from your social environment and it varies by cultures, religions, ethnicities, and genders. It is a set of beliefs of what is right and wrong- as simply put as it can be.

Is there a basis of morality? Of course. Certain values of self respect, respect of others, are fairly universal (fairly) so sleeping around would definitely violate self respect and arguing with parents all the time would violate respect for others.

If everyone practiced a little self respect and respect for others we wouldn't need "morality" to govern our actions but sadly- we do. You can choose to accept or reject concepts of morality- but you need to do so understanding the consequences of your choices.

Answer 7

Morality is a "favourable" human behaviour which resulted from cultural evolution. Being moral in a social setup was beneficial to both the individual and the society (at that time). Its like alturism with a religious touch.

Answer 8

Morality is very subjective. Depends on 'where you're coming from' as they say now. Morality is a restriction placed on a person or a population to effect total control. It is not connected with social need. Social need is benefited by consideration, kindness, respect and consideration. These can all be evaluated. Morality cannot. It depends on from whom, or what the described 'morality' is designed and ordered by.

Answer 9

well there are two kinds of morality - the innate kind that we all have, and hte christian kind. the chritian kind says not to argue with your parents. but its not immoral, no. sleeping around... if eveyrone is aware tha tyoure oding it, and is ok with it, is not immortal.

basically the definition of morality is - not doing thing sthat will impede others from having a healthy existence. if you are doing things to hurt other peopel, it is immoral. but if you hurt no one ,it is not immortal. christians will disagree.

Answer 10

I think "morality" is someones perception of how people should behave. and everyone has different opinions on behavior, I think most people agree on basic morality-you know, like don't lie, steal, cheat, kill, etc., but alot of the other moral judgments are someones personal opinion. That's what I think.