Discussion Do you believe morality actually exists? If yes or no - Why? Please elaborate and explain why as a comment?

[TheNihilisticViking]

Hey fellow SS users/peeps! I thought it might be a good idea to conduct a poll regarding whether morality actually exists or not, so here goes. If you answer either yes or no - Why? It would helpful if you could elaborate and explain why as a comment? Hearing other people's views is kinda helpful. Although, a comment is not necessarily required because it's just a poll. I realised that I posted this in the wrong section of the forum, so I've reposted it in the right section. Still kinda new to this forum, so still getting used to it, lol .

 

[MeltingBrain]

There are 3 categories human beings bin a social situation into Desirable, Undesirable, Neither .
eg. Most people would view:
1. Desirable action : Charity to the poor .
2. Undesirable action : Stealing
3. Neither desirable or Undesirable: Picking chocolate ice-cream over butterscotch

Morality defines what constitutes desirable or undesirable actions but is agnostic to "Neither desirable or Undesirable" actions . As long we keep binning actions into the first 2 categories morality will keep existing . We are hard wired to bin actions into these categories so morality will always exist .

 

[R.E.N.]

Morality cannot be objective as it is dependent on the holder's view of what is right or wrong. Morality stems from empathy mainly, and the level of empathy people have differ which creates inconsistencies whilst ignoring the plethora of other variables like culture and schooling. What you mean by exists I assume to be like it being akin to a science. Thus, it cannot be like that as taboos and the like are dynamic.

 

[Remeer]

assuming we talk about what is "right" or "wrong" in society or social group, it clearly exists and affects us directly
a proof that it exists? Well, this forum could be one, a site created to talk about an "immoral" topic
and the forum has its morals, its rules, in a certain sense contrary
Your topic is very interesting, I got confused with ethics
Now that I think about it, the laws could tell us what a country or sector considers moral

 

[Praestat_Mori]

Morality is invented by humans and it changed throughout the centuries. In the end it's the generally accepted definition of sth that is or is not accepted by the society.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'd say- it depends on how you define existence. I don't think it exists in the same way gravity exists. It isn't universal. It depends on what a person has been taught and how much empathy they have I expect.

So- I had a very strict upbringing. I was taught it was more moral to wait to have sex till after marriage. That's considered a very old fashioned idea now though. I don't necessarily think people who choose to have sex before marriage are immoral! Imagine if I did! I'd be appalled by the actions of the majority of people around me. For me- that idea has become a lifestyle choice. To my Grandma though- who originally raised me- she'd likely still see it as an 'immoral' act- if she were still alive. Our moral compass changes according to our surroundings quite often. We have such a strong desire to 'fit in'. Think about how many people do questionable things (for them) because they 'got in with the wrong crowd.'

So- I think morals exist in the same way that table manners do! We're taught to do something and we kind of decide on our way through life as to whether we want to obey or not.

When it comes down to the really big things though- say- murder or, hurting another person- perhaps that comes down to empathy. We may feel a natural kinship with our fellow being- which perhaps prevents us from acting 'immorally' towards them. Richard Dawkins talks about a natural altruism in our species- the tendancy to help one another in the hopes that that kindness is returned. The same can presumably be said of acting against someone and worrying about them retaliating.

Still- some people CHOOSE to hurt others- even though they know it's wrong. Not only have they abandoned any morals they may have been taught- they may also be lacking in empathy- in the case of sociopaths/ psychopaths.

So- I'd say perhaps empathy exists naturally. It has helped our species to work together- empathy is advantages to that. That perhaps lends itself to a certain degree of natural morality. On top of that though- we have plenty of manmade concepts that we either take up- or don't.

 

[lachrymost]

Not in some grand, objective sense independent of us, no. But I think if we agree that prioritizing human well-being or the well-being of sentient creatures is what morality is about, then things may be moral or immoral (or amoral) within that framework. But even then, we have to chose between different groups or individuals with conflicting interests, and different concepts of well-being itself and what is in our best interests, etc. I have just given up on trying to figure out morality tbh. And I gave it a really good shot because moral philosophy is a hyperfixation of mine.