Morality: A Pursuit Of Personal Happiness Or The Obligation To Do Good?

Lauren Landwehr
Professor Jacob Adler
Honors Intro to Philosophy
9 April, 2015
Morality: A Pursuit of Personal Happiness or the Obligation to Do Good?
Introduction:
Morality, a topic imperative to the maintenance and preservation of humanity, has been relevant to the human species since the beginning of time. The progression of the human species can also be attributed to the implication of the moral code. Not necessarily morality as defined and enforced through the binding rules suggested through religion, or the specifics of morality that seem to vary between cultures, but simply the natural tendency of the human species to do what is good. What is it, though, that determines right from wrong, driving humans, for centuries, to do good? What is it, that when these morals have been broken, feeds the conscience that persistently

He mentions study performed where three lab rats had electrodes inserted into their skulls. One electrode produced a pleasurable stimulus, one produced a neutral stimulus, and one produced a negative stimulus. A lever that controlled the release of the stimulus was placed in the cage. The rat that was connected to the pleasure producing electrode spent the majority of his time neglecting food and water and pressing the button that produced the pleasurable feeling. Smart then considers the question, if humans were able to live in a world where they could receive constant pleasurable stimulation by the touch of a button, and not have to worry about the drudgery of working, or even suffering from hunger or pain, would they prefer this to living a life of pleasures achieved through hard work and overcoming obstacles? He suggests that Mill would agree that there is nothing wrong with the option to have a an existence made up entirely of receiving pleasure from an electrode produced stimulus. Moore, however, that happiness, in this sense, is not always a good