What Is Morality

Definition essay: What is Morality?





I'll tell you that morality is probably one of the biggest, most confusing things to look at



when you need to write a paper about it.   After some deliberation, I have concluded a few



things about morality and what it is.



Morality is one of those words that you don't hear very often, and use even less



frequently.   It is perfectly described by Webster's Dictionary as a set of guidelines that govern a



person's actions.   Without such a code, anarchy would rule supreme.   Human beings are human



because we can limit ourselves and our behaviour.   Moral values are a byproduct of a society



that must live together.   Even though in Mother Nature the only restricting factor is that of



reproduction and supply of food, because our society groups together, (otherwise it probably



wouldn't be a society), it needs codes of conduct.   We have established government, religion



and moral character to regulate this population.   All are fairly organized, with moral character



being left entirely to the self, while with government or religion often times another person will



tell you what to do.   Without self-limitation, the Jones's across the street would be hell to live



with.   They would be insulting, perverse, lying and cheating neighbors.   Morality, the set of rules



that limit excessiveness in our behavior, is the foundation of all government, religion.   It



moderates our beliefs and laws; describes how one should act.  



Moral rules, if you will, include several basic so called 'golden' rules: thou shalt not kill;



thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not commit adultery; etc.   When people start losing some or all of



these moral rules, society falls apart.   It has been proven, for example, by the Roman Empire.  



Close to the end of Rome's "glorious" rule, they ruled most of the known world.   Also, people



would have sex with any living thing that had a suitable opening.   Human... [continues]

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