The Moral Agent

• Moral Standards:

  • Norms of acts that are believed to be acceptable or unacceptable
  • Usually concerned about the greater good
  • An act is weighed on the number of people that would benefit and be hurt from it
  • Culturally relative
  • It is the job of the moral agent to know and understand the difference of moral standards, master these differences and act accordingly
• Moral Agent:

  • An act can be ethical or not depending on the morality of the person involved in the act
  • The consequences of the act are important but not as important as the rationale behind it
  • A man of wisdom knows when to make a moral decision and when to act on a situation
  • The Moral Agent decides on the action for a particular situation depending on their principles
  • The moral agent must be held accountable for their decisions, regardless of the consequences
  • Accountability depends on the cultural beliefs and practices of the person
• Formation of Moral Principles:

  • Our culture greatly influences our moral orientation
  • Our practices, especially in our formative years, shape our moral principles
  • Exposure to different groups of people influences our actions towards morality
  • Influence sources include families, friends, communities, churches, government, and pop culture
  • Debate on whether morality should follow only a certain framework
• Cultural Relativism:

  • Ethical systems and cultural beliefs vary per culture
  • Moral standards are a product of society
  • All ethical systems are equally valid and relevant