Justification of Moral Decisions - Essay Example

Are reason and emotion equally necessary in justifying moral decisions? One of the most common and important criteria of gaining knowledge is assessing the truth underlying the information. Knowledge is based on facts, concepts, principles, hypothesis, theories and laws. The theory of knowledge suggests four main ways of assessing the truth. Firstly, we may know something with confidence if we can trust the source of information. Some of the common cases where we may trust the information is when we read a text book or review a research study or even some times when we are witness to a certain event, that is, when we learn by personal experience. A second way of knowing is through personal experience or self-witnessing. The media sources like newspapers and television may or may not always be trustworthy. One needs to use his or her own discretion elaborately before trusting the information. Sometimes we may believe in a certain aspect merely by our personal inspiration or intuition. This is the third way of knowing. Some concepts and ideas take birth in our brains and remain there as a piece of knowledge gained. Sometimes we might just rely on a feeling and an inner guidance that may lead us to the truth or the right path. A fourth way of knowing is by using reason and careful analysis. This is a powerful approach where knowledge may be gained by critically and logically analyzing the other three cases. (“Measurement, Evaluation & Research: Ways of Knowing”, 2008) Now, when we look at all the ways of knowing, we may conclude that finally each of them is flawed. As far as the first way is concerned, the book or text might consist of misprints and errors. There may be some information, which might differ from one book to another. Personal experience or eye witnessing is also dependent upon optical illusion or error of vision. Personal inspiration or intuition might also become invalidated or reason might not support this personal opinion. Again, reason might be right to one but wrong to another. Hence this way of gaining knowledge is not a valid one. However, Kerlinger provides a different angle to validate the four different ways. The first case, that is gaining knowledge by reading signifies a group’s belief and can be taken as the truth. This is the process of tenacity where the knowledge is common to a certain group. (Kerlinger 1973) In the second case, the personal experience one gains is at least true to the person concerned. The third method may be justified on the basis of personal intuition. Such a way of knowing may be justified on the basis of individual belief and trust. The fourth way is knowing provides enough scope for self-correction and cross validation. Through the development of theories and laws we achieve our greatest goals of science. Thus, knowledge seems to provide scope for both emotions and logic or reason in different ways. (Kerlinger 1973) On one hand people rely on science and these same group at times might believe in what people say about history and literature. History and literature involves people’s personal opinions besides the true facts. Therefore, one can safely state that in the realm of knowledge, emotions and reason both play a crucial role. When we are on the verge of giving our judgments or taking any decision, knowledge is an important factor. Whether the stress is going to be given on knowledge or emotions is a matter to be considered especially when we are taking any moral decision. Thesis: While taking moral decisions, emotions and reason should play equal role and make almost same contribution in the assessment. Before coming to the core of the matter, we may need to consider the term “morality” a little more in depth. When it comes to morality the debatable issue might be concerning rationality versus emotion. Rationality is sometimes guided by reasons, which are often very individualistic in nature. This might not mean that reasoning is the most important guiding factor while taking decisions. For instance, Hitler did reason that the killing of the Jews was important, but can we label his actions as legal? We cannot, because our human side does not permit us. In this case it might seem that reason has failed in the face of feelings and emotions. However, any ordinary person can oppose the actions of Hitler with reasons based on human rights and criminal law. Hence, reasoning varies here from person to person. Again, what play in the backdrop is human emotions. Our hearts cry as we read about the ruthless massacre of during the Holocaust. So neither by pure reasoning, nor by pure emotions we may defy this on moral ground. Here we find a combination of both in order to convince the world. Another discrepancy arises due to the difference in orientation of people’s mind. Some people might be more inclined towards scientific reasoning while others towards emotions and sentiments. Yet, our instances from our daily life do prove that a proper balance is required. Rationality cannot exist without emotions and vice versa. Emotions play a major role in justifying a logical stand or position. This is more likely to be brought out when a debate occurs. It may often be explained as if there is hardly any place for emotions and it is all about flawless reasoning because one has to fight with the only tool, which is logic. Logical arguments are put forward and the participants are engrossed in a passionate yet systematic exchange of words and phrases, all to prove and reason out their respective stands. These reasons however need to be acceptable ones and the accompanied passion helps in projecting one’s arguments in order to invalidate the statements and reasons of the opponent. Group discussion, which is a crucial part of almost all the competitive examinations and job interviews, also requires emotion and reasoning abilities together. A person needs to have the fire in him to snatch the opportunity to speak else there is no credit in reciting the well-framed arguments in one’s mind. A participant needs to take over the microphone at the right hour. For this, impulse plays a great role. Impulse cannot be present without emotions. Hence in a debate or a group discussion, when one needs to prove a moral ground it is important to incorporate passion with logic. When judgment is passed in the court of law against a crime, we actually condemn the crime. Here hatred and condemnation by themselves are emotions. Why do we at all bring the case to the court? We could have overlooked it altogether. When a lawyer fights the case with evidence, witnesses and both legal and ethical arguments, his unpredictable face might not reveal much but if we consider the need for the case to be analyzed at all, we shall find a great scope for emotions. It is our passion to fight and avenge injustice and crime that urges us to look up to the court of law, the sharp reasoning of the lawyers and the ever-knowledgeable and reliable judge. A certain trust plays in the background that whatever the court decides shall be morally correct. It is pure emotions that drag the common people to the door of the law. In our daily life, we often need to make decisions based on moral grounds and such cases may often involve our most loved ones. We often need to fight back emotions wile taking a hard decision that seems morally and ethically right to us. For instance, a woman might decide to leave her husband’s place being disgusted with his behavior and treatment towards her. She might still love her husband profoundly but take a decision to satisfy her self-respect. What can we call this? A morally just decision based on emotional ground or a well thought rational step? It might depend on individual perspective to decide upon the justifiability of such an action. When we refer to the apparently impulsive decision taken by Nora Helmer in “A Doll’s House”, a Norwegian play written by Henrik Ibsen, we might fall in a dilemma to decide whether Nora did the right thing to leave her husband. If we try to sort this out with reason, it might first seem that it is impossible to do so. Only emotions can explain this. Sentiments, self respect and passion to leave independently might have guided her actions. Now, we might also try to use some reason. The story narrates that Nora’s husband is merely concerned with money while Nora is guided by passion and instinct. She is child like in her behavior and takes impulsive decisions based on her love. Reason tells us that she did the right thing because when two people are dire opposite in nature, it is most unlikely that they would be able to leave a happy life in future. Thus, whether guided by reason or by emotions, the reader might conclude that Nora’s decision was right at least for herself. This is also what the author has tried to reflect. (Ibsen, 1879) Similar to the above case, sometimes situations might arise when parents need to take firm stand against their children’s actions. When a child gets spoilt, it is important that the parents realize this at the right time and take strict measures to curb their wrong acts. This might lead to thrashing and keeping the child out of the house for a while. These could be punishments in case of severe cases. If guided by emotions and love, such actions might not appear morally right although logically punishments are meant for all crimes. Well, this step taken by the parents is justified even on emotional grounds. The parents might have thought of their child’s future and their love would not allow them to spoil it. They know that this strict action taken today shall prevent the child from further humiliation in the outside world. They need to make their child a good human being besides providing nourishment, care and love. The above cases prove that both rationality and emotions go hand in hand. It is almost impossible to discard one aspect while arriving at a morally and ethically right decision in our day-to-day life. (“Reason, Emotion and Moral Decisions”, 2008) More generally stating, a person exercises his rationality and reasoning only when emotions provoke him to do so. Again, mere outburst of emotions would be of little use if there were no systematic and logical approach to life. References: 1. Ibsen, H. (1879), “A Doll’s house”, available at: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext01/dlshs11h.htm (accessed on March 5, 2008) 2. Kerlinger, F.N. (1973) Foundations of behavioral research, Holt, Reinhart and Winston 3. “Measurement, Evaluation & Research: Ways of Knowing” (2008), available at: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/intro/wayknow.html (accessed on March 5, 2008) 4. “Reason, Emotion & Moral Decisions”, (2008), available at: http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=5989 (accessed on March 5, 2008) Read More