Morality
We need to wade through a mixture of taboos, trends, traditions, individual behavior, adhering to prevailing belief systems in a particular social milieu, character, conduct, self as well as social discipline, religious and social edicts, rules either mutually agreed to be followed or established as laws by some system of governance or authority and so on.
It is out of this mixture not a
compound that morality evolves.
'The Evolution of Morality' Matt
Ridley takes us through a brief journey but covering the entire breath and
complete depth of the topic starting from traditions leading to laws .
In my opinions all of these had
noble intention to ensure specific desirable behaviors in the interest of
smooth, peaceful, preferably conflict free social cohabitation and safety of
individuals.
No where in the world any single authority dictated either moral codes or its modern brother 'laws‘.
Though some groups may claim they
have a set of moral rules and that is the best for all to follow at all places
and all times. This is on the very face of it obviously absurd even to
child.
However, to ensure consistency for some practical convenience of deciding and giving reward and punishment, over a period of time, certain basic rules were adopted as the norm.
As economist Don Boudreaux says, " Law's expense is so vast, its nuances so many and rich, and its edges so frequently changing that the popular myth that law is that set of rules designed and enforced by the state becomes increasingly absured“.
On morality I read a research book by Dennis Krebs, The Origins of Morality: An Evolutionary Account but then it was as usual too much of dry academic theory, concepts churning based on previous similar works.
Then I made an assessment based on certain
studies that I had already made out of the works of some great souls and
found that yes indeed morality is purely situational and contextual
irrespective of all the religious and social edict to the contrary.
What is moral and what values? How are they going to
determine it?
The following link gives some brief slides
Worth listening talk Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong | Video on TED.com www.ted.com
In fact I remember reading a book some 30 years back by A.E.M. JOAD titled "That There is no such thing as Morality" and along with that BERTRAND RUSSEL'S "IN PRAISE OF IDLENESS" and when I wrote my book of slogans and sayings the first thing was "Nothing is a Taboo.
What is a taboo in one place at a particular time may be trend in some other place and at the same place some other time and what is a trend at one place at a particular time may be taboo in some other place and at the same place some other time.
We waste lot of our time and energy and life itself debating and declaring what is right and wrong.
Even terms like ALWAYS, is wrong, what is 'always' when life itself is temporary.
Morality is a tool used to judge people and their actions.
Too often we judge people and events based on our preconceived notions of right and wrong when they are purely relative.
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