What is Morality?

[Exarch]

hmmm?

and why are certain acts considered amoral/immoral?

i've left the q deliberately vague to see what ppl think

[MaximiIian]

To me, morality is mostly relative to perspective. What is moral and ethic to me might not be so for someone else, and vice versa. I can respect this to certain limits; there are a few maxims that I hold to be pretty universal morals, like the ethic of reciprocity and the value of loyalty. Going out of your way to unnecessarily hurt someone is a dick move, for example; because you wouldn't want someone to do the same to you, now would you?

But, I'm admittedly selfish sometimes. My behaviour can and will change depending on the situation, even if my moral beliefs do not. Sometimes, my emotions override my beliefs; I think that is true of just about everyone.

[nopasties]

Morality is an unwritten or written consensus of prescriptive behavior.

[Lonck]

a tool to control

[Taxandrius]

subjective,
most of those 'morals' are instructed by religion and, since religion could not be proven on empiristic base, the value of those morals can't be proven on an empiristic way either, so their value is in doubt.

No, I'm not an amoralist, I'm just pushing the logic to it's limits

apart from the subjective nature of morals (they could be culture-tied), morals are the values we have to respect in order to make life in a society comfortable, 'cause let's face it: morality was the least of Tarzans problems...

[Habelo]

Everything the bible says is moral, everything that goes against what its priests saying is immoral. Pretty simple since they invented that word

[Da Skinna]

Morality is the natural basis for our instinctive beings to rationalize our self-preservation.

Morality starts with the idea that if it benefits us directly, it must be good. It if it helps our family, good. Our neighbours, friends, good. Morality works in concentric circles.

In times of war we see just how much of this morality people are willing to give up in order to survive.

[finsternis]

Morality is nothing but the common rules that all societies have.

[Da Skinna]

Sorry but I closed this thread.

[Claudius Gothicus]

Morality is acceptable, those behaviors considered acceptable by certain society during certain period of time. Morality is practical application of Ethics.

[Avendiel]

Morality is awesome, except when it isn't.

[Exarch]

very goood;
it's clear that morality is different to a lot of ppl and that all societies exercise some form of morality;

but what happens when your sense of morality collides with another society's sense of morality?

eg amongst the inuit it was considered customary even morally upright for the host to offer his wife to a travelling stranger seeking shelter for the night (to keep warm)

or the oft cited eg of Muslim women covering up to preserve their honour and exercise moral responsibility of preventing seduction of men

or the never ending debate on whether or not homosexuality is moral/amoral/immoral.....

[Claudius Gothicus]

very goood;
it's clear that morality is different to a lot of ppl and that all societies exercise some form of morality;

but what happens when your sense of morality collides with another society's sense of morality?

eg amongst the inuit it was considered customary even morally upright for the host to offer his wife to a travelling stranger seeking shelter for the night (to keep warm)

or the oft cited eg of Muslim women covering up to preserve their honour and exercise moral responsibility of preventing seduction of men

or the never ending debate on whether or not homosexuality is moral/amoral/immoral.....

Well moralities collides because ethics collide, so usually the most useful/stronger one triumphs, that's why the Spaniards imposed their customs over the natives sheer power and brute force plus a more advanced moral system...

[Exarch]

Well moralities collides because ethics collide, so usually the most useful/stronger one triumphs, that's why the Spaniards imposed their customs over the natives sheer power and brute force plus a more advanced moral system...

a controversial example but yes, you have a point that strength trumps anothers' sense of morality.
after all, the spaniards were no more moral than the aztecs in the sense of the copious rapine and pillaging and inquisitions against the natives

[edswarnok]

Morality is a perspective, an opinion of sorts. Morality is relative to the society and culture that you are in or grew up in. The definition is above but the meaning is as colorful as all the different cultures around the world.

[Claudius Gothicus]

a controversial example but yes, you have a point that strength trumps anothers' sense of morality.
after all, the spaniards were no more moral than the aztecs in the sense of the copious rapine and pillaging and inquisitions against the natives

Well yeah I put it in kind of extreme terms I'd be also useful not to forget missionaries work in other areas such as South America,those guys brought science, European knowledge and morality to aborigines through non violent conversion which is also valid. But for the most part my first example ruled in the Americas, sadly