Who knows, maybe you thought someone immoral minutes before reading this article and even shouted it directly in their face. It may be because according to your current worldview, the concept of morality is confined to certain rules. But think about it, were the rules that you define as morality ten, a hundred or even a thousand years ago, were accepted by people as the rules of morality?
These and countless other questions have been asked by people throughout history. This is the basis of moral philosophy. Because sometimes, let alone a different country, even the understanding of morality in villages next to each other can be different. Let’s take a closer look at what morality is, let’s see what philosophers think about it, and then let’s sit down and think; Are we also immoral or moral monuments?
Let’s start with a brief definition; What is morality?
The word moral is the plural form of the Arabic word hulk, which means temper and it means temperaments. In its most basic definition, morality is a set of unwritten rules that determine whether something is right or wrong. Morality, which we can define as a kind of principle and even as a judicial system, can be individual, but generally consists of rules accepted in a community.
So what good is morality?
The set of rules we call morality actually has two basic functions; one is regulating the individual’s own behavior, and the other is regulating the individual’s relations with society. If we look at it from a wider perspective, both functions are to ensure that individuals in the society live in harmony.
Of course, it is necessary to look at it from a different angle. Especially in some societies, the concept of morality may contain rules far from general acceptance, but it was accepted in that narrow society. The main reason for this is to restrict freedoms and create a culture of allegiance. We can often encounter such limited moral codes in religious communities with a small number of people.
Who is called immoral?
Some societies have implemented moral codes in their local laws, while others have remained purely cultural. However, committing murder, for example, is considered immoral in almost every society. Since some moral rules like this are valid all over the world, they find a response both culturally and legally, and it is clear that the person is immoral.
Of course, most of the moral rules do not contain legal regulations, and at this point the public conscience comes into play. The fact that the person does not comply with the moral rules of the community he is in results in the person being described as immoral by the society he is in.
Although immorality is a characterization made by the society in general, failure to comply with the rules set for oneself independently of the society may cause that person to describe himself/herself as immoral. So if doing something that is considered right by everyone feels wrong to you and you have done it, you can call yourself immoral.
Okay, but is there really an answer to the question of what morality is?
Good question, actually not. Because if you look at what we’ve been talking about since the beginning, moral rules can sometimes consist of rules set by a very, very narrow circle. For example, in a community that thinks whether a man wears shorts, you may be scorching in your hot pants in the summer just to not be immoral. Not to mention the female version of this.
In another community, you may be considered immoral just because you want to divorce your spouse, but for example, in some African tribes, even the father of the baby born is unknown and the whole village looks after that child in common. In other words, it is not possible to give a generally accepted answer to the question of what morality really is.
The most comprehensive morality is determined by the rules of religion:
When we say religion, don’t think of it only as monotheistic religions. Even religions that do not have any books or prophets actually set certain rules for those who believe in it. Because, in fact, the main purpose of the concept of religion is to optimize people and human relations. When we look at their definitions, we see that the concepts of religion and morality are almost the same.
Of course, moral rules based on religion are unfortunately an area open to abuse. Because these rules, which are said to be God’s command, can be changed by some charlatans. That is to say, an event or phenomenon that is not considered immoral in that religion can be explained in a completely different way by someone who thinks he is the leader of that religion. That is why it is extremely important for people to learn the religion they believe in.
Philosophers interested in moral philosophy have many different ideas about morality:
There are many different views in moral philosophy, the foundations of which were laid in the Ancient Greek period. For example, Plato says that the more suitable an action is with the idea of good, the better, and he says that this is the highest purpose of man. Aristotle says that in the journey to reach happiness, one should avoid extremes and be the middle traveler. Socrates, on the other hand, says that values and norms that exist independently of people should shape our behavior.
Baruch Spinoza divides the universe into macro and micro and says that good and evil are determined in the macro universe. According to Spinoza, man should not be a prisoner of his passions and should return to his macro nature. Immanuel Kant says that the goal of an action should not be happiness. According to Kant, actions are a duty and one’s duty also wants the good. In other words, if an action is done with a sense of duty, it is a moral action.
Henri Bergson says that people will grasp good and bad with their intuition and if they act accordingly, they will become moral. John Stuart Mill says that the only measure of good and bad is utility. According to Mill, a person should want everyone’s happiness in every action, not only for himself. Jeremy Bentham says that the best thing is pleasure and that one should pursue pleasure.
Conclusion: Are we immoral?
Maybe you are now, but you weren’t a hundred years ago, or you won’t be a hundred years from now. Maybe you are a total immoral person in the society you live in now, but when you enter another society, people will look at you as a moral monument. Who knows, maybe even this article is immoral in itself, we don’t know.
We tried to answer the question of what is morality, which people have questioned through moral philosophy throughout history, and we talked about the thoughts of philosophers on the subject. How is your relationship with morals? Check out the comments.
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