Should morality be taught in schools?

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

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Miles
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Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #1

Post by Miles »

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"Polls indicate that about 70 percent of public school parents want schools to teach “strict standards of right and wrong,” and 85 percent want schools to teach values. And research suggests that many overworked, frayed parents, doubting their capacities as moral mentors, are looking to schools to take on a larger role in their children’s moral growth."
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So . . . . . . . ? And if so, whose morality?



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Re: Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #11

Post by 2ndRateMind »

Miles wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:09 pm
2ndRateMind wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 7:41 pm
Miles wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 7:21 pm
amortalman wrote: Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:07 pm
Miles wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:08 pm .



"Polls indicate that about 70 percent of public school parents want schools to teach “strict standards of right and wrong,” and 85 percent want schools to teach values. And research suggests that many overworked, frayed parents, doubting their capacities as moral mentors, are looking to schools to take on a larger role in their children’s moral growth."
source


So . . . . . . . ? And if so, whose morality?



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I have to agree with 2ndRateMind (post 6). While ethics and morality have overlapping principles, ethics stands on its own legs apart from any particular moral religiosity. I think it is badly needed at every level of education, but especially for children and young teens.
A little confused here. How does ethics actually differ from morality in that it "stands on its own legs apart from any particular moral religiosity"? And just what is moral religiosity anyway?


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I should say (not to steal amortalman's thunder) that ethics is one of life's hard questions, in that we not only have no answers, but also do not even know how to get at those answers.
Whaaa? We have and use words that are not only not defined, but cannot be defined? Give me a break.

Okay, ya sent me looking. Here ya are, and form the Encyclopedia Britannica no less.

"What’s the Difference Between Morality and Ethics?

Generally, the terms ethics and morality are used interchangeably, although a few different communities (academic, legal, or religious, for example) will occasionally make a distinction. In fact, Britannica’s article on ethics considers the terms to be the same as moral philosophy. While understanding that most ethicists (that is, philosophers who study ethics) consider the terms interchangeable, let’s go ahead and dive into these distinctions.

Both morality and ethics loosely have to do with distinguishing the difference between “good and bad” or “right and wrong.” Many people think of morality as something that’s personal and normative, whereas ethics is the standards of “good and bad” distinguished by a certain community or social setting. For example, your local community may think adultery is immoral, and you personally may agree with that. However, the distinction can be useful if your local community has no strong feelings about adultery, but you consider adultery immoral on a personal level. By these definitions of the terms, your morality would contradict the ethics of your community. In popular discourse, however, we’ll often use the terms moral and immoral when talking about issues like adultery regardless of whether it’s being discussed in a personal or in a community-based situation. As you can see, the distinction can get a bit tricky."

source

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For me, ethics is an ongoing field of academic enquiry, whereas morality is the preserve of those that think they already know the answers. Thus progress is possible in ethics, but blocked in morality.

Best wishes, 2RM.
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Re: Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #12

Post by amortalman »

[Replying to Miles in post #8]

Miles wrote: "A little confused here. How does ethics actually differ from morality in that it "stands on its own legs apart from any particular moral religiosity"? And just what is moral religiosity anyway?"

Let me offer this from an article on the website of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics: "Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues." The article goes on to explain the reasons why ethics are not based on one's feelings, religion ("ethics applies as much to the behavior of the atheist as to that of the devout religious person"), the law, or the standards of society. To me, moral religiosity is a set of morals based on one's religion, but I admit I might be coining a phrase.

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Re: Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #13

Post by 2ndRateMind »

amortalman wrote: Sun Jun 26, 2022 10:29 am [Replying to Miles in post #8]

Miles wrote: "A little confused here. How does ethics actually differ from morality in that it "stands on its own legs apart from any particular moral religiosity"? And just what is moral religiosity anyway?"

Let me offer this from an article on the website of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics: "Ethics is based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues." The article goes on to explain the reasons why ethics are not based on one's feelings, religion ("ethics applies as much to the behavior of the atheist as to that of the devout religious person"), the law, or the standards of society. To me, moral religiosity is a set of morals based on one's religion, but I admit I might be coining a phrase.
These 'well-founded standards' seem to me to be based on little more than trial and error (both historical and individual), and the democratic and enlightenment idea that people are the best judges of how they should live their lives. Neither of these amount to the specific program of the ethical improvement the world clearly needs.

I would just add that in most cases, it is quite true that people should make their own decisions, and live the life that seems most fulfilling to them. But if and only if they have had some exposure to ethics during their formative years.

Best wishes, 2RM.
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Re: Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #14

Post by Athetotheist »

The way I've thought of it is that being ethical is doing what you know is right, while being moral is doing what somebody tells you is right.

As it relates to right and wrong, schools do teach morality. Share. Take turns. Be polite. Be honest. Civic responsibility is a technically unofficial but nonetheless prominent component in the educational setting.

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Re: Should morality be taught in schools?

Post #15

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Athetotheist wrote: Sun Jul 10, 2022 10:37 pm The way I've thought of it is that being ethical is doing what you know is right, while being moral is doing what somebody tells you is right.
Of course you can think of terms anyway you wish, but it's counterproductive when discussing them with others when no one's on the same page. Hence it's best to follow common definitions whenever possible, and for "ethics" and "morals" I think the Encyclopedia Britannica has a pretty good grasp on the two:

"Both morality and ethics loosely have to do with distinguishing the difference between “good and bad” or “right and wrong.” Many people think of morality as something that’s personal and normative, whereas ethics is the standards of “good and bad” distinguished by a certain community or social setting. For example, your local community may think adultery is immoral, and you personally may agree with that. However, the distinction can be useful if your local community has no strong feelings about adultery, but you consider adultery immoral on a personal level. By these definitions of the terms, your morality would contradict the ethics of your community. In popular discourse, however, we’ll often use the terms moral and immoral when talking about issues like adultery regardless of whether it’s being discussed in a personal or in a community-based situation. As you can see, the distinction can get a bit tricky."
source AND MORE

Emphasis is that of the encyclopedia.

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