Universal Moral Code?

heberlonghurst

What is morality, what is ethics? Is there such thing as a universal moral code?

There are many religions with very specific prohibitions, especially in terms of diet. But are there certain things that are right or wrong to all religions and cultures? If so, what are they?

Plato and Aristotle had one view of virtue (Courage, Justice, Prudence & Temperance). The Apostle Paul had another (Faith, Hope & Charity), Nietzsche was of the opinion that Christian morality is a "slave mentality" designed more to limit us than to liberate us. G.E. Moore felt like "good" was an essentially undefinable term. C.S. Lewis points out that despite considerable distinctions in the various religious traditions and cultures of the world they all praise honesty, certain limits on sexual behavior, respect for parents, love of God. Dostoyevsky implied that without religion, morality and ethics would disappear.

What are your opinions? Is there such a things as right and wrong? Can they be defended and argued fully without recurring to the (unprovable) belief in a supreme diety? Are they just social constructs? Or do they possess an ontological existance regardless of whether an individual accepts or recognizes them?

If there is no such thing as a Meta Ethics with its own separate ontological reality where do we get the idea that there really is such a things as right and wrong? If ethics and morality exist regardless of our recognition and/or acceptance where does it come from? Who is the author of this moral law?

A few podcasts on this subject:

http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/podcast-topics/#ethics

http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/05/12/part-1-of-episode-1-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/05/13/part-2-of-episode-1-the-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/12/06/episode-12-chuang-tzus-taoism-what-is-wisdom/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/07/16/episode-5-aristotle’s-nichomachean-ethics/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2011/07/11/episode-40-platos-republic-what-is-justice/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/09/18/episode-9-utilitarian-ethics-what-should-we-do/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/10/19/episode-10-kantian-ethics-what-should-we-do/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2009/11/10/episode-11-nietzsches-immoralism-what-is-ethics-anyway/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2011/10/29/episode-45-moral-sense-theory-hume-and-smith/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/03/26/episode-53-buddhism-and-naturalism-with-guest-owen-flanagan/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2010/09/10/episode-25-spinoza-on-human-nature/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2011/11/16/episode-46-plato-on-ethics-religion/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/06/20/episode-58-what-grounds-ethical-claims-moore-stevenson-macintyre/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2011/07/18/episode-41-pat-churchland-on-the-neurobiology-of-morality-plus-hume’s-ethics/
http://www.partiallyexaminedlife.com/2011/09/05/episode-42-feminists-on-human-nature-and-moral-psychology/

sanjoparolas

I don't have an answer but I like this topic. Lots of good stuff to think about. I'm a Golden Rule person myself (although I recognize that others may not always want to be treated as I would like to be treated; still, not being them and understanding their needs that's probably the best I can do). I think Experience is the author of any Moral Law. However, if my village was attacked by a group that wanted the resources we were making use of, I'm not sure how the Golden Rule or Experience or Morals would guide my response!

maab_connor

i think that morality and religion got tied together for a long time. mostly b/c the moral codes were written in holy texts. however, if you couldn't have one without the other, then there would be no moral athiests. and we all know that there are plenty. and in fact, some of the athiests i know are better ppl than some of the "religious" folks. and the flip side of that, of course, is that no one who is religious would ever do something bad... well all you need do is turn on the nightly news to know the falsehood of that. ppl kill each other in the name of the god-of-their-choosing every day. religious leaders are found to be embezzling, or screwing around on their spouse, or any other of a thousand things that their holy book's moral code says is wrong.

as a Pagan, i have the Rule of Three - whatever i put out into the universe will come back to me threefold. and that makes you think a lot about what you're putting out there. but this doesn't mean that you can't/shouldn't defend yourself/your home/ your family.

i think that my dad kind of enforced that ideal when he was raising us, he told us (about fights) "don't ever start anything, but make damn sure you finish it". it's kind of the southern version of "walk softly but carry a big stick".

basically, i think that everyone should raise their kids with one rule above all others. and that rule is: Don't be a d!ck. elegant in its simplicty, no?

sanjoparolas

As a parent of two young boys, I have to say . . . maab_connor's One Rule is super funny and it rings true!

heberlonghurst

Where does this idea come from that there really is such a thing as right and wrong? It cannot be observed empirically, nor do I think right and wrong can be substantiated fully scientifically. But somehow the idea of morality has stuck with us throughout the centuries. Where does this idea come from?

BlueJean4114

Some rules of behavior are almost innate,
seen even in toddlers and in animals.

some rules of behavior have links in our past, as survival mechanisms. We humans are the ONLY animal on earth,
that does NOT know when it is time to mate to produce offspring. No easily detectable scent changes, no bright red butts, no migrations to find others on that special day, nothing that is easily detectable.
Even most female humans are obivious to their own ovulation,
and males don't have a clue
whether the sex they had produced a child or not.

Humans do produce offpsring which are especially helpless,
and take decades to raise to maturity and independence.

Some suggest some of our mores' and morals and rules were born of the urge to provide our children with a better chance of survival, possibly providing survival of a family unit.

Other morals,
like don't steal,
and don't kill,
are necessary for survival of a cohesive group,
and thus, would promote our species survival as well. Humans in groups tend to fare much better than a lone human will, back in ancient times,
as well as today. We are pack animals.


Many 'moral rules' are NOT black and white.
Very very hard to come up with even one rule,
that can't be 'broken' or 'bent' in some extreme situation, like a "greater good" type scenario. Which are always fun to think about.


We often 'inherit' much of our morality from our parents and by the society we grow up in. Many of us, upon reaching adulthood, may decide some of our previous ideas on what is right and wrong,
are not based on anything rational.

Things which are seen as immoral in one society, or in one group,
or by a certain individual,
might be seen as moral by another.


It is a fun thing to discuss and mull over!!! I myself, a lifelong born-again atheist, follow my own inner moral code. I usually know what is right and wrong, very clearly, and very instantly, for most situations. for me, anyway.
And oh, if if if i waiver from my own inner moral code, OUCH! OH i feel remorse, and usually instantly.
but
I do NOT always know the right thing to do, not always. Many things i have to really think about to decide. some areas of life are in shades of grey, and i have to gather more info, to decide the best thing to do.

BlueJean4114

TO THE OP:
My vote is no, there is no universal moral code, which is unbreakable.
There can be scenarios
where doing what is right,
may require one break a rule that is otherwise seen as a good rule.