Morals

the Webster dictionary defines the word 'moral' as - of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.

So my question to everyone is are morals something you're born with that (the innate disposition to want to do what is right) or is this something that can be taught or passed down from one person to another?

Do you believe that most people have morals and are inclined to do good for and to one another? If so, where does this sense of a moral code or conduct come from? For instance what if you weren't raised to know or have a particular code of conduct. That you were free to act and do whatever you wanted regardless of it's consequences. Could you be taught to have them?

I'm more inclined to say that morals are something that is taught or a type of learned behavior that can be tweaked as time progresses or things change in ones life but I've met someone who's opinion is some what different. She thinks it's something we're born with and that we are unaware we have until something definitive happens where our human inclination towards each other forces us to make a judgment on individual decisions. At that time the urge to want to be of benefit to someone else makes us use our sense of morals.

What do you think?

Answer Question

SHARE THIS QUESTION:

Asked by Anonymous at 10:07 AM on Feb. 10, 2012 in Religion & Beliefs

Answers (11)

Some behavior is innate and instinctive, like a mother wanting to protect her offspring. The rest of what you refer to as "morals" are learned behaviors that advanced civilizations have in place to keep chaos and anarchy at bay and protect it's citizens for the "greater good" of that society.

Answer by mrsgino at 10:13 AM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 9574 Level 20

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I lean strongly to the learned behavior. If you look at most toddlers, morals are not on their agenda. Parents must instruct them not to hit, pull hair, to share, and to stop poking the family dog. Most of us are born with the ability to feel empathy and guilt (aka non-sociopaths), so parents have the role of associating morals to these feelings. We tell our kids we feel sad if they lie, we feel pain when they hit, we must punish when they do something wrong. Parents who fail to teach these things usually are raising little hellions.

Answer by anng.atlanta at 10:14 AM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 24320 Level 25 Religion & Beliefs Minor

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
It is taught
We are born with certain animal instincts,seek food,warmth
Ever see a family where the children are left to run wild? the kid's don't choose the moral path,nor the legal one. They choose to do what feels food,what is fun

Answer by butterflyblue19 at 10:15 AM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 252028 Level 47 Religion & Beliefs Minor

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I think there is some instinct, but it's mostly taught. Years ago I remember reading a study done on 18 month old children. One aspect that they did was a drop test. The tester would drop a set of keys in a manner that looked like an accident and the kids were all over each other trying to get to them first to pick them up and hand them back. Then the tester would just straight drop them on the floor on purpose and the kids would ignore them.

For the most part we (humans) want to do good and right. As parents we teach our kids and fine tune that want.

Answer by Rosehawk at 11:25 AM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 52658 Level 32 Religion & Beliefs 101

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Some is instinct, such as protecting one's children, most are learned which is why in so many cultures one thing can be seen as wrong while another is right and in a completely different culture the opposite is true.

Answer by KristiS11384 at 12:01 PM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 115872 Level 40 Religion & Beliefs Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Because I believe we have a soul, I believe we do have an inherent desire to be moral, to qualify thing as "right" or "wrong".
However, what's moral and what's not is something we are taught. If that was something we were born with, there wouldn't be so many differences in what individuals consider moral and immoral.

Sharon

Answer by momto2boys973 at 12:30 PM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 66420 Level 34 Religion & Beliefs Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Thank you both Rosehawk and Momto2boys973(Sharon), I enjoyed your answers.

Comment by Anonymous (original poster) at 12:36 PM on Feb. 10, 2012
I believe it is a mixture of nurture and nature. I think we are predisposed to care for others (humanity, I believe isn't just a reference to mankind, but an implication of the basic nature of man, if you get what I mean), which is where morality stems from, IMO. The cultivation of healthy relationships, and how to engage in those relationships (what is appropriate and what isn't), both in terms of family and community (on a local AND global scale), also helps to foster morality.

Answer by bandgeek521 at 12:46 PM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 167320 Level 43 Religion & Beliefs Degree

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I too, think it's both. While we may be more inclined to lean in one direction, good or bad-this is were leared behavior comes into play.
Society plays a huge part in what is considered "moral" or not.

Answer by sahmamax2 at 1:07 PM on Feb. 10, 2012
Credits: 58837 Level 33 Religion & Beliefs Major

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I think it's a combination of both. I think we have some sense of morality that's part of our genetic make-up, but most of it does require some direction from family and society.

Answer by jsbenkert at 2:37 PM on Feb. 11, 2012
Credits: 72243 Level 35 Religion & Beliefs Minor

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!