Moral Studies Conflict

UNIT THREE

MORAL AGENT

A) Definition: MORAL AGENT

A being whose actions are capable of moral evaluation.

A competent and reasonably mature human

somebody that has a capacity for making moral judgments and for taking actions that comport with morality.

What characteristics does a moral agent has?

Exist no universal / standard definition of a moral agent

Moral agent possesses three criteria

Moral Content

Moral Form

Moral Dimension

1) MORAL CONTENT

Two important aspects

- societal rules

- human characteristics

Societal Rules

Rules do not exist by themselves, but compiled from the old, new knowledge and experience

Rules include customary rules and reflexive morality

IMPORTANCE OF RULES

Improve the standard of living

Develop intellectual capacity

Protect human life

Defend human rights and people’s welfare

Prevent degradation in behaviour and morals of the society

Human characteristics

An individual should have virtuous characteristics / ethical code

Acquired from parental upbringing, religious education and moral instruction

2) MORAL FORM

PRINCIPALISTIC ETHICS: Based on laws and rules that regulates people – important to avoid unrest

ALTRUISM ETHICS: unselfish concern for the needs or interests of others, providing gratification vicariously or from their responses.

SITUATIONAL ETHICS: absolute standards are considered less important than the requirements of a particular situation. The standards used may, therefore, vary from one situation to another, and may even contradict one another.

3) MORAL DIMENSION

Three dimensions: reasoning, feeling and performance – 3Hs principle

Reasoning: thinking and judging (head)

Feeling: emotion and feeling (heart)