What gives us morals?
- Thread starter retyopy
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Unlike animals, human brains have something called the frontal lobe. This is where our morals come from because it causes us to base our actions and opinions on our past knowledge and experiences. Without this part of our brains, we would live in a survival of the fittest society instead of one based on human rights.
They come form our evolved social traits. Every social animal devlops a way of coexisting in terms that favor the group--which in turn will favor the individual. We humans are not different.
Of course, there are always assholes, but they are always the minority.
That would be it, really.
Of course, there are always assholes, but they are always the minority.
That would be it, really.
Morals are behaviors that allow people to co-exist in relative harmony with the general population. An immoral person is someone who can't properly co-exist with the population, at least not for long periods, without being removed.
They come from years and years of social reform spanning the first man made fire to right now.
I win.
They come from years and years of social reform spanning the first man made fire to right now.
I win.
Personally I think society is sort of a balancing act between what benefits individuals and the species,and some morals were made in an attempt to stop individual desires from negatively affecting an entire population,and therefore the species. Others were made to make sure that the desires of society did not impose themselves on those individuals who sought to differ themselves from the rest of the species.
If this needs any clarification I will be happy to oblige.
If this needs any clarification I will be happy to oblige.
Although animals do not often have a frontal lobe, they do base their decisions off of past experiences. Blue Jays over time learn to hide their food in many spots, because they learn from other blue jays stealing all of their food at one time. Blue jays have also been studied to hide food once THEY start stealing from other blue jays, because they know that if they are stealing, other blue jays are capable of stealing as well.Filiecs said:
Human rights, all the way. Ever since I heard about John Locke and natural rights I have decided to take our natural rights into consideration every time I form an opinion.Ruwrak said:
I would never deny someone their rights because of an opinion and it maks me lose a tiny bit of hope whenever someone says that they would. I am very idealistic when it comes to rights, too.
Cynically, because quid pro quo is a winning strategy in long-running social games and any social animal that doesn't play that way loses to those who do.
Idealistically: empathy. Morality is derived from recognizing that others have worth as much as you do and that you are not the center of the universe.
Also, this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development
Idealistically: empathy. Morality is derived from recognizing that others have worth as much as you do and that you are not the center of the universe.
Also, this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development
OP, why are you trying to find a reason to murder your friend?retyopy said:
Of course the reason for morality is pragmatism. No one wants to deal with your shit if you're a prick. Altruism and a pleasant demeanor strengthen interpersonal relationships with those I provide benefits for, which provides indirect benefits for me over time as I exploit these relationships and as I am exploited in turn. These relationships form a sphere of protection for me and other inhabitants of the sphere.
The currency by which you deal with the group is trust. It's good not to murder or steal, because these acts make you unpredictable and dangerous to the group; you lose trust, and therefore influence and support. Inversely, you should help a friend in need, because this demonstrates compassion; you are a person who can be counted on to be good, thus if another person does good by you it won't be a wasted investment.
Human biology and social makeup reinforce this principle through emotions like love, friendship, and obligation. These emotions can mislead you into doing things that are against your own long term interests, but in general provide a good shorthand for the pragmatic choice. i.e. it feels good to make your friend laugh, AND THE REASON SECRETLY IS that it strengthens your bond and makes her more likely to help you if you need help or provide for your emotional bonding requirements as a human organism.
While bonding is typically enough to keep everyone in line when the group consists only of a tribe or kin group, where everyone can know everyone else personally, it can't be relied on for larger groups where familiarity between members is not guaranteed. This is the role of state, religious, and professional ethical codes. These codes provide a standard of behavior that their members are advertised to adhere to, to enable trust and a working relationship between strangers in the group.
You are now edified. You may now return to bonding with your friend to reduce the probability that she will murder you.
A mixture of genetics. A mixture of cultural influences. A mixture of influences from parents, and role models.
All of these mixed together can make a widely varied net that can be called the spectrum of morals. And we're all in there somewhere.
All of these mixed together can make a widely varied net that can be called the spectrum of morals. And we're all in there somewhere.
Morals exist because deep down - in parts that most people don't even want to acknowledge are there, everybody wants to be better than other people somehow.
Morals give people a reason to think they're better than other people in obscure ways that don't really matter.
The only reason anyone worries about moral standing is because he/she doesn't want to look bad.
I'd even go so far as to say that most normal people have no empathy. They're just really good at convincing themselves and others that they give a damn.
Morals give people a reason to think they're better than other people in obscure ways that don't really matter.
The only reason anyone worries about moral standing is because he/she doesn't want to look bad.
I'd even go so far as to say that most normal people have no empathy. They're just really good at convincing themselves and others that they give a damn.
while society creates the broader moral structures, our pearents effect our more personal morals.
for instance, society says murder is wrong and well go along with it, but our pearents may instill a belif that certian actions should be met with death and vice cersa.
for instance, society says murder is wrong and well go along with it, but our pearents may instill a belif that certian actions should be met with death and vice cersa.
hormones do not give you morals, they give you erections.floppylobster said:
society gives us morals.