In this section, we will consider, so to speak, the "working tools" of the science of ethics. Since many aspects of ethical concepts have already been considered, it is now necessary to state them in the form of a certain system and give the missing characteristics of those concepts that have not yet received sufficiently clear definitions.
Above, we talked about the priority of moral activity. Now our task is to clarify what is the active side of morality, what are its "functional duties" or, simply speaking, moral functions.
1. regulatory function. The function of moral regulation of relationships between people is the main and decisive one. It covers the sphere of relations that is not regulated by law. and in this sense it complements law. However, such a definition will be incomplete and inaccurate if we do not take into account the fact that all legal norms also affirm justice, also serve the good or benefit of society and citizens, and therefore are unconditionally moral in nature.
The regulatory function is a continuous process of bringing the real behavior of individuals, service teams and state and public institutions in line with the moral norms in force in society. For these purposes, such "instruments" for regulating moral relations, such as moral and ethical principles, public opinion, moral authority, traditions, customs, commandments, habits. At the directly practical level, regulation is carried out through norms (simple norms of morality): norms-guidelines, norms-requirements, norms-prohibitions, norms-frames, restrictions, as well as norms-samples (etiquette norms). The regulatory function is the base function in the system of functions: all other functions - each in its own way - "serve" it to one degree or another.
2. Evaluative (axiological) function . As mentioned above, any act of morality (behavioral or spiritual) is determined by one or another system of values. Angled subject<морально - аморально» или «иравственно - безнравственно» являются поступки, отношения, намерения, мотивы, моральные возэрения, личностные качества и т.д.
Z. orienting function. Simple norms of morality are "simple" only in theory. In concrete reality, in practice, before making a moral judgment and implementing one or another norm in an act or behavior, one sometimes has to weigh a fairly significant number of circumstances, each of which can prompt us to apply different (sometimes even mutually exclusive) norms. Only a good knowledge of science, ethics, a high level of moral culture, which are the mechanism that can give us an accurate guide, can choose from a multitude of norms the only correct, fair one. It is they who are able to help us develop a system of moral priorities, which is a "compass" that allows us to identify the most moral line of behavior.
4. Motivational function . This function allows you to evaluate actions, ends and means in terms of the motivating intention. Motives or motivations can be moral and immoral, moral and immoral, noble and base, selfish and unselfish, etc.
5. Cognitive (informational) function - is aimed at acquiring ethical knowledge: principles, norms, codes, etc., which are a source of information about social moral penalties and systems of such values, starting points for moral choice in ordinary and extreme situations, in ordinary and conflict situations, which together help to formulate model of moral behavior.
b. educational function. Any system of education is, first of all, a system of moral education (a number of scientists believe that education is only moral education, everything else is just communication). Moral education brings moral norms, habits, customs, rights, generally recognized patterns of behavior into a certain conceptually organized system, translates moral knowledge into moral convictions of the individual, develops the ability to creatively interpret moral knowledge and beliefs in relation to specific situations.
7. communicative function. A special device is installed on ships, planes and other fast moving objects, which, upon receiving the appropriate request, responds with a signal, conditionally called "I am mine." Any system of moral values (including professional ones) has exactly the same ability, and only on the basis of this “signal” is service and any other interaction possible, the acquisition of<чувства локтя», поддержка и взаимовыручка. Конечно, в процессе служебной деятельности осознание сигнала «я свой» и действенная коммуникация на его основе осуществляется не только моральным его компонентом, но тем не менее он играет в этом процессе одну из главных ролей.
8. ideological function. The purpose of this function is to justify the morality of the political and economic goals and interests of a particular class, social stratum, group, social movement, etc. In this sense, it is called upon to morally consolidate a socially heterogeneous society. The morality of the ruling class or social group, as well as their goals and interests, is always presented by ideological means as the goals, interests and morality of the whole society. And while to a certain extent this morality meets the general interests, society perceives this circumstance positively. Otherwise, society consolidates around opposing moral, political and ideological values, where revolutionary morality begins to play a fundamental role, proclaiming the struggle to overthrow the existing political regime as the main moral goal.
9. World outlook function. In this regard, morality is considered as the moral foundations of the individual, the system of moral penalties developed by her, mediating all her political, religious, aesthetic, philosophical and other concerns. The ideological function is very close to the axiological function, with the only difference that in this case it covers the basic, so to speak, initial concepts and ideas of a person about the reality around him.
The most important moral values for a law enforcement officer are: love for the motherland, fidelity to the oath and chosen profession, official duty, moral integrity (unity of word and deed, beliefs and deeds), respect for honor and official dignity, justice, legality, incorruptibility and mutual assistance.
If we turn to moral consciousness, then the dominant role is played by moral principles. Expressing the requirements of morality in the most general form, they constitute the essence of moral relations and are the strategy of moral behavior. They differ in comparative stability and are concretized in moral norms. Their stability and viability are determined by the specific conditions of a certain social and professional environment of a particular historical era. Moral principles are perceived by moral consciousness as unconditional requirements, adherence to which is strictly mandatory in all life situations. This is their essential difference from moral norms, deviation from which in certain life situations is not only permissible, but sometimes necessary. Within the framework of the requirements for service in law enforcement agencies, the main principles of morality are: humanism, collectivism, justice, patriotism, conscientious attitude to work, critical self-assessment. Some of them should be considered in more detail.
Principle collectivism . This is one of the most important principles of not only professional, but also universal morality (the opposite principle is individualism). It is the most important essence of the relationship between the individual and society. Generally, all social and the professional interests of individuals are mediated by personal interest, with which they are closely intertwined, and it is usually almost impossible to break this connection. Stating this circumstance, the Scottish economist and philosopher of the 17th century. A. Smith developed the theory of "reasonable egoism", where he tried to find a reasonable balance between the public and private interests of individuals. However, both science and practice have clearly shown that it is impossible to find such a balance once and for all for all situations, and therefore two mutually exclusive, but rather abstract principles were approved in ethics: collectivism and individualism, where it was only about the priority of one or another principle.
As applied to the socio-political realities of our time, the principle of collectivism as a leading principle is inherent in socialist society, and the principle of individualism is inherent in bourgeois society. As for the law enforcement service environment, here the principle of collectivism is clearly strictly necessary for the successful organization of service activities, the only possible one for effective opposition to the criminal world. And although the interests of the members of the service team are always heterogeneous, the efficiency of the work of the team directly depends on the purposefulness and unity of its actions, and, therefore, first of all, on how the interests of the team are perceived by its members as priority compared to the personal interests of the people who form it. An English proverb says: "If you can't do what you like, let you like what you do." In the most literal sense, this also applies to the combination of personal and service interests: if you cannot reconcile personal interests with service interests, let service interests become your personal interest. Otherwise, you should leave law enforcement and law enforcement.
The principle of collectivism includes several particular principles.
1. Unity of purpose and will. A single goal unites people, organizes and directs their will. The goals of the work of the service team are determined both by the tasks that the management sets for the team, and by the awareness of the need for the requirements of everyday service. And if the first factor is mainly external, strictly imperative in nature, then the second factor is largely determined by the moral and psychological climate of the team and the moral education of its members. 2. Cooperation and mutual assistance. This is one of the most important conditions for the principle of collectivism. This side of collectivism is especially effective in the collectives of law enforcement agencies. “Die yourself, but save your comrade” is not a simple slogan, but the fundamental principle of official interaction in the bodies, which has been repeatedly confirmed in practice. However, this is combined with adherence to principles and has nothing in common with mutual responsibility, protection of unscrupulous workers, loafers, truants. Otherwise, there are grounds to talk about the moral deformation of the collective, about its “disease” and the need for its urgent “treatment”.
3. Democracy. Even in such strictly normatively organized structures as law enforcement agencies, there are many aspects of service that are determined by a collective decision. And the more cohesive and morally conscious one or another team, the more prerequisites arise for the management to delegate power in decision-making to the members of the service team themselves, to move from command-administrative relations to relations of business cooperation based on a common interest and common responsibility for the successful solution of official tasks.
4. Discipline. In a morally mature team, discipline is not a heavy burden, but a recognized necessity. The conscious fulfillment of disciplinary requirements ensures the required performance of official activities, and it is in such a team that any violation of discipline is perceived by its members as an obstacle, as an obstacle to the realization of common official goals and interests, and it is in such a team that the impact of its members on the “education” of the violator is more effective. the most severe disciplinary sanctions of the management.
principle of humanism. This moral principle in the ordinary sense means humanity, love for people, protection of human dignity, people's right to happiness and a full opportunity for self-development. Humanism is a requirement of the modern era, its leading principle, in particular penetrating all branches of law and defining all moral norms. With regard to law enforcement, humanism underlies the entire system of moral and legal relations between employees and law enforcement agencies and citizens.
The humanism of the content of law enforcement lies in its very essence, which is defined as ensuring social stability, protecting public order in the country, property, rights, freedoms. and legitimate interests of citizens, enterprises, organizations and institutions from criminal encroachments and other antisocial actions. Requirements of the principle of humanism are not only the essence of professional morality, but also the official duty, which obliges law enforcement officers to respond quickly and in a timely manner to all unworthy acts and, moreover, offenses. Failure to comply with these requirements is condemned both by law and and public opinion. Thus, the humanism of the activities of law enforcement agencies is manifested in the fact that it is aimed at combating evil and protecting the interests of the whole society and each individual separately from violations of law and morality, and thus provides conditions for happiness. and comprehensive development of man as the highest social value.
The humanism of the essence and goals of the activities of law enforcement agencies also determines such an aspect of the service of law enforcement agencies as the prevention of offenses and crimes. Using various means of warning and persuasion, law enforcement officials reveal to the population the humanistic, socially necessary content of the norms of our morality and law, the inadmissibility of immoral, antisocial, and even more so criminal behavior that causes enormous and irreparable damage to society, people and the violator himself, contribute to the awareness of each person of moral and legal responsibility for the immoral and illegal acts committed by him. If the measures of persuasion are insufficient, the state resorts to coercion. However, humanism is also manifested here: on the one hand, the vast majority of citizens are socially protected, and on the other hand, this stops those citizens who embark on the path of criminal acts and are not able to get off this path on their own.
The unity of the principles of justice and legality. The most important principle of professional morality of law enforcement officers is principle justice. Justice is not only a principle of morality. It covers almost all spheres of human activity and human relations, and above all law and politics. As a way of moral regulation, the principle of justice obliges to take into account all aspects of the activities of individuals, i.e. their social status, merits, age and physical capabilities, and to establish a correspondence between the practical activities of individuals and their social (and official) position, between the merits of people and their public recognition, between deeds and rewards, labor and remuneration, rights and obligations, crime and punishment, etc. Inconsistency in these relations is perceived as injustice. Employees of bodies with sufficient service experience are well aware that it is not punishment that is perceived by criminals as painful, but injustice (including direct deception as one of its types).
Justice regulates all spheres of social life, but it receives the most visible embodiment in the legal system, since it is precisely it that regulates the most important parts of social life 7 . Law plays a leading role in the suppression of various kinds of violations of justice: criminal enrichment, protectionism, undeserved privilege, etc. The principle of justice provides for the provision of social guarantees: health protection, the right to education, housing, old-age pensions and disability, etc. The correspondence between goals and the means necessary to achieve them is one of the most important manifestations of the principle of justice.
Sanctions provided for by legal acts act as the realization of the goals of law. Their use is always associated with the infringement of the interests of the individual, with the undergoing of certain deprivations, therefore, here the principle of justice must be observed especially clearly. The most important requirements of the principle of justice for sanctions are as follows:
Sanctions should only apply to those who actually broke the law;
Sanctions should ensure the restoration of violated rights after serving the sentence in full;
Between the sanctions that establish the measure of responsibility for various unlawful acts, certain proportions must be observed: more dangerous offenses must be punished more severely;
Courts should be able to impose individual punishment in the light of particular circumstances;
No one should be punished twice for the same offense.
All of the above principles for law enforcement officers are their professional requirement, their legal norm. In practice, these principles are concretized, acquiring in each team, in relation to the characteristics of the service of certain units, a specific character that has imperative significance for members of the service team.
"There is no person that would be like an island"
(John Donn)
Society consists of many individuals who are similar in many ways, but also extremely different in their aspirations and views on the world, experience and perception of reality. Morality is what unites us, these are the special rules adopted in the human community and defining a certain general view of the categories of such a plan as good and evil, right and wrong, good and bad.
Morality is defined as the norms of behavior in society, which have been formed over many centuries and serve for the correct development of a person in it. The term itself comes from the Latin word mores, which means the rules accepted in society.
Moral traits
Morality, which in many respects is decisive for the regulation of life in society, has several main features. So, its fundamental requirements for all members of society are the same, regardless of position. They operate even in those situations that are outside the area of responsibility of legal principles and apply to such areas of life as creativity, science, and production.
The norms of public morality, in other words, traditions, are significant in communication between specific individuals and groups of people, allow "to speak the same language." Legal principles are imposed on society, and their failure to comply carries consequences of varying severity. Traditions and moral norms are voluntary, each member of society agrees to them without coercion.
Types of moral standards
Over the centuries, various types have been adopted. So, in primitive society, such a principle as taboo was indisputable. People who were proclaimed as transmitting the will of the gods were strictly regulated as prohibited actions that could threaten the entire society. For their violation, the most severe punishment inevitably followed: death or exile, which in most cases was one and the same. The taboo is still preserved in many Here, as a norm of morality, the examples are as follows: one cannot be on the territory of the temple if a person does not belong to the clergy caste; You can't have children from your relatives.
Custom
The norm of morality is not only generally accepted, as a result of its conclusion by some top, it can also be a custom. It is a repetitive course of action, which is especially important in order to maintain a certain position in society. In Muslim countries, for example, it is traditions that are most honored than other moral norms. Customs based on religious beliefs in Central Asia can cost lives. For us, who are more accustomed to European culture, legislation is an analogue. It has the same effect on us as traditional morality has on Muslims. Examples in this case: a ban on drinking alcohol, closed clothing for women. For our Slavic-European society, the customs are: to bake pancakes for Maslenitsa, to celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree.
Among the moral norms, tradition is also distinguished - the order of actions and the way of behavior that persists for a long time, passed down from generation to generation. A kind of traditional moral standards, examples. In this case, these include: celebrating the New Year with a Christmas tree and gifts, maybe in a certain place, or going to the bathhouse on New Year's Eve.
moral rules
There are also moral rules - those norms of society that a person consciously determines for himself and adheres to this choice, deciding what is acceptable for him. For such a norm of morality, examples in this case are: to give way to pregnant and elderly people, to give a hand to a woman when leaving a transport, to open a door in front of a woman.
Functions of morality
One of the functions is evaluating. Morality considers the events and actions that take place in society in terms of their usefulness or danger for further development, and then issues its verdict. Various kinds of reality are evaluated in terms of good and evil, forming an environment in which each of its manifestations can be assessed both positively and negatively. With the help of this function, a person can understand his place in the world and form his position.
Equally important is the regulatory function. Morality actively influences the minds of people, often acting better than legal restrictions. From childhood, with the help of education, each member of society forms certain views on what can and cannot be done, and this helps him adjust his behavior in such a way that it is useful for himself and for development in general. Moral norms regulate both the internal views of a person, and hence his behavior, and the interaction between groups of people, allowing you to maintain a routine, stability and culture.
The educational function of morality is expressed in the fact that under its influence a person begins to focus not only on his own needs, but also on the needs of the people around him, society as a whole. The individual develops a consciousness of the value of needs and other members of society, which, in turn, leads to mutual respect. A person enjoys his freedom as long as it does not violate the freedom of other people. similar in different individuals, help them better understand each other and act harmoniously together, positively influencing the development of each of them.
Morality as a result of evolution
The basic moral principles of any time of the existence of society include the need to do good deeds and not cause harm to people, regardless of what position they occupy, what nationality they belong to, what religion they are.
The principles of norm and morality become necessary as soon as individuals enter into interaction. It was the emergence of society that created them. Biologists who focus on the study of evolution say that in nature there is also the principle of mutual utility, which in human society is realized through morality. All animals that live in society are forced to moderate their selfish needs in order to be more adapted to later life.
Many scientists consider morality as the result of the social evolution of human society, being the same natural manifestation. They say that many of the principles of norms and morality, which are fundamental, were formed with the help of natural selection, when only those individuals survived who could interact correctly with others. Thus, examples are given of parental love, which expresses the need to protect offspring from all external dangers in order to ensure the survival of the species, and the prohibition of incest, which protects the population from degeneration through the mixing of too similar genes, which leads to the appearance of weak children.
Humanism as the basic principle of morality
Humanism is the fundamental principle of the norm of public morality. It is understood as the belief that every person has the right to happiness and countless opportunities to realize this right, and that every society should be based on the idea that each of its participants has value and is worthy of protection and freedom. .
The main one can be expressed in the well-known rule: "treat others the way you want to be treated." The other person in this principle is seen as deserving the same benefits as any particular person.
Humanism assumes that society must guarantee basic human rights, such as the inviolability of home and correspondence, freedom of religion and choice of residence, and the prohibition of forced labor. Society must make efforts to support people who, for one reason or another, are limited in their abilities. The ability to accept such people distinguishes human society, which does not live according to the laws of nature with natural selection, dooming the insufficiently strong to death. Humanism also creates opportunities for human happiness, the peak of which is the realization of one's knowledge and skills.
Humanism as a source of universal norms of morality
Humanism in our time draws the attention of society to such universal problems as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, environmental threats, the need for development and a decrease in the level of production. He says that the containment of needs and the involvement of everyone in solving the problems that face the entire society can only happen through an increase in the level of consciousness, the development of spirituality. It forms the universal norms of morality.
Mercy as a basic principle of morality
Mercy is understood as a person's readiness to help people in need, to sympathize with them, perceiving their suffering as their own and wanting to alleviate their suffering. Many religions pay close attention to this moral principle, especially Buddhism and Christianity. In order for a person to be merciful, it is necessary that he does not divide people into "us" and "them", so that he sees "his" in everyone.
Currently, great emphasis is placed on the fact that a person should actively help those who need mercy, and it is important that he not only provides practical assistance, but also be ready to support morally.
Equality as a basic principle of morality
From a moral point of view, equality calls for a person's actions to be evaluated regardless of his social status and wealth, and from a general point of view, for a universal approach to human actions. This kind of state of affairs can only exist in a well-developed society that has reached a certain level in economic and cultural development.
Altruism as the basic principle of morality
This principle of morality can be expressed in the phrase "Love your neighbor as yourself." Altruism assumes that a person is able to do something good for another person for free, that this will not be a favor that must be returned, but a selfless impulse. This moral principle is very important in modern society, when life in big cities alienates people from each other, creates a feeling that caring for one's neighbor without intent is impossible.
morality and law
Law and morality are in close contact, since together they form the rules in society, but they have a number of significant differences. Value and morality reveals their differences.
The rules of law are documented and developed by the state as mandatory rules, for non-compliance with which inevitably follows responsibility. As an assessment, the categories of legal and illegal are used, and this assessment is objective, built on regulatory documents, such as the constitution and various codes.
Moral norms and principles are more flexible and can be perceived differently by different people, and can also depend on the situation. They exist in society in the form of rules that are passed from one person to another and are not documented anywhere. Moral norms are quite subjective, the assessment is expressed through the concepts of "right" and "wrong", their non-compliance in some cases cannot lead to more serious consequences than public censure or simply disapproval. For a person, violation of moral principles can lead to pangs of conscience.
The correlation between the norms of law and morality can be traced in many cases. Thus, the moral principles "do not kill", "do not steal" correspond to the laws prescribed in the Criminal Code, that an attempt on human life and property leads to criminal liability and imprisonment. A conflict of principles is also possible, when a legal violation - for example, euthanasia, which is prohibited in our country, which is considered as killing a person - can be justified by moral convictions - the person himself does not want to live, there is no hope for recovery, the disease causes him unbearable pain.
Thus, the difference between the norms of law and morality is expressed only in legislation.
Conclusion
Moral norms were born in society in the process of evolution, their appearance is not accidental. They were needed earlier to support society and protect it from internal conflicts, and still perform this and other functions, developing and progressing along with society. Moral norms have been and will remain an integral element of a civilized society.
Rice. 2
Moral principles- the main element in the system of morality is the basic fundamental ideas about the proper behavior of a person, through which the essence of morality is revealed and on which other elements of the system are based. The most important of them: humanism, collectivism, individualism, altruism, selfishness, tolerance . Unlike norms, they are selective in nature and are determined by a person independently. They characterize the moral orientation of the individual as a whole.
moral standards- specific rules of conduct that determine how a person should behave in relation to society, other people, himself. The imperative-evaluative nature of morality is clearly traced in them. Moral norms are the simplest forms of moral statements ("do not kill", "do not lie", "do not steal", etc.) that determine a person's behavior in typical, repetitive situations. Often they take the form of moral habits in a person and are observed by him without much thought.
moral values- social attitudes and imperatives, expressed in the form of normative ideas about good and evil, fair and unfair, about the meaning of life and the purpose of a person in terms of their moral significance. They serve as a normative form of moral orientation of a person in the world, offering him specific regulators of actions.
moral ideal- this is a holistic model of moral behavior that people strive for, considering it the most reasonable, useful, beautiful. The moral ideal allows you to evaluate people's behavior and is a guideline for self-improvement.
- structure of morality.
Moral norms, principles, ideals are manifested in the moral activity of people, which is the result of the interaction of moral consciousness, moral relations and moral behavior. . In their unity and interdependence, they are a way of being morality, embodied in its structure.
Understanding the essence of morality involves an analysis of its structure. From the point of view of content, traditionally (since the ancient era) three main elements are distinguished:
♦ moral consciousness;
♦ moral behavior;
♦ moral relations.
moral consciousness- this is a person's knowledge of the essence of the main categories of ethics, understanding of moral values and the inclusion of some of them in the system of personal beliefs, as well as moral feelings and experiences.
moral relations as one of the types of social relations, they consist in the realization of moral values by a person when communicating with others. They are determined by the level of moral consciousness of the individual.
moral behavior- these are concrete actions of a person, which are an indicator of his moral culture.
Moral consciousness includes two levels: emotional and rational. . Schematically, the structure of moral consciousness can be represented as follows.
Emotional level- mental reaction of a person to an event, attitude, phenomenon. It includes emotions, feelings, mood.
Emotions - special mental states that reflect the immediate evaluative reactions of the individual to situations that are morally significant for a person. A kind of emotion is an affect - a particularly strong short-term experience that is not controlled by consciousness.
The senses - it is the joy and sadness experienced by a person, love and hatred, suffering and compassion, arising from emotions. Passion is a kind of moral feeling. – a strongly expressed feeling leading to the achievement of the goal by any, including immoral, means.
Moods - an emotional state that is characterized by duration, stability and is the background against which feelings are manifested and human activity proceeds. As a kind of mood, depression can be considered - an oppressed, depressed state and stress - a state of special mental tension.
Rational level - the ability of the individual to logical analysis and introspection is the result of the purposeful formation of moral consciousness in the process of training, education and self-education. The result is the moral competence of the individual, which includes three main components.
Knowledge principles, norms and categories , included in the system of morality. ethical knowledge - primary, necessary, but insufficient component of moral consciousness.
Understanding the essence of moral norms and principles and the need for their application. To establish moral relations, both the correctness and the similarity of this understanding by different subjects are important.
Adoption moral norms and principles, including them in one's own system of views and beliefs, using them as a "guide to action".
Moral Relations- the central element of the structure of morality, which fixes the properties of any human activity in terms of its moral assessment. The most significant in the moral sense are such types of relations as the attitude of a person to society as a whole, to other people, to himself.
The relation of man to society regulated by a number of principles, in particular, the principles of collectivism or individualism. Moreover, various combinations of these principles are possible:
v the merging of collectivism and egoism gives rise to the so-called group egoism, when a person, identifying himself with a certain group (party, class, nation), shares its interests and claims, thoughtlessly justifies all its actions.
v the merging of individualism and egoism, when, satisfying one's own interest, a person guided by the principle of individualism can harm other people, selfishly realizing himself "at their expense."
Relationship to another a person can be subject-subject or subject-object character.
The subjective type of relations is characteristic of humanistic ethics and manifests itself in the dialogue . This approach is based on the principles of altruism and tolerance.
Moral norms position everything good as an important personal and social component. Correlate light manifestations with the desire of people to maintain unity in interpersonal relationships. All this must be thoroughly understood in order to achieve perfection in the moral plane.
Foundation for building a harmonious society
Moral norms and principles ensure the achievement of harmony and integrity when people start relationships with each other. In addition, there is more scope for creating a favorable environment in one's own soul. If good is assigned a creative role, then evil is destructive. Malicious designs harm interpersonal relationships, they are engaged in the decomposition of the inner world of the individual.
The moral norms of a person are also important because their goal is the integrity of kindness in a person and the limitation of his negative manifestations. It is necessary to realize the fact that the soul needs to maintain a good internal climate, set itself the task of becoming well-behaved.
Moral norms emphasize the duty of each person to abandon sinful behavior both in relation to himself and to those around him. We should make a commitment to society, which, however, will not complicate our life, but, on the contrary, will improve it. The extent to which a person honors moral and ethical standards is controlled by the outside world. There is an adjustment with the help of public opinion. A conscience is manifested from within, which also makes us act in the right way. Yielding to it, each person is aware of his duty.
Free nature of decision-making
Moral norms do not bring material punishments. The person decides whether to follow them or not. After all, the awareness of duty is also an individual matter. To follow the right path with an open mind, you need to ensure that there are no overbearing factors.
People should be aware that they are doing the right thing not because of the possible punishment, but because of the reward that will result in the form of harmony and universal prosperity.
It's about having a personal choice. If some legal and moral norms have already been developed in society, they often dictate such a decision. It is not easy to accept it alone, because things and phenomena have exactly the value that we endow them with. Not everyone is ready to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of what they consider to be right in a general sense.
Protect yourself and those around you
Sometimes egoism reigns in the soul of a personality, which then devours it. The funny feature of this unpleasant phenomenon is that a person expects too much from others and, not getting it, considers himself useless, worthless. That is, the road from narcissism to self-flagellation and suffering on this basis is not so far away.
But everything is very easy - learn to give joy to others, and they will begin to share the benefits with you. By developing moral and ethical standards, society can protect itself from the traps into which it itself will fall.
Different groups of people may have a different set of unspoken rules. Sometimes an individual may find himself caught between two positions from which to choose. For example, a young man received a request for help from his mother and wife at the same time. In order to please everyone, he will have to break, as a result, someone will say in any way that he acted inhumanely and that the word “morality” is apparently unknown to him.
So moral norms are a very subtle matter that needs to be thoroughly understood in order not to get confused. Having some patterns of behavior, it is easier to build your own actions based on them. After all, you need to take responsibility for your actions.
Why are these rules needed?
Moral standards of behavior have the following functions:
- assessment of one or another parameter in comparison with ideas about good and evil;
- regulation of behavior in society, the establishment of one or another principle, laws, rules by which people will act;
- control over how the standards are implemented. This process is based on social condemnation, or its basis is the conscience of the individual;
- integration, the purpose of which is to maintain the unity of people and the integrity of the intangible space in the human soul;
- upbringing, during which virtues and the ability to correctly and reasonably make personal choices should be formed.
The definition given to morality and its functions suggests that ethics is strikingly different from other areas of scientific knowledge that are aimed at the real world. In the context of this branch of knowledge, it is said about what must be created, molded from the "clay" of human souls. In many scientific discourses, most of the attention is given to the description of facts. Ethics prescribes norms and evaluates actions.
What are the specifics of moral norms
There are certain differences between them against the background of such phenomena as custom or legal norm. There are frequent cases when morality does not run counter to the law, but, on the contrary, supports and strengthens it.
Theft is not only punishable, but also condemned by society. Sometimes paying a fine is not even as difficult as losing the trust of others forever. There are also cases when law and morality part on their common path. For example, a person can commit the same theft if the lives of relatives are at stake, then the individual believes that the end justifies the means.
Morality and religion: what do they have in common?
When the institution of religion was strong, it also played an important role in the formation of moral foundations. Then they were served under the guise of a higher will sent down to earth. Those who did not fulfill God's command committed sin and were not only condemned, but also considered doomed to eternal torment in hell.
Religion presents morality in the form of commandments and parables. All believers must fulfill them if they claim purity of soul and life in paradise after death. As a rule, in different religious concepts, the commandments are similar. Murder, theft, lies are condemned. Adulterers are considered sinners.
What role does morality play in the life of society and the individual
People subject their actions and the actions of others to evaluation from the point of view of morality. This applies to economics, politics and, of course, the clergy. They select a moral connotation to justify certain decisions made in each of these areas.
It is necessary to adhere to the norms and rules of conduct, to serve the common good of people. There is an objective need for the collective conduct of the life of society. Since people need each other, it is moral norms that ensure their harmonious coexistence. After all, a person cannot exist alone, and his desire to create an honest, kind and truthful world both around him and in his own soul is quite understandable.
Modern society cannot be imagined without ethical norms. Every self-respecting state draws up a set of laws that citizens are required to follow. The moral side in any business is a responsible component that cannot be neglected. In our country, there is the concept of moral damage, when the inconvenience caused to a person is measured in material terms in order to at least partially compensate for his experiences.
Morality- the norms of behavior accepted in society and ideas about this behavior. Morality is also understood as moral values, foundations, orders and prescriptions. If in society someone commits acts that are contrary to the designated norms, then they are called immoral.
The concept of morality is very closely related to ethics. Compliance with ethical ideas requires high spiritual development. Sometimes social attitudes run counter to the needs of the individual himself, and then a conflict arises. In this case, an individual with his own ideology runs the risk of being misunderstood, lonely among society.
How is morality formed?
morality of man largely dependent on himself. Only the individual is responsible for what happens to him. It depends on how ready she is to follow the established orders in society, whether a person will be successful, accepted by others. The development of morality, moral concepts occurs in the parental family. It is those first people with whom the child begins to interact in the early stages of his life that leave a serious imprint on his future fate. So, the formation of morality is significantly influenced by the immediate environment in which a person grows up. If a child grows up in a dysfunctional family, then from an early age he develops a wrong idea about how the world works and a distorted perception of himself in society is formed. As an adult, such a person will begin to experience tremendous difficulties in communicating with other people and will feel discontent on their part. In the case of raising a child in a prosperous average family, he begins to absorb the values of his immediate environment, and this process occurs naturally.
Awareness of the need to follow social prescriptions occurs due to the presence in a person of such a concept as conscience. Conscience is formed from early childhood under the influence of society, as well as individual inner feelings.
Functions of morality
Few people really have a question, why do we need morality? This concept consists of many important components and protects the conscience of a person from unwanted actions. For the consequences of his moral choice, the individual is responsible not only to society, but also to himself. There are functions of morality that help it to fulfill its task.
- Evaluation function related to how other people or the person himself determines the actions committed by him. In the case when self-assessment occurs, a person is usually inclined to justify his own actions by some circumstances. It is much more difficult to bring actions to the public court, because society is sometimes inexorable when evaluating others.
- Regulatory function helps to establish norms in society that will become laws designed for universal observance. The rules of behavior in society are assimilated by the individual at a subconscious level. That is why, getting into a place where there are a large number of people, most of us after some time begin to unmistakably follow the unspoken laws adopted in this particular society.
- Controlling function is directly related to testing the extent to which an individual is able to follow the rules established in society. Such control helps to achieve a state of "clear conscience" and social approval. If an individual does not behave appropriately, then he will necessarily receive condemnation from other people as a feedback.
- Integrating function helps to maintain a state of harmony within the person himself. Performing certain actions, a person, one way or another, analyzes his actions, “checks” them for honesty and decency.
- educational function is to enable a person to learn to understand and accept the needs of other people, to take into account their needs, characteristics and desires. If an individual reaches the state of such an inner breadth of consciousness, then it can be said that he is able to take care of others, and not just about himself. Morality is often associated with a sense of duty. A person who has duties to society is disciplined, responsible and decent. Norms, rules and orders educate a person, form her social ideals and aspirations.
moral standards
Are consistent with Christian ideas about good and evil and what a real person should be.
- Prudence is an essential component of any strong person. It implies that the individual has the ability to adequately perceive the surrounding reality, build harmonious connections and relationships, make reasonable decisions, and act constructively in difficult situations.
- Abstinence involves a ban on staring at persons of the opposite sex who are married. The ability to cope with one's desires, impulses is approved by society, unwillingness to follow spiritual canons is condemned.
- Justice always implies that for all the deeds committed on this earth, sooner or later retribution or some kind of response will come. A fair treatment of other people is, first of all, to recognize their value as significant units of human society. Respect, attention to their needs also apply to this item.
- Fortitude is formed due to the ability to endure the blows of fate, to endure the necessary experience for oneself and constructively get out of a crisis state. Perseverance as a moral norm implies the desire to fulfill one's destiny and move forward, despite difficulties. By overcoming obstacles, a person becomes stronger and can later help other people to go through their individual trials.
- industriousness valued in every society. This concept is understood as a person's passion for some business, the realization of his talent or abilities for the benefit of other people. If a person is not ready to share the results of his work, then he cannot be called hardworking. That is, the need for activity should not be connected with personal enrichment, but with serving the consequences of one's work to as many people as possible.
- Humility achieved through long suffering and repentance. The ability to stop in time, not to resort to revenge in a situation where you have been greatly offended, is akin to a real art. But a truly strong person has tremendous freedom of choice: he is able to overcome destructive feelings.
- Politeness necessary in the process of human interaction with each other. Thanks to it, it becomes possible to conclude deals and agreements that are beneficial for both parties. Politeness characterizes a person from the best side and helps her constructively move towards a given goal.
moral principles
These principles exist, making significant additions to generally accepted social norms. Their significance and necessity is to contribute to the formation of general formulas and patterns adopted in a given society.
- Talion principle clearly demonstrates the concept of uncivilized countries - "an eye for an eye." That is, if someone has suffered any loss through the fault of another person, this other person is obliged to compensate the first through his own loss. Modern psychological science says that it is necessary to be able to forgive, reconfigure yourself for the positive and look for constructive methods to get out of a conflict situation.
- The principle of morality involves following Christian commandments and observing divine law. An individual does not have the right to harm his neighbor, to deliberately try to cause him any damage based on deceit or theft. The principle of morality most strongly appeals to the conscience of a person, makes him remember his spiritual component. The phrase “Treat your neighbor as you would like him to treat you” is the most vivid manifestation of this principle.
- The principle of the "golden mean" expressed in the ability to see the measure in all matters. This term was first introduced by Aristotle. The desire to avoid extremes and move systematically towards a given goal will certainly lead to success. You cannot use another person as a way to solve your individual problems. In everything you need to feel the measure, to be able to compromise in time.
- Principle of well-being and happiness It is presented in the form of the following postulate: "Act towards your neighbor in such a way as to bring him the greatest good." It doesn’t matter what deed will be done, the main thing is that the benefit from it can serve as many people as possible. This principle of morality implies the ability to predict the situation several steps ahead, to foresee the possible consequences of one's actions.
- The principle of justice based on equal treatment among all citizens. It says that each of us must abide by the unspoken rules of dealing with other people and remember that a neighbor who lives with us in the same house has the same rights and freedoms as we do. The principle of justice implies punishment in case of unlawful acts.
- The principle of humanism is the leading among all the above indicated. It assumes that each person has an idea of a condescending attitude towards other people. Humanity is expressed in compassion, in the ability to understand one's neighbor, to be of maximum use to him.
Thus, the importance of morality in human life is of decisive importance. Morality affects all spheres of human interaction: religion, art, law, traditions and customs. Sooner or later, questions arise in the existence of each individual individual: how to live, what principle to follow, what choice to make, and he turns to his own conscience for an answer.
