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Somonod, Fahriva M. BEED 4 Why Should I Be Moral?

Philo 30 AB 12:30-2:20 M-F

What is morality? Morality refers to the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong. Distinction meaning knowing and separating what is right and what is wrong. So if we say that I know, understand and can differentiate what is right and what is wrong, what then? Does that mean Im moral? Whats the point in being moral? What do I get in knowing and separating what is right from wrong? These are the questions that pop into my mind whenever people tells me to be good and do the right things all the time and avoid doing bad stuff. Why should I be moral? Does knowing and separating what is right from wrong already mean that Im a moral person? Does knowing, understanding and differentiating them enough? Before, I would probably say Yes! Its enough. Without really knowing the essence of morality, I would probably stop there. Knowing and differentiating doesnt make you a moral person. Say, you know it is the right thing to Not to steal but you acted against it, then you violate morality. Because morality does not stop in just knowing and separating what is right from wrong. Morality is the combination of knowing, understanding, differentiating and acting. Anything less would violate the true essence of morality. What is the point in knowing, understanding, differentiating and acting morality? What is the point in being moral? These chain of questions points to the purpose of morality. First off, in knowing, understanding and differentiating what is right from wrong will help on guiding us on what we ought to act or do.(Remember: Morality is applied only to humans.) Now heres the hitch, acts of man is totally different from human/humane acts. Acts of man are actions that man do without sound or moral justifications. Humane acts are actions that man do base on the balance of reason and emotion. And that is where morality comes in, on humane acts. Morality will guide man to do humane acts rather than act like humans. Second, Morality guides us in making judgments and resolving disputes. One reason why this particular point is true is because of politics. According to Aristotle, Man in nature is a political animal. And politics is most often the conflicting of interrelationships among people in the society. With this, we can say that there will forever be conflicts and disputes amongst the people, since it is in our nature. And so here comes the Law. Though not all legal are moral, we can always say that what is moral is always legal since morality is the foundation of any legal or political system. With Morality, in persona of the Law, as the basis, we could now make judgments that will resolve disputes and conflicts among people. And thus will move us to the next point which is promoting social harmony and lessening suffering. As above mentioned, Morality does not simply tells us to do what is good and avoid what is evil. But it will also help in promoting harmony amongst the people. As long as morality exists, the conflicts and disputes that man will make or had made will be resolve and thus gives us harmony, agreement and peace. And with the resolution of these conflicts entails the lessening of the suffering the people would undergo. Thus, leads us to the last part of this essay. The purpose of writing this essay. The questions that will give the last purpose of Morality: Why should I be moral? What do I get in being moral? When I was still young and you would ask me Why do you want to be good? I would probably say Because my mom told me so or Because I dont want to be bad. As a child, the world is much simpler and much beautiful. As I grow older and begin to think and reason for myself and saw in actuality the situation of the world, my answer gradually changed. If you ask me again why I should be moral, I would say, first, because I want to know and act the right things to do. Second, because I want to be able to make sound and reasonable judgments on the conflicts that I would encounter in life. Third, because I want to have what I had when I was still a child, and that is the peacefulness, the harmony of the people around me and the much lesser suffering of the simplicity of life. And the last and most important reason why I should be moral is the very simple reason of wanting to find and have a Good or Righteous Life.

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