The Three Determinants Of Morality

What is it that is stopping people from all of the horrible things in the world? What is preventing humans from stealing cars and performing murder? Some may say it just isn’t the right thing to do, you just shouldn’t. But why? What is the logic behind that. This is where the idea of morality becomes involved. There are three reasons why people are moral. The sociology, psychology, and theology behind it is the reason for what makes people want to behave in a moral way. For the most part, humans are taught not to do certain things, for example, most of the time children are taught not to hurt their sibling. However, this presents many problems. Why shouldn’t they? Why isn’t it moral? Why is it considered bad to not be moral? The answer …show more content…
As well as the idea that this is a theme that has been present and debated for years by many different philosophers. The Merriam Webster Dictionary describes the word moral as, “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” This definition makes things very relative, depending on who you ask and their personal ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ behaviors. A great philosopher named Thomas Hobbes described this further, “Hobbes assumed that “good” and “bad” are what we call the things that we like or dislike. Thus, when you and I like different things, we regard different things as good or bad” (Rachels, Stuart). Although there may be different variations in humans likes and dislike, Hobbes stated that for the most part humans are all alike. Therefore, insinuating that morality is based off of what people like and don’t like, and that is all similar. Another idea is presented by a philosopher named David Hume, “He believed that we also have “social sentiments”—feelings that connect us with other people and make us care about them. That is why, Hume says, we measure right and wrong by “the true interests of mankind” (Rachels, Stuart). From this is where the Utilitarianist way of thinking came from. This is where humans always try to provide the greatest possible benefits for everyone involved in a situation. Although these ideas of Hobbes and Hume are slightly …show more content…
Morality is behaving in a good or right way. Humans should be moral due to their sociological, psychological, and theological ideas that affect how they behave and is what allows them to thrive as a species and as an individual. When a person acts in a moral way, it benefits themselves and their societies through their survival, happiness, consciousness, reputation, and afterlives. Thus, when humans behave in an immoral way it decreases the overall effect that being moral deals with. This is why the immoral behavior is punished, as a way to help society and the ways it interacts with each other. So, what is stopping you? The way you have evolved, your brain, your conscious, and society is stopping you. After all, why would you want to do something immoral if you know the benefits that come with being