Ethics

How does culture shape our moral behavior?
1. Culture undeniably does play a significant pseudo role within shaping moral behaviour and extends even
further to social norms. Arguably, rather than defining our moral behaviour per se, it influences and
changes our definitions of what ought to be deemed morally acceptable by consistent exposure to it.
2. Cultural relativism is the ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to make judgments
using the standards of one’s own culture. The goal of this is promote understanding of cultural practices
that are not typically part of one’s own culture. Using the perspective of cultural relativism leads to the
view that no one culture is superior than another culture when compared to systems of morality, law,
politics, etc. [11] It is a concept that cultural norms and values derive their meaning within a specific
social context. This is also based on the idea that there is no absolute standard of good or evil, therefore
every decision and judgment of what is right and wrong is individually decided in each society. The
concept of cultural relativism also means that any opinion on ethics is subject to the perspective of each
person within their particular culture. Overall, there is no right or wrong ethical system. In a holistic
understanding of the term cultural relativism, it tries to promote the understanding of cultural practices
that are unfamiliar to other cultures such as eating insects, genocides or genital cutting.
3. Moral relativism is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular
standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely
privileged over all others. It has often been associated with other claims about morality: notably, the
thesis that different cultures often exhibit radically different moral values; the denial that there are
universal moral values shared by every human society; and the insistence that we should refrain from
passing moral judgments on beliefs and practices characteristic of cultures other than our own.
4. This post actually touches the issue of culture, i.e. our native Filipino culture. As we know, it is
imperative that we obtain a deep awareness of our native history and society/culture; our society which
embed in the subconscious Filipino mind within each of us --through our home, church and school, etc.-
- a culture, our native society's worldview: the source of our values, attitudes and behaviors- which has
been formed by a complex mix of geography, still primitive/traditional economic relations, religion, and
long, divisive colonial history, etc.
Here our native culture is looked at just from the religious point of view. Frankly, I see this point
of view as limited or inadequate, based on what I have alluded to regarding source in the preceding
paragraph. I will go back, try a broader and deeper look into the issue of our native Filipino culture, i.e.
cultural aspects which I see as obstacles to national development sometime later
How is moral character developed?
The development of a moral character is an intellectual topic that has been argued for many years. Many
philosophers have argued the point of their existence with the perplexity of this subject. This has allowed the
philosophers to approach this topic in various ways. These philosophers are Aristotle (in the Nicomachean
Ethics), Confucius (in Analects) and Plato (in Apology, Phaedo). To analyze these philosophers critically, it is
important to evaluate their perspective arguments and what they are trying to say. After initializing compare and
contrast of these philosophers, we will be in the position of establishing up to what they agree or disagree
regarding the development of a moral character.
A moral character is defined as an idea in which one is unique and can be distinguished from others. Perhaps it
can assemble qualities and traits that are different from various individuals. It implies to how individuals act, or
how they express themselves. In another words, it is “human excellence,” or unique thoughts of a character.
When the concept of virtue is spoken, this would emphasize the distinctiveness or specialty, but it all involves
the combination of qualities that make an individual the way he or she is. Based on this definition, the insight of
a moral character can be viewed differently. Although these philosophers diverge with their arguments, they in
some sense have similarities. These similarities will show how the matter of a character is important and crucial
to the human nature.
Stages of Moral Development
Level 1: Preconventional
Throughout the preconventional level, a child’s sense of morality is externally controlled. Children accept and
believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers. A child with pre-conventional morality has
not yet adopted or internalized society’s conventions regarding what is right or wrong, but instead focuses
largely on external consequences that certain actions may bring.
Stage 1: Obedience-and-Punishment Orientation

Stage 2: Instrumental Orientation
Level 2: Conventional
Throughout the conventional level, a child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships.
Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is now due to their belief that this is necessary
to ensure positive relationships and societal order. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid during
these stages, and a rule’s appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned.
Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation

Stage 4: Law-and-Order Orientation
Level 3: Postconventional
Throughout the postconventional level, a person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more
abstract principles and values. People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be changed
or eliminated. This level is marked by a growing realization that individuals are separate entities from
society and that individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with their own principles. Post-
conventional moralists live by their own ethical principles—principles that typically include such basic
human rights as life, liberty, and justice—and view rules as useful but changeable mechanisms,
rather than absolute dictates that must be obeyed without question. Because post-conventional
individuals elevate their own moral evaluation of a situation over social conventions, their behavior,
especially at stage six, can sometimes be confused with that of those at the pre-conventional level.
Some theorists have speculated that many people may never reach this level of abstract moral
reasoning.
Stage 5: Social-Contract Orientation

Stage 6: Universal-Ethical-Principal Orientation

Ethics

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Ethics

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How does culture shape our moral behavior?

Stages of Moral Development

Stage 1: Obedience-and-Punishment Orientation

Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation

Stage 5: Social-Contract Orientation

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