Morality is the Basis of Life

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Life comes with many questions. Everyone has their own wonders, but there are many of the same questions that are asked numerous times. One that crosses the minds of nearly everyone is, “Why am I the way that I am?” The answer to this question is morality. Morality is the reason we act, think, discriminate, and speak; it is what distinguishes right from wrong. Some believe that morality comes with birth, and others believe that it is taught by parents and surroundings. Whichever way it may be, researchers are discovering that our morals are evolving in astonishing ways, and our lives are immensely affected by them. There are many factors to consider when it comes to understanding why a person is the way they are, but the origins of these factors all point to one thing—morality.
The word morality can have different yet similar definitions. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the definition of morality is, “descriptively to refer to some codes of conduct put forward by a society…religion, or accepted by an individual for her [or his] own behavior” (n. pg.). The original definition described the over-all code of conduct—the basis of morality and the conditions of which people set their standards to—set forth by society, but was later separated into different affiliations (n. pg). Typically, people separate themselves according to others that share similar conditions to their code of conduct. Morality is considered the unacknowledged addition to the formation of ethical theories created by different societal groups (n. pg.). Since the definition of morality has been modified, there are now two separate ideologies to it. One ideology is ‘Descriptive Morality’ which refers to specific groups. The other is ‘Normative M...

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...fe. The idea that it comes the day we are born is more prominent than ever, but even though we are born with the same basics of life that have been essential for centuries, our morals are evolving in drastic ways. Morality takes a hand in almost every aspect of every person’s life. So, “Why am I the way that I am?” Morality.

Works Cited

Mattingly, Terry. “Americans’ views on morals have changed through time.” Deseret News. 31 Jan. 2013: Print.
“Morality by Design.” All About Philosophy. n.d. Web. Oct 30, 2013.
National Science Foundation. “Morality Changes as People Age.” US News. Jun 8, 2011. Web. Nov 14, 2013.
Stahl, Leslie. “Born Good? Babies help Unlock the Origins of Morality.” 60 Minutes. CBS. 28 Jul. 2013. Television.
Zalta, Edward N. “The Definition of Morality.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2nd ed. Aug 5, 2012. n. pg. Web. Oct 28, 2013.

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