Basic principles and norms of morality social science. The concept of morality and moral standards

Moral standards are similar to legal ones. The thing is that they play the role of the main mechanism by which human behavior is formed. Thus, moral norms today are unwritten rules and laws that have developed over the course of several millennia of human existence. In the legal field, laws are fixed legally.

Morality in culture

Morality, norms of human behavior and other values ​​are the embodiment of morality, as they determined the characteristics of human behavior and his consciousness in various spheres of life. For example, in the family, at work, in interpersonal relationships, and so on.

As for moral standards, this is a set of rules that determine human behavior according to principles. Their non-compliance causes damage not only to human society.

These norms were formulated in the form of a specific set:

• give way to pregnant women and the elderly;
• don't be late;
• greet and say goodbye;
• wear certain clothes
• protect the helpless;
• help the weak and so on.

What is a healthy personality?

Moral and ethical norms and other values ​​make up the image of not only an ancient, but also a modern person, who has successfully developed in the sense of standard piety. A child, and even adults, should strive for this particular portrait. So we can see the pursuit of this goal, based on the analysis of the actions of the individual.

In Christianity, the image of the Savior - Jesus Christ is used as a standard. It was he who began to lay in human souls and hearts justice, as well as moral norms of behavior in society. He is God.

Ethics and other rules play the role of personal and life guidelines for different people. A healthy person sets his own goals. Thus, positive morality is manifested, which helps to control immoral behavior, as well as thoughts and feelings of a person.

As you know, morality performs its functions in society in the form of 3 interconnected elements. Each of them is one of the embodiments of morality. Let's imagine them:

• moral activity;
• moral consciousness;
• moral relationship.

Morality yesterday and today

The moral norms of society originated a long time ago. Each generation of mankind interpreted the understanding of good and evil in its own way. And also interpreted the norms of behavior in its own way. In a traditional society, we see the moral image unchanged. I.e. The man of the past had no choice whether or not to accept these moral norms of humanity. He had to comply with them unconditionally.

Today, a person observes or considers the norms of ethics as recommendations for achieving good for himself and others. For the most part, modern society no longer observes moral laws, but legal ones.

Previously, morality was defined as a set of rules prescribed by God. However, today they are presented as a social contract, the terms of which it is desirable to comply with. If a modern person violates it, they will not be called to account, but only condemned at a family dinner.

To accept moral laws for oneself is the choice of everyone. But remember that they will be an excellent fertilizer for the sprout of a harmonious soul. You can reject them, then do not expect a human attitude towards your person. However, it so happened that humanity and all of society revolves around morality and ethics. And without them, the modern generation of people would not have achieved humanity and virtue.

What are moral standards?

So. The abundance of moral principles and norms must first be divided into two areas:

• permissions;
• requirements.

Philosophers single out obligations and natural obligations in requirements, and they divided permissions into overdue and indifferent. Morality is public, that is, it implies a general rule for everyone, regardless of nationality and religion. In other words, this is an unspoken set of rules that operates in a particular family or in any state. There are also guidelines that recommend how to build a line of conduct with individuals. To learn moral culture, one must not only read useful literature, but also do good deeds that will be accepted and appreciated by others.

The meaning of morality

There is an opinion that the value of morality is exaggerated by society. Say, the moral standards of a person are driven into the framework. However, not a single literate, educated and well-mannered person considers himself a prisoner or household appliances, using life according to instructions. Moral norms are the same guidelines, schemes that help a person build a life path. Without entering into numerous conflicts with conscience.

Be that as it may, moral norms largely coincided with legal ones. But life cannot be put within the bounds of the law. There are situations when law and morality become adversaries. For example, one of God's commandments says "Thou shalt not steal." So why doesn't a person steal? If he does not perform this act out of fear of the court, then this act can no longer be called moral. But, if a person does not steal, based on the belief that theft is bad, his act is based on the observance of moral values. Unfortunately, in life it happens that a person goes to steal medicine, violating the law, in order to save the life of another person.

Feature of moral education

It should be understood that the moral moral environment itself will never be formed. A person must build the right relationship according to law and ethics. He must constantly work on himself. Schoolchildren study the unspoken rules of morality in the lessons of history, literature, social studies and other electives. However, growing up, they find themselves in a society where they feel defenseless and even helpless. Remembering myself, when in the first class they went to the blackboard with horror to solve an example.

Thus, we see that piety fetters and makes a slave out of a person in the event that moral values ​​are perverted. And they adjust to the material interests of a certain group of people.

Finally

In modern life, the choice of the right path on the path of life worries the individual less than social ill-being and discomfort. Moms and dads want their child to learn and become an excellent specialist more than a healthy person. Today it is more important to marry on a material basis than to know true love. It turns out that giving birth to a child is much more important than feeling the true need of a woman in motherhood.

Thus, human behavior and moral standards are closely related. Remember that when thinking about moral values, you should not equate them with regulations. The implementation of these rules should come from your own desire.

morality(or morality) is called the system of norms, ideals, principles accepted in society and its expression in the real life of people.

Morality is studied by a special philosophical science - ethics.

Morality as a whole manifests itself in understanding the opposition of good and evil. Good is understood as the most important personal and social value and correlates with a person's desire to maintain the unity of interpersonal relationships and achieve moral perfection. Good is the desire for harmonious integrity both in relations between people and in the inner world of the individual. If good is constructive, then evil- this is everything that destroys interpersonal ties and decomposes the inner world of a person.

All norms, ideals, prescriptions of morality are aimed at maintaining good and distracting a person from evil. When a person realizes the requirements of maintaining goodness as his personal task, we can say that he is aware of his duty - obligations to society. The fulfillment of duty is controlled externally by public opinion and internally by conscience. Thus, conscience there is a personal awareness of one's duty.

A person is free in moral activity - he is free to choose or not to choose the path of following the requirements of duty. This freedom of man, his ability to choose between good and evil is called moral choice. In practice, moral choice is not an easy task: it is often very difficult to make a choice between debt and personal inclinations (for example, donate money to an orphanage). The choice becomes even more difficult if different types of debt contradict each other (for example, the doctor must save the life of the patient and relieve him of pain; sometimes both are incompatible). For the consequences of a moral choice, a person is responsible to society and to himself (his conscience).

Summarizing these features of morality, we can distinguish the following of its functions:

• appraisal - consideration of actions in the coordinates of good and evil
• (as good, bad, moral or immoral);
• regulatory- establishment of norms, principles, rules of conduct;
• controlling - control over the implementation of norms based on public condemnation and / or the conscience of the person himself;
• integrating - maintaining the unity of mankind and the integrity of the spiritual world of man;
• educational- the formation of virtues and abilities of a correct and justified moral choice.

An important difference between ethics and other sciences follows from the definition of morality and its functions. If any science is interested in what there is in reality, ethics is that should be. Most scientific reasoning describes the facts(for example, "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius"), and ethics prescribes norms or evaluates actions(for example, "You must keep a promise" or "Betrayal is evil").

The specificity of moral standards

Moral norms are different from customs and.

Customs - it is a historically formed stereotype of mass behavior in a particular situation. Customs differ from moral norms:

• following the custom implies unquestioning and literal obedience to its requirements, while moral norms imply meaningful and free person's choice;
• customs are different for different peoples, eras, social groups, while morality is universal - it sets general rules for all mankind;
• the observance of customs is often based on habit and fear of the disapproval of others, and morality is based on a feeling debt and supported by the feeling shame and remorse conscience.

The role of morality in human life and society

Thanks to and subject to moral assessment all aspects of social life - economic, political, spiritual, etc., as well as to give a moral justification for economic, political, religious, scientific, aesthetic and other goals, morality is included in all spheres of public life.

In life, there are norms and rules of conduct that require a person to serve society. Their emergence and existence is dictated by the objective necessity of the joint, collective life of people. Thus, it can be said that the very mode of human existence necessarily gives rise to people's need for each other.

Morality operates in society as a combination of three structural elements: moral activity, moral relations and moral consciousness.

Before revealing the main functions of morality, let us emphasize a number of features of the actions of morality in society. It should be noted that a certain stereotype, template, algorithm of human behavior is expressed in the moral consciousness, which is recognized by society as optimal at this historical moment. The existence of morality can be interpreted as the recognition by society of the simple fact that the life and interests of an individual are guaranteed only if the strong unity of society as a whole is ensured. Thus, morality can be considered a manifestation of the collective will of people, which, through a system of requirements, assessments, rules, tries to reconcile the interests of individual individuals with each other and with the interests of society as a whole.

Unlike other manifestations ( , ) morality is not a sphere of organized activity. Simply put, there are no institutions in society that would ensure the functioning and development of morality. And therefore, probably, it is impossible to control the development of morality in the usual sense of the word (as it is to control science, religion, etc.). If we invest certain funds in the development of science, art, then after some time we have the right to expect tangible results; in the case of morality this is impossible. Morality is all-encompassing and at the same time elusive.

Moral requirements and assessments penetrate into all spheres of human life and activity.

Most moral requirements do not appeal to external expediency (do this and you will achieve success or happiness), but to moral duty (do this because your duty requires it), i.e., it has the form of an imperative - a direct and unconditional command . People have long been convinced that the strict observance of moral rules does not always lead to success in life, nevertheless, morality continues to insist on strict observance of its requirements. This phenomenon can be explained in only one way: only on the scale of the whole society, in the total result, the fulfillment of one or another moral prescription acquires its full meaning and responds to a social need.

Functions of morality

Consider the social role of morality, i.e. its main functions:

• regulatory;
• appraisal;
• educational.

Regulatory function

One of the main functions of morality is regulatory. Morality acts primarily as a way of regulating the behavior of people in society and self-regulating the behavior of the individual. As society developed, it invented many other ways of regulating social relations: legal, administrative, technical, and so on. However, the moral mode of regulation continues to be unique. Firstly, because it does not need organizational support in the form of various institutions, punitive bodies, etc. Secondly, because moral regulation is carried out mainly through the assimilation by individuals of the relevant norms and principles of behavior in society. In other words, the effectiveness of moral requirements is determined by the extent to which they have become the inner conviction of an individual, an integral part of his spiritual world, a mechanism for motivating his command.

Evaluation function

Another function of morality is estimated. Morality considers the world, phenomena and processes from the point of view of their humanistic potential- the extent to which they contribute to the unification of people, their development. Accordingly, she classifies everything as positive or negative, good or evil. The moral evaluative attitude to reality is its comprehension in terms of good and evil, as well as other concepts adjacent to them or derived from them (“justice” and “injustice”, “honor” and “disgrace”, “nobility” and “baseness” and etc.). At the same time, the specific form of expressing a moral assessment can be different: praise, consent, censure, criticism, expressed in value judgments; expression of approval or disapproval. A moral assessment of reality puts a person in an active, active attitude towards it. Assessing the world, we are already changing something in it, namely, changing our attitude to the world, our position.

educational function

In the life of society, morality performs the most important task of shaping the personality, it is an effective means. Concentrating the moral experience of mankind, morality makes it the property of each new generation of people. This is her educational function. Morality permeates all types of education insofar as it gives them the correct social orientation through moral ideals and goals, which ensures a harmonious combination of personal and social interests. Morality considers social ties as ties of people, each of which has a value in itself. It focuses on such actions that, while expressing the will of a given person, do not trample on the will of other people at the same time. Morality teaches to do every thing in such a way that it does not hurt other people.

What are the characteristics of morality? The concept of morality is a whole system of norms and rules that govern the moral interaction between individuals, according to the generally accepted system of values. Thanks to moral views, a person gets the opportunity to distinguish good from evil.

How is morality formed?

How do we recognize morality? Morality affects everything The concept of morality makes it possible to reconcile personal interests with social ones. A person realizes the signs of morality in the course of the formation of a person in a society. First, the individual learns the norms of morality in the course of education, trying to do the right things, imitating older, more experienced people. Then, as they grow older, there is a comprehension of their own actions in accordance with generally accepted judgments established in society.

Signs of morality

Morality as a way of active participation in social life is distinguished by characteristic features. In total, there are three signs of morality:

1. Universality - the requirements of the norms adopted in the social environment are the same for all its members.
2. Voluntary character - actions that correspond to moral behavior are performed by individuals not forcibly. In this case, upbringing, personal convictions, and conscience come into play. Public opinion influences the voluntary performance of moral deeds.
3. Comprehensive character - morality affects any human activity. are naturally manifested in communication, creativity, social life, science, politics.

Functions of morality

By what sign we learn is primarily a way of flexible change in the behavior of individuals in the course of social life. This is her. As many other solutions have emerged to stimulate the “correct” actions of people: administrative penalties, legal norms. However, morality remains a unique phenomenon to this day. Its manifestation does not require reinforcement from punitive bodies or special institutions. The regulation of morality is carried out due to the activation of neural connections that have been formed in the process of educating a person and correspond to the principles of behavior in society.

What is the hallmark of morality? Another of its functions is to evaluate the world in terms of humane behavior. To some extent, morality contributes to the development and creation of communities of individuals. The manifestation of the evaluative function makes a person analyze how the world around him is changing, depending on the performance of certain actions.

Another important function of morality is educational. Concentrating in itself the positive experience of previous eras, morality makes it the property of future generations. Thanks to this, the individual gets the opportunity to acquire the correct social orientation, which is not contrary to public interests.

What science studies morality?

Signs of morality, its functions, development in society are studied by a specific branch of philosophy - ethics. This science explores the basis on which morality originated in the social environment, how it developed in a historical context.

The main ethical issues are:

• definition of the meaning of life, the purpose of humanity and the role of each individual;
• the relative nature of good and evil, their criteria in different historical eras;
• search for ways to implement justice in the social life of people.

In general, ethics should be understood as a set of moral principles that are generally accepted in a particular society or individual social groups. For example, they distinguish such a concept as what includes responsibility for a certain activity.

How was morality formed in a historical context?

Throughout the existence of a civilized society, the signs of morality remained unchanged. This is the desire to commit moral deeds and refrain from evil, caring for loved ones, striving to achieve the public good. There is a wide range of universal norms of behavior that operate regardless of the position of the individual in society, religious and national identity. However, some forms of morality have evolved over the course of the historical development of society:

1. Taboos are severe restrictions that were imposed in certain social communities on the performance of specific actions. Violation of prohibitions was associated in the minds of individuals with a threat to personal safety from other people or supernatural forces. The specified phenomenon in certain cultures operates up to our time.
2. Customs are recurring norms of behavior that are maintained under the influence of public opinion. The need to perform numerous customs is especially great in traditional cultures, but is gradually disappearing into oblivion in highly developed countries.
3. Moral rules are ideals that govern the behavior of an individual. Unlike customs and taboos, they require a conscious choice from a person.

Finally

So we found out what is the hallmark of morality, answered other questions. Finally, it is worth noting that in a civilized society, morality is inextricably linked with the concept of law. Both systems impose on the individual the need to comply with certain standards of behavior, they orient the person towards the observance of order.

Moral - a system of norms and rules governing behavior, communication and other types of interaction between people in accordance with the system of values ​​accepted in society, views on good and evil.

Morality is connected with all spheres of public life and coordinates personal interests with public ones. In the course of socialization, a person learns moral norms: first, in the process of education, imitating others; then, as they grow older, comprehending and applying generally accepted judgments about proper, necessary, correct behavior to their lives.

The system of moral norms is not something frozen and unchanged: when making decisions, defining life guidelines, people participate in rule-making, influencing traditional ideas about the rules of moral behavior and adapting them to the level of development and the needs of society. Morality does not have certain institutions, but its requirements are enshrined in the system of law, customs, and religious precepts.

Morality as a form of social consciousness and a way of regulating social life is characterized by the following main features.

• 1. Universality: the requirements of morality are the same for all members of society.
• 2. Voluntariness: society does not force people to comply with moral standards (as opposed to legal norms, the implementation of which is mandatory); the basis of observance of moral principles is conscience, personal convictions of people and the authority of public opinion.
• 3. Comprehensiveness: the rules of moral behavior regulate all spheres of human life (including those areas that are not subject to legal regulation) - in interpersonal and intergroup communication, in personal life, in production activities, in politics, science, creativity, etc. and.
• 4. The disinterestedness of the moral motive, the non-pragmatism of the moral goal. Morality and profit are incompatible things.
• 5. Impersonality: a moral norm does not have an author who invented it. Morality is not based on anyone's authority. Despite the fact that morality exists in the imperative mood, there is actually no master - it is only the conscience of a person.

Morality performs the following functions:

• 1) regulatory. Morality directs people's activities towards humane goals, regulates the behavior of people and social groups through the formation of internal beliefs and the influence of public opinion. The bottom line is that not only people control the lives of others, but everyone builds his own position, guided by moral values;
• 2) educational. Moral education has always been considered the basis of any other. Morality not so much accustoms to the observance of a set of rules, as it forms a moral consciousness, brings up the ability to be guided by moral values ​​and moral feelings;
• 3) estimated. Morality allows all human actions, activities in various spheres of life to be assessed from the point of view of humanism, compliance with the ideals of goodness, justice, equality, nobility, honor and conscience;
• 4) communicative. People with similar moral values ​​easily find mutual understanding, there are fewer barriers in their communication, it is easier for them to establish camaraderie and friendship;
• 5) humanizing (motivational). Moral consciousness makes a man a man, elevates him above natural instincts. Morality equalizes all people, regardless of their origin and social status: moral duty applies to all people. So morality gives a person integrity, the value of his existence;
• 6) value orientation. Morality allows a person to navigate life through a system of moral values. Morality sets vital guidelines. These are ideas about the meaning of life, about the purpose of a person, about the value of goodness, freedom, conscience, etc.

It should be noted that the selection of certain functions of morality (as well as a separate analysis of each of them) is rather arbitrary, since in reality they are always closely merged with each other. Morality simultaneously regulates, educates, orients, etc. It is in the integrity of functioning that the originality of its impact on human being is manifested.

The basic principles of morality remain unchanged throughout the history of human development: this is the desire to do good and refrain from evil, to take care of other people and the public good. There are universal moral principles, the meaning of which is not to harm other people, regardless of their social status, national and religious affiliation.

There are the following kinds moral standards:

• 1) taboo - a strict ban on the commission of any actions, the violation of which in the minds of people is associated with a threat to society and is punishable by supernatural forces; this phenomenon was characteristic of the early stages of the development of human society and persisted up to our time in traditional cultures;
• 2) custom - a mode of action that has developed in the course of social practice, is repeated in certain circumstances and is supported by public opinion; the importance of custom is especially great in a traditional society;
• 3) tradition - a stable custom, a form of behavior that is passed down from generation to generation and reproduced at a long stage of society's existence;
• 4) moral rules - consciously formulated norms and ideals that regulate human behavior; unlike ritual prohibitions, customs and traditions, they require a person to have moral self-determination, a conscious choice

"There is no person that would be like an island"
(John Donn)

Society consists of many individuals who are similar in many ways, but also extremely different in their aspirations and views on the world, experience and perception of reality. Morality is what unites us, these are the special rules adopted in the human community and defining a certain general view of the categories of such a plan as good and evil, right and wrong, good and bad.

Morality is defined as the norms of behavior in society, which have been formed over many centuries and serve for the correct development of a person in it. The term itself comes from the Latin word mores, which means the rules accepted in society.

Moral traits

Morality, which in many respects is decisive for the regulation of life in society, has several main features. So, its fundamental requirements for all members of society are the same, regardless of position. They operate even in those situations that are outside the area of ​​responsibility of legal principles and apply to such areas of life as creativity, science, and production.

The norms of public morality, in other words, traditions, are significant in communication between specific individuals and groups of people, allow "to speak the same language." Legal principles are imposed on society, and their failure to comply carries consequences of varying severity. Traditions and moral norms are voluntary, each member of society agrees to them without coercion.

Types of moral standards

Over the centuries, various types have been adopted. So, in primitive society, such a principle as taboo was indisputable. People who were proclaimed as transmitting the will of the gods were strictly regulated as forbidden actions that could threaten the entire society. For their violation, the most severe punishment inevitably followed: death or exile, which in most cases was one and the same. The taboo is still preserved in many Here, as a norm of morality, the examples are as follows: one cannot be on the territory of the temple if a person does not belong to the clergy caste; You can't have children from your relatives.

Custom

The norm of morality is not only generally accepted, as a result of its conclusion by some top, it can also be a custom. It is a repetitive course of action, which is especially important in order to maintain a certain position in society. In Muslim countries, for example, it is traditions that are most honored than other moral norms. Customs based on religious beliefs in Central Asia can cost lives. For us, who are more accustomed to European culture, legislation is an analogue. It has the same effect on us as traditional morality has on Muslims. Examples in this case: a ban on drinking alcohol, closed clothing for women. For our Slavic-European society, the customs are: to bake pancakes for Maslenitsa, to celebrate the New Year with a Christmas tree.

Among the moral norms, tradition is also distinguished - the order of actions and the way of behavior that persists for a long time, being passed down from generation to generation. A kind of traditional moral standards, examples. In this case, these include: celebrating the New Year with a Christmas tree and gifts, maybe in a certain place, or going to the bathhouse on New Year's Eve.

moral rules

There are also moral rules - those norms of society that a person consciously determines for himself and adheres to this choice, deciding what is acceptable for him. For such a norm of morality, examples in this case are: to give way to pregnant and elderly people, to give a hand to a woman when leaving a transport, to open a door in front of a woman.

Functions of morality

One of the functions is evaluating. Morality considers the events and actions that take place in society from the point of view of their usefulness or danger for further development, and then issues its verdict. Various kinds of reality are evaluated in terms of good and evil, forming an environment in which each of its manifestations can be assessed both positively and negatively. With the help of this function, a person can understand his place in the world and form his position.

Equally important is the regulatory function. Morality actively influences the minds of people, often acting better than legal restrictions. From childhood, with the help of education, each member of society forms certain views on what can and cannot be done, and this helps him adjust his behavior in such a way that it is useful for himself and for development in general. Moral norms regulate both the internal views of a person, and hence his behavior, and the interaction between groups of people, allowing you to maintain a routine, stability and culture.

The educational function of morality is expressed in the fact that under its influence a person begins to focus not only on his own needs, but also on the needs of the people around him, society as a whole. The individual develops a consciousness of the value of needs and other members of society, which, in turn, leads to mutual respect. A person enjoys his freedom as long as it does not violate the freedom of other people. similar in different individuals, help them to better understand each other and act harmoniously together, positively influencing the development of each of them.

Morality as a result of evolution

The basic moral principles of any time of the existence of society include the need to do good deeds and not cause harm to people, regardless of what position they occupy, what nationality they belong to, followers of what religion they are.

The principles of norm and morality become necessary as soon as individuals enter into interaction. It was the emergence of society that created them. Biologists who focus on the study of evolution say that in nature there is also the principle of mutual utility, which in human society is realized through morality. All animals that live in society are forced to moderate their selfish needs in order to be more adapted to later life.

Many scientists view morality as a result of the social evolution of human society, being the same natural manifestation. They say that many of the principles of norms and morality, which are fundamental, were formed with the help of natural selection, when only those individuals survived who could interact correctly with others. Thus, examples are given of parental love, which expresses the need to protect offspring from all external dangers in order to ensure the survival of the species, and the prohibition of incest, which protects the population from degeneration through the mixing of too similar genes, which leads to the appearance of weak children.

Humanism as the basic principle of morality

Humanism is the fundamental principle of the norm of public morality. It is understood as the belief that every person has the right to happiness and countless opportunities in order to realize this right, and that every society should be based on the idea that each of its participants has value and is worthy of protection and freedom. .

The main one can be expressed in the well-known rule: "treat others the way you want to be treated." The other person in this principle is seen as deserving the same benefits as any particular person.

Humanism assumes that society must guarantee basic human rights, such as the inviolability of home and correspondence, freedom of religion and choice of residence, and the prohibition of forced labor. Society must make efforts to support people who, for one reason or another, are limited in their abilities. The ability to accept such people distinguishes human society, which does not live according to the laws of nature with natural selection, dooming the insufficiently strong to death. Humanism also creates opportunities for human happiness, the peak of which is the realization of one's knowledge and skills.

Humanism as a source of universal norms of morality

Humanism in our time draws the attention of society to such universal problems as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, environmental threats, the need for development and a decrease in the level of production. He says that the containment of needs and the involvement of everyone in solving the problems that face the entire society can only happen through an increase in the level of consciousness, the development of spirituality. It forms the universal norms of morality.

Mercy as a basic principle of morality

Mercy is understood as the readiness of a person to help people in need, to sympathize with them, perceiving their suffering as their own and wanting to alleviate their suffering. Many religions pay close attention to this moral principle, especially Buddhism and Christianity. In order for a person to be merciful, it is necessary that he does not divide people into "us" and "them", so that he sees "his" in everyone.

Currently, great emphasis is placed on the fact that a person should actively help those who need mercy, and it is important that he not only provides practical assistance, but also be ready to support morally.

Equality as a basic principle of morality

From a moral point of view, equality calls for a person's actions to be evaluated regardless of his social status and wealth, and from a general point of view, for a universal approach to human actions. This kind of state of affairs can only exist in a well-developed society that has reached a certain level in economic and cultural development.

Altruism as the basic principle of morality

This principle of morality can be expressed in the phrase "Love your neighbor as yourself." Altruism assumes that a person is able to do something good for another person for free, that this will not be a favor that must be returned, but a selfless impulse. This moral principle is very important in modern society, when life in big cities alienates people from each other, creates a feeling that caring for one's neighbor without intent is impossible.

morality and law

Law and morality are in close contact, since together they form the rules in society, but they have a number of significant differences. Value and morality reveals their differences.

The rules of law are documented and developed by the state as binding rules, for non-compliance with which inevitably follows responsibility. As an assessment, the categories of legal and illegal are used, and this assessment is objective, built on regulatory documents, such as the constitution and various codes.

Moral norms and principles are more flexible and can be perceived differently by different people, and can also depend on the situation. They exist in society in the form of rules that are passed from one person to another and are not documented anywhere. Moral norms are quite subjective, the assessment is expressed through the concepts of "right" and "wrong", their non-compliance in some cases cannot lead to more serious consequences than public censure or simply disapproval. For a person, violation of moral principles can lead to pangs of conscience.

The correlation between the norms of law and morality can be traced in many cases. Thus, the moral principles "do not kill", "do not steal" correspond to the laws prescribed in the Criminal Code, that an attempt on human life and property leads to criminal liability and imprisonment. A conflict of principles is also possible, when a legal violation - for example, euthanasia, which is prohibited in our country, which is considered as killing a person - can be justified by moral convictions - the person himself does not want to live, there is no hope for recovery, the disease causes him unbearable pain.

Thus, the difference between the norms of law and morality is expressed only in legislation.

Conclusion

Moral norms were born in society in the process of evolution, their appearance is not accidental. They were needed before to support society and protect it from internal conflicts, and still perform this and other functions, developing and progressing along with society. Moral norms have been and will remain an integral element of a civilized society.