Topics Ethics

Question I recently had a conversation with a friend who is convinced that morality is simply a human invention, no more than a system of social conventions developed to ensure social stability and ultimately the propagation of the human species. Do you agree? If not, can you outline any arguments for morality being something more than just social convention? For example, are there any arguments for morality as something independent of humans, something which exists objectively, "out there", and does not depend for its existence on our conceptions of it, or our development of its principles?

Accepted:
May 27, 2010

Comments

No, I do not think that morality is only a matter of social conventions, no more so than sickness or health. It seems to be an objective (and perhaps even common sense) fact that cancer is bad for a human being, and I think we may similarly see that rape is a wrongful violation of a person. Building on such apparent facts, one can offer what is called a natural law account of morality, in which morality can be defined (or recognized) in terms of what contributes to the flourishing or destruction of human nature. A natural law approach to morality is not the only alternative, however, for seeking to ground moral judgments. One may adopt a form of utilitarianism or Kantianism, for example. I prefer to combine a natural law account with an account of moral reasoning that highlights impartiality, an affective appreciation of the points of view of others and an awareness of all relevant facts upon which to form moral judgments. Treating morality is only a matter of human conventions seems unable to account for the almost universal recognition that some things are wrong (to take a grotesque example: skinning and salting babies).