Morality is one of the most enigmatic concepts to exist. It is not something artificial or apart from the problems of living, but it's something that grows out of the conditions of life itself. The origin and development of morality are closely connected with the general development of social life and social institutions. Morality, like all other aspects of human life, is found to have undergone a gradual process of development. It deals with the question of “What ought to be done?” Moral standards vary from traditional customs, followed by the partly conscious primitive man to the carefully reasoned theory of life of the most mature modern man. They have evolved over time and have adapted to the changing demand of our fast-paced contemporary world.
Courtesy: NPR
This dynamic and progressive nature of morality can be understood in light of the actual development of moral conduct and moral judgments. The moral standards of different social or cultural groups depend on the level of social development that the group has undergone. It is also influenced by the level of knowledge the person in question has been able to acquire.
Morality has changed and adapted itself as a result of changing conditions. The practices and beliefs of people have led to a transition in what morality entails. This transition is an ongoing one. It is safe to say that morality is a byproduct of social life. Just as social life keeps shifting and evolving, morality too will continue to change with time. While this means that morality keeps adapting itself, that does not necessarily imply that the previous moral questions or beliefs cease to exist. Such a primitive form of morality may or may not continue to be relevant in that social set-up, depending on the level of social and psychological development of the concerned individuals.
Even today, we find people living at different stages of moral evolution - primitive survival exists side by side with more advanced ethical conceptions. Humans still attempt to solve present problems with solutions that were satisfactory for solving similar problems under earlier and different conditions. But it is important to understand that these solutions either do not apply now or do not satisfy the moral consciousness of living men. Changing social needs is one of the core reasons for the development of morality. Clinging onto traditional moral standards that barely fulfill the purpose of our lives is undeniably futile. Thus, with a transition to different forms of living, newer lifestyles and more advanced social structures, the society acknowledges the need for further developments in morality and thus morality evolves.
Earlier customs and moral standards play an extremely important role in the evolution of morality into what it is today. It offers a source to understand morality from an impersonal and objective perspective. This further allows us to understand and develop our present ideas and practices.
Having established that morality does indeed have a dynamic and progressive nature, we can further understand what morality entails. Morality deals with 2 basic presuppositions: 1. Accept the good and 2. Avoid evil. These presuppositions are constantly reflected upon and questioned by moral philosophy or ethics. The usage of good or bad here is in a moral sense. A non-moral use of these words can be seen in aesthetics wherein good can be seen as something beautiful and bad as something non-beautiful.
Reiterating the fact that morality tells us “What ought to be done?”, we must note that it also tells us “What ought not to be done?”. For instance, if one were to find a lost bag on the road which contains valuable goods, the moral action would be to return the bag to the rightful owner. Keeping the bag with one’s self will be seen as dishonest. Now, honest people may also decide to keep themselves to overcome a financial crisis they may be in. A good person is not defined by one act but based on their general disposition. Such an instance urges us to reflect upon the role of morality in such an instance because being moral here might not be beneficial.
Reflecting upon the presumptions of morality is what ethics is about. The difference between the two words is subtle yet significant with one being conventionally given and the other as something rational.
There are 3 stages in the development of morality:-
The level of instinct
The level of custom
The level of Conscience
The Level of Instinct
The instinctive level of life manifests itself in the purest forms in the life of animals. Tendencies such as parental instincts are seen in animals just as much as they’re seen in humans. A tigress attacking when a threat is perceived for the cub, a monkey scratching or biting if they feel like their child is threatened, and so on. These acts cannot be regarded as right or wrong or even moral or immoral. The reason? These acts are done purely on an instinctive level because of the animal’s inability to think rationally. These are simply instinctive impulses. Such acts that elude moral righteousness can be seen as amoral or non-moral.
These values show a pattern of similarity with the customary morality of early human beings. Instinct-driven actions are also portrayed by human beings such as someone angry will view harm or revenge as the first course of action. Instincts may curb free will because the actors’ inner nature is influenced by external circumstances. One may feel constrained due to such overwhelming emotions as a result of which they fail to analyze the moral standing of their act.
Infants and younger children are excluded from the population which may be morally liable. That is to say that these individuals cannot think rationally and understand the consequences of their actions. Their actions too would be seen as amoral. As one grows up and progresses through various socialization forces, one discovers and then understands the importance that morality may hold in society. With this, they progress on to the next stage of morality which is the level of custom.
The Level of Custom
At this stage, one considers those forms of conduct to be right, which are approved by the standards or customary mode of behavior of the social group to which they belong. Traditions give rise to certain living standards or uniform ways of doing things called customs. These customs, which cater to the needs of the circumstances, are passed across generations and eventually become habits. At this level, a bad action is an action that is “not to be done” and a good action is “always done”. A difference may arise between the Customs that are practiced by the majority of the society and customs that are approved by the majority of the society. The reason for this is that the majority may see the better and still choose to follow the worse. What is “always done” is what ought to be done! The large amount of importance that the customary level places on the group or community over the individuals are a striking characteristic of this stage. A group becomes a moral unit and the wrong of one member is seen as a wrong done by the entire group and a wrong done to a member must be avenged by the entire group.
For instance, if a boy is repeatedly taught that he cannot wear pink, he grows to inculcate it as a custom. Doing the prohibited is punished and eventually one accepts the customs as rules which are not to be questioned. Herd instinct forms the basis of customary morality as one considers the customs of the group as self-evident and unquestionable. Acts like respecting others are seen as universally acceptable and acts like harassment are seen as universally prohibited.
Customary morality rejects free will because it does not incorporate the specific needs of individuals. Universality is applied to all acts, some of which may prove to be harmful in certain instances.
Superstitions such as the number 13 being unlucky or a black cat crossing your path as inauspicious are a product of such social developments. These customs are imposed on people in the form of societal pressure, the creation of taboos, physical injury, supernatural cursing, etc.
This stage feeds on herd mentality and conformity but it is extremely important to practice and question the kind of moral standards that are imposed on us. We must understand the rationale behind the same instead of following it blindly. This is essentially what the next stage talks about.
Courtesy: Vox
The Level of Conscience
Morality may be a social construct, but at the end of the day, its application is done by individual persons within that group. While our conscience tells us to follow the customs of the society we live in, at times it may indicate differently. The decision as to what one does is contingent on what one considers to be right and wrong. At the level of conscience, the moral authority is within the individual, an inner voice that directs them as to what is the proper thing to do.
Conscience is derived from our past experiences, memories, and teachings from an impressionable age. The rights and wrongs taught by social institutions are accepted at face value at a young age. Later in life, disobeying these teachings may give rise to a guilty conscience or regret. Thus we follow these so-called “rules” even in the absence of someone who watches over us. For instance, if we are taught to not hurt an animal, when we grow up, our conscience would ensure that we do not hurt any animals.
Reflection forms an important aspect of the individual’s conscience.
Reflective Morality
It is important that every human belief, proposition, idea, or understanding of reality be carefully examined and critically analyzed to ensure that it has its basis in truth. This does not suggest that customs and traditions be eliminated or thrown out, rather it should urge human beings to use reason to examine the basis and effectiveness of all moral teachings or rules, no matter how traditional or accepted they are. In other words, we as humans are required to reflect on our moral customs and traditions to determine whether they should be retained or eliminated.
People should not accept statements or propositions without proof or significant logical arguments. They should not accept model customs or traditions without first testing them against proof of reason. Reflective morality is seen when a person analyzes whatever moral teachings they get and then decides whether they shall be followed on not such as values like honesty, loyalty, etc. In a queerphobic society, an individual who rationally analyzes how these acts are causing harm and are discriminating against a certain group would practice reflective morality and see that act as immoral because a moral action shouldn't harm anyone.
When the circumstances evolve, individuals are bound to reflect upon the morality of customs of conscience. The target here isn't to do away with the customs altogether but to reflect upon them to understand their relevance and effectiveness.
Customary and Rational Morality
There is a difference between customary and rational morality. In the former, we merely follow what we observe. We see moral and immoral as what society defines them to be and what is collectively agreed upon by the social group. A social group is accepting of an individual who acts within the purview of what society sees as moral.
Reflective morality, however, focuses more on what the individual believes and tends to reflect/analyze what society defines as moral rather than unquestionably following them.
While free will is curbed and suppressed by customary morality, it is expressed in reflective morality as it offers scope for subjective interpretations. However, this individualistic and subjective approach may give rise to the development of unethical habits, narcissistic behavior, and complete disregard for social rules. Thus it is important to be mindful and careful while reflecting upon moral concepts.
Conclusion
Different levels of moral development may coexist in society. The level of customs is one of the most prevalent forms in today’s scenario. Morality constantly changes to meet the needs of the current circumstances. It is a social construct that also offers importance to individual conscience and reflection. It evolves from the level of instincts at the most primitive stage and eventually progresses to the level of conscience which is a more reformed, intrinsically driven stage. This evolution calls for a mindful evaluation of existing moral standards without which the relevance of morality becomes unfounded. Thus, morality continues to be dynamic and progressive in light of its constant adaptation to the needs of society and individuals.
By Shreya Mahajan
Shreya Mahajan is a third-year student of Philosophy at Hindu College, University of Delhi.
Sources
Lillie William, An Introduction To Ethics, Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 1st edition, 1967, New Delhi Rachel, J., The Elements of Moral Philosophy, McGraw- Hill,2003
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