by Mark Bearing

Created on: September 14, 2009   Last Updated: September 15, 2009

Morality

The simple definition of this word is the way that we humans view right and wrong.

The longer definition takes on far greater significance and requires a solid explanation. See, morality differs from similar words like ethics. It has no connection to what makes up good or evil. And morality can even be different from what is truly right or wrong. It helps defining this word by beginning with this last statement first.

Isaac Asimov once wrote: "never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right". This can be viewed as odd because it is taught in many places that morality is all about doing what's right. We are taught good morals from our families and teachers and religious members so that when the situation comes up where we need to make a tough decision, we will know that the actions we take are the right ones.

Well, take an example from the movie "gone baby gone" to ask yourself what you would do in this situation. A little girl is kidnapped. After a deep investigation it is found that she has been taken by a good man with a lovely wife and he can provide an incredible life full of love and all the opportunities that one could want in life for this child. But this man kidnapped this girl and she deserves to be returned to her mother. However, the mother is a terrible person. Neglectful to this little girl. Puts her to bed hungry so that she can use the food money to go and get high. She's left the girl in the car with the windows up on a hot day. It appears quite obvious that this little girl will end up either in drugs or alcohol, in jail or prostitution, or dead.

So as the detective, what do you do? Ignore the crime of kidnapping and leave this girl with the good people knowing that she will have a good and happy life? Or do the lawful thing and return this girl to her neglectful addict mother?

Well the answer is simple, and any law abiding citizen knows what it is. Mr. Asimov knows the answer to be to turn in the kidnappers and return the girl to her mother. This is the "right" thing to do.

And morals have nothing to do with that decision. Where morality plays its part is after this right decision has been made. If a person has been raised to do right by people and promote the well being of the innocent and generally try and help make the world a better place then this person is now morally obligated to act. You, the moral person, is now completely aware that there is a little girl in grave danger. Danger to her health both mentally

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