Ethics

[Yes Man]

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

 

[Troublemane]

Children need hard, clear examples of good and bad in order to help them form ideas. I think its irresponsible of parents who (from mis-guided attempts at rebellion against their parents perhaps) decide to ambiguously define morality to children as "whatever they want to do" is okay under any circumstances. It makes it difficult for those children to integrate with other children socially, or deal with other adults in a healthy, respectful way, fostering mistrust and even hatred for authority figures early on.

Morality becomes more important as the child grows up and has to start making decisions for himself/herself. Without that foundation of knowing what is right and wrong, I think it makes it more difficult to be confident in ones own actions later in life.

 

[Storm]

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

Yes, to keep from destroying ourselves.

 

[Yes Man]

Children need hard, clear examples of good and bad in order to help them form ideas.

What defines good and bad though?

It makes it difficult for those children to integrate with other children socially, or deal with other adults in a healthy, respectful way, fostering mistrust and even hatred for authority figures early on.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

 

[Yes Man]

Yes, to keep from destroying ourselves.

Is that so bad?

 

[Halcyon]

We don't need morals, but look at it this way - would you rather live in a society where people are discouraged from ringing your doorbell and stabbing you in the throat, or one that is ambivalent to the act?

I for one would rather live in a society with good moral standards, as this benefits me personally.

 

[Storm]

What defines good and bad though?

At this point in our evolution, compassion.

Is that so bad?

For us, certainly. It would also be a setback to the World Mother, according to my beliefs.

 

[Dunemeister]

What defines good and bad though?

Well, the OP asked whether morals are necessary, not whether they could easily be defined or universally agreed upon.

 

[Dunemeister]

We don't need morals, but look at it this way - would you rather live in a society where people are discouraged from ringing your doorbell and stabbing you in the throat, or one that is ambivalent to the act?

I for one would rather live in a society with good moral standards, as this benefits me personally.

Forgive me, but it seems as though you've contradicted yourself. You said we don't need morals, but then explained that they're necessary for self-preservation. Do we need morals for self-preservation or not?

 

[Kungfuzed]

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

Yes, we need morals. We need morals for society, civilzation, culture, and for peace.

Owen Flanagan wrote that "Ethics is inquiry into the conditions that reliably lead to human flourishing".

 

[Magic Man]

Forgive me, but it seems as though you've contradicted yourself. You said we don't need morals, but then explained that they're necessary for self-preservation. Do we need morals for self-preservation or not?

You say two different things. We don't need morals. We do need morals for self-preservation in general.

 

[Halcyon]

Forgive me, but it seems as though you've contradicted yourself. You said we don't need morals, but then explained that they're necessary for self-preservation. Do we need morals for self-preservation or not?

We don't need morals, humanity survives with countless variations on morality e.g. the differences between Western morality and certain Middle-eastern versions, and could easily survive with no morality at all.

But for the individual, having an ordered society that protects them to a degree is better than anarchy.

 

[3.14]

morals help prevent decay of civilization and civilization decays nature so in the long run morals will kill us but for now it helps prevent fast death by safty in numbers

 

[Father Heathen]

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

Humans are social animals, and so need ethics and codes to function as a society.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Yes Man,

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

The question is deep rooted.
Reason being that when an individual is in tune with existence, he is automatically in tune with his surroundings and responses thereon are in harmony so automatically ethics, morality fall in place without thinking. [This happens when man is in no-mind.]
Here you are talking / discussing about humans who are already controlled by their mind and this mind needs to be told to behave in a particular fashion. The mind has to be trained to be ethical and moral in its behaviour and decision making.
That is the difference between mind and no-mind between living in heaven and hell. living in harmony, living healthy and living a tense life in disharmony.
Love & rgds

 

[MM218]

To me, the answer to the topic creator's question is a bit more complex than yes or no. It depends on the person. Most people need morals, otherwise they would destroy themselves.

However,for me, morality is useless. I don't have any morals. But I'm not stupid. I'm not going to go running around raping people and eating babies. Not because it's "wrong", but because A: I have no desire to do that, and B: I don't want to end up in jail or dead.

 

[little_monkey]

Unless we want to live in a world strifed with conflicts, an undesirable thing, then we need a code of conduct by which we consent to abide. Order or chaos... civilization is the striving to overcome that chaos...

 

[darkendless]

Do we need morals? If yes, why?

No, we just need major religions to keep trying to control our societies, they will do it for us.
Common sense and respect are all the morals you need i think.

 

[October]

On the individual level, I don't think any morals are necessary, and if you're completely on your own, going with the instinct to survive at all costs is probably the best bet. However, most all of us live in societies, and in order to maintain a society, some rules need to be established. At minimum, a moral injuction that random killing is wrong needs to be in place, because a society without this is going to crumble. Morals also help the group to organise and function, and ensure that everyone is on the same page and abstaining from behaviours that have been defined as contrary to the goals. If a society values corporate success, for example, they pretty much need to teach that hard work is right, but stealing, slacking off and undermining the company are wrongs. Of course, I definitely see morals as a dangerous concept as well, particularly when they are taught by religious groups, because those groups tend to have agendas contrary to human success and happiness. They have the capacity to destroy and harm, rather than help, people. Like, in some religions, it is moral to kill infidels. That's incredibly dangerous. If someone is taught that it is well and good to deprive individuals of their rights if they like the wrong sex, that's a problem. I think morals are useful in order to make progress as a society, but the entire society needs to agree on what is moral and immoral in order to succeed.

 

[LuisDantas]

Yes, we certainly do.

Morals are needed to develop a common ground for understanding and negotiation, if nothing else. And also for the protection of those who lack in wisdom.

I don't think we are going to make do without them anytime soon, nor should we really try to.

Which is not to say that morals should be imposed forcefully; that is another matter entirely.