Morality

Moralites foundation is derived from what I believe are societies "tribes" as quoted in Robert Wrights Why Cant We All Just Get Along. These "tribes" make up the people we hang around the general setting of our upbringing. Morality comes from what we see, and what were taught from the people closest to us. Morality is what reveals the characteristics within us such as ethics, integrity, and honesty. These characteristics are taught upon us through our peers, and family. The way our parents teach us to be respectful and mind our elders as well as respecting those wiser. While some others may have a different upbringing where maybe they didnt always have anyone around to guide them and show them right from wrong so their path is guided based upon the enviornment they've adapted to. Everyone will have their different moralities integrated within them by their upbringing, but that doesn't mean those moralities cant change, even for the most holy of saints.

Where does our morality come from?

Our morality comes from our environment and how we were raised. We learned from our parents right from wrong as they did. Our environment also play a role in telling us that is right. In the reading from The Norton Reader, it gives examples of things that we would normally think would be considered "wrong". These examples include a brother and sister sleeping together, eating dog, and a woman cutting up the american flag and using the pieces as a rag to clean. The author, Steven Pinker, shows us how its hard to justify our reasonings behind why we view these acts wrong from a survey asked about the situations. When it came to the brother and sister the explains, "people raised the possibly of birth defects, but they were reminded that the couple were diligent about contraception. They suggest that the siblings will be emotionally hurt, but the story makes it clear that they weren't. They submit that the act would offend the community, but then recall that it was kept a secret." Later on in the survey the people couldn't answer why it was bad. Honestly I don't care if I can't come up with an answer that would be proved wrong like the answers in the survey, it is simply wrong to have sex with your sibling. With Ethos comes authority from others, we listen to our parents because we trust and respect them; we tend to listen to their rules. I grew up in a house where I always had to say yes ma'am no sir to not only my parents, but to others that were older to me. I continue to use abide by their rules, even when others tell me I don't need to say it. I think we use ethos when it comes to our morality, because we were taught by people we respect and find credible.

Are we instinctively moral?

Morality is something that we are all born with, but it is shaped to fit what our subordinates believe. When we are born, we are not all born believing and feeling what we feel now. Over the course of our lives, many different people have helped form morality and what we feel is right and wrong. In "why Can't We All Just Get Along? The Uncertain Biological Basis of Morality"it says "Many Muslims believe that no one—Muslim or otherwise—should be allowed to produce visual images of the Prophet Muhammad. Some Jews believe that Jews are God’s “chosen people” and that the Jews have a divine right to the land of Israel. Many American Christians believe that the Ten Commandments should be displayed in public buildings and that all Americans should pledge allegiance to “one nation under God.” this proves that we are not all born thinking one way, it is in the way we are raised that we discover our true morality. Instinct is of first nature while morality is second. we as humans have the unique ability to choose between instinct and morals. And that is why we are constantly battling the war of good and evil. As long as there is evil in the world, there will always be the need to over power it with good, and that is a moral decision. Another great point brought to attention is whether or not gay relations are moral or not, and this goes to show how morality is actually taught rather than instinctive. Christianity strictly believes that gay sex is wrong and will lead you to hell, while buddhists have a wider range of acceptance. Now this is where it gets sticky, because not all christians believe that gay sex is morally wrong. This is compassion shining through in the world. Morality is a fickle thing. While it is believed to be the one thing that sets humans apart from animals, we are actually a race that is unnecessarily cruel to one another. Morality is supposed to be what unites us as one, yet more often than not it is what sets us apart. Morality may be something that we are all born with, and it may be shaped and contorted to follow the beliefs of those around us, but we may always form our opinions based off of what we believe is right and wrong. Regardless of how it is obtained, morality is taught. Instinct may be what's keeping us alive, but morality is more or less what's keeping us alive, together. 

Where does our morality come from?

Morality is in every human being; it is what makes up capable of doing good or bad things. The definition of morality is the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. However, where we get our morality is different and what we believe to be moral can also differ from people to people. We get our sense of morality from many different things. In Robert Wright’s article “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? The Uncertain Biological Basis of Morality” he says we get our sense of morality from the “tribes” we are involved in. These tribes can consist of groups of religions, nations, and political parties. I tend to believe what is right or wrong and good or bad based on what I believe my religion says. Robert Wright uses the example of gay marriages, there are people in the world who says that they are for it and there are people who say they are against it. Joshua Greene says that we base our standings on these hard topics with our emotions. If we were all to think like a utilitarian, there would not be a problem. “Rather, the different tribes would argue about which moral arrangements would create the most happiness. Sure the arguments would get complicated, but at least they would rest ultimately on a single value everyone agrees is valuable: happiness.” This statement is easier said than done. What is being asked is for tribes to abandon their religious based values. This is not easy for many people considering that their morals have been drilled into them since they were kids. When I was young, I was rewarded for doing good things and punished for the bad things. For example, I was rewarded for sharing and punished for talking back to my mom. It is our nature to believe there is a wrong or right, good and bad.

Pathos

Good and evil can be defined in a plethora of ways. Good is defined as the moral, the charitable, the heroic, and the selfless. While evil is defined as the deviant, the criminal, the antagonist, and the immoral. In a sense all of us have good and evil and no one can be clearly labeled as good nor evil. Throughout life its in our nature to act out and go against the societys norms and sometimes society may label these things evil even though they might not understand the full perspective. In the podcast it describes Fritz Haber and his accomplishments throughout life and how he was both a hero to the world and also a murderer. His intention was to do something for the good of the world but in turn it harmed a great amount of people. His theory allowed people to harvest nitrogen from the air and turn it into bread. This process in turn harmed many people in return. So Good and Evil can be a balance between individuals and an imbalance.

Pathos

People argue back and forth over good and evil. First, one needs to recognize the difference between the two. To be good is to be desired or approved of whereas to be evil is to be immoral or malevolent. Personally, I believe everyone has a combination of both, based on the situation the person is in. Emotions can cause people to act a certain way as well. Through the use of pathos, I will explain how people possess the elements of goodness and evilness.

Fritz Haber started off working for the Chemistry Section in the Ministry of War for Germany. Haber, “The Father of Chemical Warfare”, took part in developing chlorine and other poisonous gases during World War I. Haber was also a part of the Degesch Corporation, which produced the hydrogen cyanide-based Zyklon B gas used to kill millions in gas chambers during World War II. To Fritz Haber and Nazis, this was important and necessary, but to others this was pure evil. This was considered good for the world and healing. On the other hand, the mass murder of people, no matter for what reason, is considered immoral to others, because one would feel emotionally moved by such an atrocity. During the circumstances of World War I and II, Fritz Haber was under the impression he was making good choices when in reality they were evil.

Later on in life, Fritz Haber went on to winning a Nobel Peace Prize for actually performing a deed for the greater good. Haber figured out a way to pull nitrogen out of the atmosphere, to make bread out of the air, and feed the world. In this circumstance, people were content with Fritz Haber, because he managed to save lives. Haber manage to save a countless amount of people, yet at the same time he managed to take part in killing a countless amount of people.

At the time Fritz Haber was being considered a life saver, he was also being considered a murder; he was good man and an evil man at the same time, due to different circumstances and emotions.

According to Hayao Miyazaki, “Evil is natural- it is innate in all humans.” Miyazaki feels the same as I do; people can be good just as easily as people can be evil, because it is natural, therefore one can be approved of and malevolent at the same time. Someones  character depends on the situation and the emotions at the time, “see the good in which that is evil, and the evil in which that is good.”