Monday, February 23, 2009
Can we teach morals?
Teachers, elders, philosophers, storytellers, poets and preachers - all have been teaching morals for centuries. But we humans continue to be violent, competitive, aggressive, envious and greedy; there have been exceptions of course, who merely serve to prove the rule. There are, in fact, social sanctions to support these things - violence is justified when we go to war; competition is encouraged, which is to do better than the other and so leads to aggression (how can you love thy neighbour when you want to 'kill' him through competition?); envy is glorified (neighbour's envy is owner's pride) and greed is ennobled when you justify ‘the more…’. Morality, like virtue, cannot be practiced, nor can it be cultivated through teaching or following a set of principles. It cannot be a habit. You can't be moral or virtuous on one occasion and be the complete opposite on another. Morality is not what the world approves or disapproves. It must be something that goes with the very nature of all things and all life around us. It is perhaps having the right relationship to things, people and ideas. We can understand the consequences of our own actions and those of others vicariously and keep out of mischief and that alone perhaps leads to morality which expresses itself in acts of virtue.
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it is perfect.
ReplyDeleteI think that some people can teach morals, because when someone's parents teach them something, the children learn and live that way.
ReplyDeleteParents can teach morals if they are moral in many rather than few occasion. It can be seen as a huge advantage if the first child’s perception of the world forms in more than less moral environment. But there are still much of the child’s own choices when he is growing older, getting exposed to different situations and faces more choices.
ReplyDeleteMorality I believe comes from seeing the consequences of one's actions, completely, to the very end. If the brain understands that certain actons produce undesirable consequences, like seeing the danger of putting one's hand in the fire, it will give up those actions without struggle. Observing others' experiences also perhaps allow insights to occur.
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