What are the hallmarks of morality? The concept of morality is a whole system of norms and rules that regulate human behavior, there is a moral interaction between individuals, according to the generally accepted system of values. Thanks to moral views, a person gets the opportunity to distinguish good from evil.
How is morality formed?
On what basis do we recognize morality? Morality affects all spheres of public life. The concept of morality makes it possible to reconcile personal interests with social ones. A person realizes the signs of morality in the course of the formation of a person in a society. First, the individual learns the norms of morality in the course of education, trying to do the right things, imitating older, more experienced people. Then, as they grow older, there is an understanding of their own actions in accordance with generally accepted judgments established in society.
Signs of morality
Morality as a way of active participation in social life has characteristic features. In total, there are three signs of morality:
- Universality - the requirements of the norms adopted insocial environment, the same for all its members.
- Voluntary nature - actions that correspond to moral behavior are not performed by individuals forcibly. In this case, upbringing, personal convictions, and conscience come into play. The voluntary performance of moral acts is influenced by public opinion.
- Comprehensive nature - morality affects any human activity. Moral deeds naturally manifest themselves in communication, creativity, social life, science, politics.
Functions of morality
On what basis do we recognize morality? Morality is primarily a way of flexible change in the behavior of individuals in the course of social life. This is its regulatory function. As society developed, many other solutions arose to stimulate the “correct” actions of people: administrative punishments, legal norms. However, morality remains a unique phenomenon to this day. Its manifestation does not require reinforcement from punitive bodies or special institutions. The regulation of morality is carried out due to the activation of neural connections that have been formed in the process of educating a person and correspond to the principles of behavior in society.
What is the hallmark of morality? Another of its functions is to evaluate the world in terms of humane behavior. To some extent, morality contributes to the development and creation of communities of individuals. The manifestation of the evaluative function makes a person analyze how the world around him is changing, independing on the commission of certain actions.
Another important function of morality is educational. Concentrating in itself the positive experience of previous eras, morality makes it the property of future generations. Thanks to this, the individual gets the opportunity to acquire the correct social orientation, which is not contrary to the public interest.
What science studies morality?
Signs of morality, its functions, development in society are studied by a specific branch of philosophy - ethics. This science explores the basis on which morality originated in a social environment, how it developed in a historical context.
The main ethical issues are:
- determining the meaning of life, the purpose of humanity and the role of each individual;
- relative nature of good and evil, their criteria in different historical eras;
- search for ways to implement justice in people's social lives.
In general, ethics should be understood as a set of moral principles that are generally accepted in a particular society or individual social groups. For example, they distinguish such a thing as professional ethics, which includes responsibility for certain activities.
How was morality formed in a historical context?
Throughout the existence of a civilized society, the signs of morality remained unchanged. This is the desire to commit moral deeds and abstinencefrom evil, caring for loved ones, striving to achieve the public good. There is a wide range of universal norms of behavior that operate regardless of the position of the individual in society, religious and national identity. However, some forms of morality have evolved over the course of the historical development of society:
- Taboo - severe restrictions that were imposed in certain social communities on the performance of specific actions. Violation of prohibitions was associated in the minds of individuals with a threat to personal safety from other people or supernatural forces. This phenomenon in certain cultures continues to this day.
- Customs are recurring norms of behavior that are maintained under the influence of public opinion. The need to perform numerous customs is especially great in traditional cultures, but is gradually disappearing into oblivion in highly developed countries.
- Moral rules are the ideals that govern the behavior of an individual. Unlike customs and taboos, they require a conscious choice from a person.
In conclusion
So we found out what is the hallmark of morality, answered other questions. Finally, it is worth noting that in a civilized society, morality is inextricably linked with the concept of law. Both systems impose on the individual the need to comply with certain standards of behavior, orient a person to maintain order.
