The Morality - Case Study Example

The Morality of Actions Morality within a society may be defined as having the presence of motivated adults avoiding actions that are the results of self-interest, preventing the formation of guilt feelings by conforming to set rules and guidelines that are made for the common good, and can easily pass their judgment onto people who disobey the rules in their community (Brandt 58). Such moral attitudes are the by-products of the adherence to complex rules that originally aim to prevent mishaps in part of the doer of the deed and the people around him or her.

It can also be added that by doing the right thing for the right reason, a person’s values and moral ideas become even more solid if undergoing a similar situation (Hamm 151). Simply put, morality of actions create less harm but not necessarily much more positive events for all parties involved (Brandt 58). As an example regarding morality is the raising of children in full awareness of all things that are universally known to be moral and ethical. Parents can either choose to let others do it for them, by letting the children become aware of what is right or wrong, under the guidance of authorities such as teachers, law enforcement officers, and the like.

If the parents could possibly can, they could also teach their own children instead, and using their own words, ideas, beliefs as well as their own personal experiences, bring to them either simplified or complex thought patterns that would be accepted by the society as moral and just. Still another way of teaching children would be by using the power of punishment in cementing the ideas of morality by association with pain, physically or otherwise. However, there is still a debate as to whether punishment would be able to send the message or not to younger folk (Hamm 114).

Punishment could very much bring the idea of right or wrong but at times the effect would not last as long due to other factors that may well be outside of the sphere of influence of the home. Still, despite the fact that children can be very much affected by anything from outside the home, parents would still be judged based on the actions of their offspring, thus bringing up the idea that parents have a greater moral obligation of raising children that would be functional and effective members of the society, rather than letting them grow up blind to the morals of the society.

In relation to the concept of moral obligations, another aspect of morality is the application of the concept of utilitarianism, wherein the final result would justify the means by which such a result was reached. A law is just and good if it is beneficial to most of the people under it (Brandt 370). If, for example, a way to create a common good for every individual within a small society would need the sacrifices for achieving a goal, then such a sacrifice would be beneficial in the long run, thus cementing the utilitarian concept of justification of actions through the actual consequences of such (Hamm 115).

Again, using the example of developing behaved and morally-aware children in a community, parents are morally obliged to teach such ideas to their children, lest they create a new set of generations that would cause greater harm to other people. By avoiding neglectful actions and instead focusing on the formation of values that are acceptable to the society and its norms, parents are able to avoid the possible future of raising law-breakers, despite incurring hardships and other negative feelings (such as resentment between parent and child) while undergoing the process with the children.

While it is true that sacrifices have to be made, it can be considered that by neglecting the children and washing hands off the entire matter this could create consequences in the future that can be more harmful to others than beneficial, and this makes the parents actions wrong due to the consequences. It is thus a moral obligation for parents to teach their children, making sure that their actions can have positive results.Works CitedBrandt, Richard B. Morality, Utilitarianism and Rights.

New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Print.Hamm, Cornel M. Philosophical Issues in Education: An Introduction. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge Falmer, 2003. Print