The Origins and Developments of Moral Ideas

Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first person to write on moral values, but he did not put forward a theory explaining moral ideas in detail. Platonic theory -- theory of the stoics and the modern theory -- emerged with the development of education and free thinking. The early Greek scientist and evolutionist Democritus described morality as "concern for human welfare." The Epicureans believed that morality was anything that promoted peace in life; thus, the origins and developments of moral ideas come from various aspects of life.
  1. Family and Society

    • Family and society is the source of an individual's moral development and ideas. This is because personal moral ideals cannot arise above the society's collective morality; thus, a person has to behave in a manner that is acceptable to the majority and not to him. For example, many people in modern global society take cannibalism to be a serious crime and inhuman while it is an act of honor and source of wisdom amongst the tribes that practice cannibalism. Cannibalism is therefore an immoral act because many take it to be so.

    Religion

    • Religion influences a human's decisions by laying out a set of moral values that a believer must adhere to or face certain consequences. This causes individuals to work toward boosting their moral standards to avoid punishment. Religion also gives people a sense of belonging and promises that God rewards moral deeds. For example, Christians believe that leading a morally upright life entails obeying the Ten Commandments, which are the origin of moral ideas that help followers avoid immoral acts such adultery and murder.

    Utilitarianism and Politics

    • Social and human interests influence the creation of moral ideas through political processes like democracy and utilitarianism, which is the belief that something is moral if it is helpful to the majority of the people. For example, it is moral for a government to demolish buildings and compensate the owners to build a road. This is because a road can serve and contribute toward making more people happy. For example, with the newly built road, farmers have access to markets and city dwellers are able to get food easily and cheaply.

    Cultural Change

    • Cultural change leads to the creation and development of moral ideas. The hippie culture in the 1960s brought with it a set of moral ideas that were antiwar. The hippies showed their disinterest in materialism by wearing casual clothes and keeping long hair. The community accepted some of the moral ideas the hippie culture came up with -- as they left out others.

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