So how much should we concern ourselves with morality? How much is enough?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I personally find it more and more difficult to stay awake through a thread on morality .. so WTF am I doing starting a new one?

Well I guess I'm more interested in asking what its place in human affairs should be than in deciding between objective/subjective, absolute/relative, etc.  Clearly morality has its place in child rearing but once someone has established a basically prosocial disposition what more is required?  How specific should we hope the moral toolbox of a community-ready neophyte citizen to be?  Is it enough that a community member avoid harming others or doe we expect them to devote their attention to maximizing their moral excellence .. helping the older ladies across the street, charitable giving, that sort of thing.

If we think moral excellence is important, is it the most important consideration or are there others nearly, equally or even more important?  In other words, do we hope that moral considerations will be the prime determinant in how a person orders their life, or is it enough that they cause no harm while dancing to the drummer they hear?  In short, how moral is moral enough?

Gawd help me I guess I'd better come up with a poll, if only to keep Khem happy.

Here are the choices I can think of.  Pick the one that comes closest and elaborate or skip them altogether and say in your own way how much morality is moral enough?

1) It is enough that a person is pro-socially oriented with a well developed capacity for empathy which places a very high priority on not harming others in a manner one would not welcome if the positions were reversed.

2) In addition to 1, to attain peer-of-the-realm status, a person should articulate a moral hierarchy of concerns and strive never to act toward others in a manner inconsistent with that system, or else feel a well deserved sense of failure.

3) In addition to 1 & 2, that system should to some degree prescribe actions taken to benefit others .. not merely avoid harming them. 

4) In addition to 1 - 3, acting in a manner consistent with ones moral system should at all times be the most important consideration in ones life.


I think I'll make this poll public and one choice only.

Morals are how we live with ourselves. Ethics are how we live with others.