Definition of morality - Essay Example

Your Full Your The 15 January Definition of Morality Lots of scientific definitions are given to the word “morality” but, speaking in general, it is well formulated by Adam Smith: “[Rules of morality] are ultimately founded upon experience of what, in particular instances, our moral faculties, our natural sense of merit and property, approve, or disapprove of. We do not originally approve or condemn particular actions; because, upon examination, they appear to be agreeable or inconsistent with a certain general rule” (140).

Even though it is possible to find definitions of this word, far not always it helps to understand its meaning and to come up to a common conclusion. This is one of the most illusionary things because it differs a lot depending on society, culture, surrounding, religion and other factors. For instance, everyone would agree that killing someone has nothing to do with morality and such an act even contradicts it. Meanwhile, there are still countries where death penalty is a norm, where lapidation is implemented as a punishment and it is considered to be for sake of morality.

But isn’t it the same? It also kills people. So, who does have the right to decide whose death is good for morality and whose death is bad for that? The rate of death penalties has been growing in America during the last few decades. On one hand, it can be explained by the wish of the government to maintain justice and to prevent more crimes that may be committed. On the other hand, there is a question of morality because in such a case justice is ruled by the same principles that the crime itself.

According to this, there is a legalized murder that is supported by the laws and does not contradict moral principles. But looking for an explanation and investigating this question in more details, one more important fact should be arisen – motivation of people who support death penalty. Unfortunately, the truth is that the followers of this idea are “inspired” by appetite for revenge, not for justice. Also, religion should be addressed in the search for the right answer. It is wildly promulgated that murder is one of the greatest sins but very often religion supports politics better than own principles.

Basing on the abovementioned, morality becomes the matter of the political system. The more this question is discussed, the more contradictions are found that is why it is hard to disagree with Bucciarelli, Khemlani and Johnson-Laird about the fact that “the principle of moral inconsistency postulates that the beliefs underlying your moral evaluation are neither completing nor consistent” (137). As an example, personal goodness may grow into national yet if it does not grow beyond this limit, such nation is put into a danger.

It can be explained by the fact that such a nation is closed for negotiations what slows down its development. It should be mentioned that the term of morality is suffering a change depending on an epoch. Critical thinking, refusal of those norms that do not respond to the present time, restoring principles that were neglected is an endless process. Thus, special attention should be caught to the “primary source” because there are lots of proofs that people were trying to live using laws of morality from its very beginning.

The good point about development of morality is that people’s energy is concentrated more on collaboration than on distraction what gives a hope for further improvement of this principle. Additionally, a lot of attention is concentrated on human rights, even though this sphere requires considerable changes, there is an evident progress. All the forms of racism and racial discrimination are persecuted which is one of the ways in the fight for integration of morality in people’s lives. As there is no future without learning how to appreciate our past, there is no way to skip mankind’s history.

Searching for improvement of the world, it is important to start from yourself.Works CitedBucciarelli, Sangeet Khemlani, and P. N. Johnson-Laird. “The Psychology of Moral Reasoning”. Judgment and Decision Making 3.2, 2 Feb. 2008. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. 6th ed. Sao Paulo, 15 May 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.