The author of the article considers spirituality and morality as decisive principles that can influence the sociocultural situation in Russia, believes that it is necessary to fight ideological aggression aimed at imposing false values, saturated with ignorance and aimed at inciting consumer instincts. Morality must be understood as an absolute value.

Keywords: personality, spirituality, “lack of spirituality,” culture, identity, values, tolerance, family, ethical ignorance, globalization.

The author of the article considers spirituality and morality as the decisive beginnings, capable of affecting the socio-cultural situation in Russia. The author also thinks that it is necessary to fight against the ideological aggression which aims at imposing the false values ​​imbued with ignorance and directed at kindling consumer instincts. It is necessary to understand morals as an absolute value.

Keywords: personality, spirituality, soullessness, culture, identity, values, tolerance, family, ethical ignorance, globalization.

The current situation is characterized by the fact that the process of globalization is taking place everywhere, the formation of an integral world social system, the destruction of the “old” one, while there is an obvious absence of “new” morality - the moral values ​​of a single humanity. The value structure of society is extremely complex, and its elements influence the dynamics of social development in different ways - either consolidate social processes or revolutionize them.

Morality in public life is one of the ways and means of adapting individuals to life in society and connecting individual freedom with social necessity, as well as responsibility, resolving the contradiction between them. Historically, morality is primary in the process of human socialization. It enters the inner world of a person, and for its functioning, a person’s own power over himself is sufficient. The essence of morality is that people are aware of the need for their behavior, which corresponds to a certain social behavioral type, while they rely on personal beliefs and public opinion.

Morality can be defined as a special form of normative-evaluative orientation of people in society and as the most important form of public will. Feelings of duty, conscience, and honor are formed in society, and through social relations they become the property of a person in the process of socialization and internalization. Morality regulates the behavior and consciousness of people in all spheres of life - economic, political, social and spiritual; it is determined in a certain way by the type of society.

The foundations of morality belong to the era of the tribal social system. This period is characterized by the power of nature, sensory experience, the peculiarity of conceptual thinking and the comprehension of reality in a fantastic way. There are various types of magic, totemism, fetishism, a system of prohibitions, certain rites, rituals, mythology. It is generally accepted that consanguinity was an organizational and normative principle in primitive society.

Primitive thinking was irrational and based on fiction and superstition. In modern language, the mentality of that period can be characterized by such concepts as “collective conscience”, “collective unconscious”. All this is understood as a set of feelings and ideas inherent in all members of a given community. C. Jung described the archaic psyche very interestingly. “The archaic psyche is a collective psyche, a transpersonal soul, quite real and endowed with divine, creative energy, which is incomparable with the “humiliated soul” of modern man.” Community norms of behavior in this society fostered collectivism and solidarity. Here we can talk about mechanical solidarity that exists between people. In primitive society there was neither religious morality nor basic moral standards. They appeared towards the end of the tribal system, towards the period of patriarchy. Then primitive moral norms emerge: a ban on cannibalism and incest, obedience to elders, decent work. These moral norms carried out normative regulation, as if they had been issued by a certain state institution. Although “the moral demands of clan society were ensured not only by public opinion, as well as individual consciousness, but also to a large extent by the activities of clan and tribal institutions (clan councils, tribal meetings, councils of elders).”

New moral standards emerged in a patriarchal society. The role of the man’s authority as the head of the family, wife’s fidelity, the prohibition on lying, and blood feud have strengthened. This period is characterized by the identity of the moral norm with the ordinary norm. The system of prohibitions (taboo) is very important. They are the ones who shape the consciousness and will of individuals. The archaic idea of ​​justice is spreading - talion - the principle of equal retribution, blood feud. This custom is characteristic of “all peoples at the stage of their tribal primitive level of development, which does not allow them to enter into relations of domination and subordination.” Mature communal-tribal relations led to the emergence of a class state, and although this system was based on a communal traditional way of life, it fought with all its might and supplanted it. State institutions appear, they are outside the community and above it, the most ancient codes of laws arise - the laws of Hammurabi, the king of Babylon (II BC), the laws of Manu (I century BC) and others.

I will focus on the laws of Hammurabi. They date back to the era of the early slave system and differ from the religious and ethical norms of the communal patriarchal system. Essentially, this is already a set of property, family and criminal law. The main place is occupied by transactions with property (“buy”, “sell”, “exchange”, etc.) and then actions that violate property rights (“steal”, “rob”, etc.).

Trespassing on private property and theft are prohibited by law and punishable by death. The law defines family relations (marriage and divorce, recognition of paternity, remarriage, etc.). The laws provided for death for theft, for lying, if it was not proven in court. Another punishment was self-mutilation (cutting of ears, fingers, etc.). Conflicts were resolved through talion. Obviously, at that time there were no universal imperatives, no abstract moral values, and there was no individual moral motivation, although many moral norms (prohibitions) of the communal way of life were transferred to the legal code and religious provisions. Class slave-owning morality is different - it is based on the ideas of law.

The process of individualization of the social existence of isolated individuals from the clan community led to a change in consciousness as a form of social regulation. New norms were needed that would affirm the individual as an independent subject of action. And this became the golden rule of morality: act towards others as you would like them to act towards you. The Golden Rule has been mentioned since the 6th–5th centuries. BC e. It is in ancient Indian culture, in the Gospel of Matthew, in the teachings of Confucius: “What you do not want, do not do to others.” The Golden Rule has become widespread since early class society. It exists in the history of ethical thought; it was mainly mentioned as a requirement of everyday morality, and not as an ethical principle.

Morality is humanity, a worthy attitude towards another person, this is the primary, most elementary human attitude that precedes all others.

A qualitative change in European morality and culture occurred in the modern era. It was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen of 1789 that declared that only the rights and freedoms of another person determine the boundaries of what a person should and should not do. This is not just abstract moral principles or religious fantasies, but a real declaration that a person’s moral duty is to independently build his own life, without violating the rights of others.

The content of human rights and freedoms had very important principles - those that corresponded to universal human moral requirements. These are the principles of human freedom, non-violence, personal self-determination, non-interference in private life, inviolability of private property, tolerance and others. In the works of T. Hobbes, J. Locke, J. J. Rousseau, they were discussed and proclaimed the highest moral standards, although during this period people’s subjective ideas about good, evil, justice, etc. began to be distinguished. Thus, the principle of freedom of conscience and religion is endowed with the property of objectivity and universality and is considered as a reflection of the natural order of things. The basis of moral relations in a democratic society is the equality of people.

For I. Kant, it is freedom and equality that are the defining features of the content of the categorical imperative: “Act in such a way that you always treat a person, both in your own person and in the person of anyone else, in the same way as a goal, and never treat him only as a means."

Significant changes in morality and ethics are taking place in capitalist society, especially at the present stage of its development. If in pre-capitalist societies morality plays a vital role in the formation of man, then capitalism with its market relations, thirst for profit and wealth is characterized by moral decline, is immoral and dehumanized.

K. Marx and F. Engels very accurately and colorfully characterized capitalism: “The bourgeoisie, wherever it has achieved dominance, has destroyed all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. She mercilessly tore off the motley feudal shackles that tied man to his “natural overlords,” and left no other connection between people except bare interest, heartless “purity.”

The unbridled desire for profit turns into greed and leads to the deformation of human relations and human goals in a capitalist society. This situation leads to a breakdown of ties between people, leads to isolation and individualism, immorality and crime, to a deepening of the split between rich and poor in different countries.

In pursuit of profit, transnational corporations in poor countries hold back modernization, do not comply with safety regulations, use child labor, and ignore the social problems of the countries where they make profits. The main thing for entrepreneurs is to gain wealth and succeed in competition. For this they sacrifice morality, and only legal law regulates business relations. But these legal laws often lag behind life, and entrepreneurs act at their own discretion, although moral norms, which are unwritten, react to practical problems faster than legal laws, but they are not taken into account by entrepreneurs.

It is safe to say that modern capitalist society tends to erode moral values ​​and dehumanize people.

The spiritual essence of morality is manifested in a certain orientation of a person and social groups of society towards specific moral values ​​and norms. And from here follow the corresponding actions and behavior of people. The peculiarity of moral norms is that they are not enshrined in state institutions and are not state norms, like legal ones. They are carried out because this is a person’s internal image of himself, and the assessment of this behavior by others is approval or condemnation. Without morality, the life of society is impossible.

There are many ways to justify morality. I will note just a few: utilitarianism, absolutism, naturalism, cosmism.

Utilitarianism assumes that moral values ​​are distinguished from external social goods. Moral activity is justified if it leads to the happiness of people. The prerequisite for the emergence of this theory was early capitalism with its development of productive forces and the rise of consumption to a higher level.

Absolutist concepts are derived from an authoritative external source, such as God. Thus, I. Kant in the “Critique of Practical Reason” writes about God and the immortality of the soul. He accepts them as postulates for the implementation of moral actions, although the main, reliable and only criterion for Kant remains reason.

Naturalism involves deriving morality from the natural qualities of an individual - from the organizational features of the human psyche, or from the basic instincts that are inherent in all living organisms.

The representative of evolutionist ethics was P. A. Kropotkin. He believed that moral norms, such as justice, arise as a borrowing from the experience of animals. Primitive man, dependent on nature, saw the behavior of animals that do not kill each other, but provide support, and did the same.

For cosmism it is obvious that the evolution of morality is connected with the development of the cosmos. The influence of cosmic forces contributes to the manifestation of human spirituality and morality.

All these concepts do not provide a clear answer to the rationale for the emergence of morality and its understanding as the public will and the core of man. Although, probably, as a result of a very long historical practice, along with the formation of social needs in the process of activity and the preservation of the integrity of human existence, moral values ​​are also formed. People follow them, and for them these values ​​currently appear not as prohibitions, but as a matter of course.

Almost always, the prescriptions of moral norms are expressed in the imperative mood: “thou shalt not kill,” “live your life unnoticed,” etc. Moral norms are also characterized by the fact that they require certain behavior, and do not simply convince or teach to act in a certain way. We can talk about individual moral norms, for example, the ethics of a doctor, or about universal norms that apply to every person. These can be categorical norms that always apply (the norms of Christian morality), or norms that must be followed by people in certain situations.

What is the source of moral standards? They can be customs, traditions and even authority, that is, the person himself (Socrates, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, etc.). Material, objective conditions are also sources of morality if they gave rise to moral norms. Ethics emphasizes that moral norms have objective meaning, that is, they do not depend on arbitrariness or objective opinion. On the other hand, the requirements and prescriptions contained in moral norms are biased by their nature. They were, after all, an expression of the will of certain social groups or of God in religious ethics, and even personal motives could be the source of the norm.

We can say that a norm at first looks like an external one, like a prescription for a person, but it becomes moral only when this prescription is realized by a person and becomes his internal, his subjective necessity, his will.

In their objective essence, moral norms are a specific form of coordination of human freedom and will with general needs, interests, with the will and interests of other communities, other subjects. These can be classes, groups, social strata, etc. They are relative, but at the same time, moral norms are expressed in a universal form. Every moral norm passes the test of universality, I. Kant argued.

Specifically, moral norms appear as typical standards of behavior of people in a certain environment, and they change in the process of historical development. Moral norms exist not only in moral consciousness, they are objectified in actions, moral qualities of a person, moral positions and relationships of people.

Human behavior is primarily motivated by natural and social needs and the specific circumstances of the individual. Socio-natural reality is the beginning of human behavior. But there is another reality - morality, moral necessity. It acts as certain restrictions for a person, carried out either at his own will or at the will of the collective (in primitive society.)

If we summarize the features of moral norms, they come down to the following. Moral standards always encourage goodness. They are the result of good will, independently accepted by a person. The choice of moral norms is not determined by their usefulness, but on the contrary, norms guide a person and help him set or choose goals. The norms dictate certain prohibitions, but at the same time they oblige people to live together. And finally, a person sets moral standards for himself and follows them.

It is obvious that the community of people establishes moral standards and, as a rule, fulfills them themselves. It is absolutely true that morality is a social principle in man; it binds people together before all other connections.

Moral values ​​include good, evil, love, justice, duty, responsibility, conscience, shame, etc. All of them have different purposes in the language of morality and fix different aspects of morality. Thus, goodness is focused on the value-normative aspect of the content of morality, and conscience and shame indicate spiritual and psychological mechanisms and methods that regulate the behavior of an individual. Conscience occupies a special place in the system of moral values.

Morality is not a set of ready-made rules that fit every occasion. A person has something that dictates him to act “according to his conscience” in a certain situation. Imposing sanctions on oneself is conscience. But probably not every person has this moral basis. Therefore, say, a heroic act may not happen (throwing into the fire and saving a child) if there is no “should” requirement within oneself.

Conscience in the “New Philosophical Encyclopedia” is defined “as a person’s ability, critically assessing himself, to realize and experience his inconsistency with what he should have - failure to fulfill his duty.”

The higher the measure of social development of an individual, his social activity, the greater the role conscience plays in his life.

Conscience is a special spiritual ability of a person, a special mechanism responsible for maintaining moral qualities and human behavior. Quite rightly, conscience is considered the core of a person, and its absence leads to collapse, deforms relationships between people, leads to the destruction of the entire system of moral values, a spiritual crisis.

In the 21st century In connection with globalization, proposals are made to build a moral system of world coexistence of all states, to establish a new world order, which proclaims the idea of ​​“globalization humanism”, “primary globalization of morality”, norms of behavior, and ideals. We are talking about a kind of social conscience, to which everyone should be involved.

Such arguments about a unified new morality are absurd. Over its long history, humanity has developed moral values ​​and universal human norms. If you follow them, if you identify them with everyone, and do not destroy them, do not alienate them from a person, as is happening today in post-industrial society, then you can free the individual from the shackles of immorality.

It can be argued that a person is such to the extent that he has a moral principle. Is it possible to teach moral values ​​and norms? There are no teachers of morality, since it is not a specialized form of activity. However, the church is successfully doing this. It is quite obvious that modern Russian society needs moral education, because the moral standards of people's behavior have sharply decreased.

Of course, a person can be taught moral values ​​and standards. He cannot help but live a meaningful life. After all, no one can give meaning to a person’s life except himself. Therefore, when setting the direction of his life, an individual takes into account the intellectual and practical experience of the people around him, as well as moral experience, and only the person himself is responsible for what he has chosen.

All properties, qualities, characteristics set by public moral education only give results when they pass “through” the person himself and are developed by him in the process of individual and social development.

An analysis of archaic culture and morality is contained in the works of famous authors: A. M. Zolotarev. Tribal system and primitive mythology. – M., 1964; Lévi-Strauss K. Primitive thinking. – M., 1994, etc.

See: Jung K. Archaic man / K. Jung // Problems of the soul of our time. – M., 1994.

Valeev D. Zh. Origin of morality. – Saratov, 1981. – P. 138.

Guseinov A. A. Social nature of morality. – M., 1974. – P. 64–65.

Reader on the history of the Ancient East / ed. M. A. Korostovtseva. – M., 1980.

Kant I. Works: in 6 vols. – vol. 4. – part 1. – M., 1965. – P. 270.

Marx K., Engels F. Manifesto of the Communist Party / K. Marx, F. Engels // Op. – vol. 4. – P. 426.

See: Ethics: textbook / under general. ed. A. A. Guseinova, E. L. Dubko. – M.: Gardariki, 1999. – P. 383–391.

New Philosophical Encyclopedia: in 4 volumes / ed. V. S. Stepina, A. A. Guseinova and others - M.: Mysl, 2010. - P. 585.

See: Kazmin A.K. Philosophical problems of the concept of human evolution // Bulletin of the Russian Federal District. – 2004. – No. 3. – P. 104–105.

Introduction

Moral values ​​and their role in human life. Freedom and responsibility

The concept of aesthetic. Goodness and beauty in the spiritual experience of modern man

Religion and its role in the modern world

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

From the moment of formation of society, moral values ​​began to exist. They determined a person’s life activity, his position and relationships in the community.

Freedom for a person did not at all belong to him; there were periods when for centuries a person remained in bondage. And even in our time, a person depends on laws, the foundations of society and traditions. He must be responsible for his actions, because if he does not realize what he has done, this will lead to consequences that he will regret.

How wonderful it would be if goodness and beauty went hand in hand, but these days this is not always the case.

Religion, just like in ancient times, is of great importance in the modern world. It unites millions of people, gives them hope in difficult times, and forms moral standards of human behavior. But there is also a negative aspect: against the background of religious differences, conflicts arise between people of different faiths.

1. Moral values ​​and their role in human life. Freedom and responsibility

The most important philosophical issues under the jurisdiction of philosophical anthropology also include the spiritual life of man and those basic values ​​that underlie his existence.

The values ​​that ensure human life are health and safety, material wealth, relationships in society that contribute to the self-realization of the individual and his freedom of choice. A person’s moral values ​​are a set of rules and norms of behavior in society.

The rules of morality were contained in the mythological and religious systems of any society. And moral values ​​were inextricably linked with religious systems.

In antiquity, independent ethical teachings appeared, outside the framework of religious and mythological systems, the most important of which were ethical rationalism, hedonism And stoicism. Ethical rationalism proceeds from the fact that a person only needs to know what is good and what is evil in order for him to act morally. Immoral behavior is interpreted as ignorance

Hedonistic ethics presents the pursuit of pleasure as the meaning of human life. In ancient philosophy it is represented by the teachings of Epicurus. In everyday language we use the name "cynics" for those who disregard moral values. “Cynics”, or cynics, in ancient philosophy were the name of a philosophical school whose representatives questioned the moral rules of behavior. Stoicism is a teaching whose followers preached contempt for wealth and fame, taught indifference to fate and perseverance. Christianity proposed a system of moral values ​​based on the gospel history, where the main value is the love of God and “the preparation of the soul for eternal life. During the Renaissance, humanism as a philosophical and ethical system that represents man and his creative self-realization as the highest value.

In the 18th century The idea that the main category of morality is duty was developed by Emmanuel Kant. He formulated the “categorical imperative” - a moral law to which all people must obey: “Act in such a way that the maxim of your behavior at all times could be the norm of universal legislation.”

Moral values ​​play a huge role in human life. For example, having promised someone something, you cannot fail to fulfill the promise because... in the eyes of this person, you become an unreliable person who cannot be relied upon, and this is contrary to moral values.

Relatives, friends, loved ones and those who surround us are society. And therefore we need to value their love, trust, and friendship, and without at least observing the basic moral rules of behavior, we simply cannot exist.

The most important condition for an individual’s morality is his freedom, the possibility of moral self-determination. Without this, there can be no talk of morality as a special mechanism for regulating human relations. If we do not choose anything of our own free will, we are not free. However, the theme of freedom as choice comes to its full extent in Christianity, which connects with a person’s free decision his movement along the path of good or evil. Christianity proceeds from the fact that the human will is free, that is, it makes its own choice, not being a simple consequence of certain causes that determine it. A person can either accept the hand of Christ extended to him, or evade divine help and support by choosing another path.

If we reject the mechanistic understanding of sociocultural laws, in which human life is a rigid chain of links tightly connected to each other, then we will find that the laws of society and everyday life are laws-trends. They are statistical, that is, they act only on a large array of events and situations. At the level of both being and everyday life, probabilistic relations dominate, which, within the framework of a tendency, make it possible to choose. Almost every everyday situation has a number of alternatives, and a person is free to prefer one or another way of behavior, one or another assessment. Free will can and must move from the possibility of choice into the reality of choice - embodied in an action, in a position, in a manner of behavior.

The human will has the ability to freely choose one position or another, but this depends on certain conditions:

Condition 1. To realize free choice there must be no external coercion or prohibition. If a person is literally chained, under direct threat of death, fundamentally limited in his capabilities and cannot act at his own discretion, he does not choose and is not free, at least in a practical sense.

Condition 2. In order for a free choice to take place, consciousness and reflection are needed, the ability to see the available options and settle on one of them. In my opinion, awareness is a necessary moment of free choice, its irreducible attribute. If a person chooses spontaneously, according to the principle “I can’t do otherwise,” then in 99% of cases his choice will be wrong and will not bring him anything good.

It happens that a person is unable to decide which value to choose, and then he wants to abandon the decision. Remove yourself. "Lie low." Leave the problem to others. However, this means that even the absence of choice is a choice. Doing nothing is also an act.

Not to provide help - to remain silent, to close your eyes - is also a free decision. This provision applies no less to the choice between equal values. If you didn’t choose, it means that someone chose for you, and people most often know who can solve the issue “for them” and in what way. Therefore, avoiding choice is nothing more than self-deception.

Responsibility is the flip side of freedom, its « alterego » - second “I”. Responsibility is inextricably linked with freedom and always accompanies it. He who acts freely is fully responsible for what he does.

Behave responsibly- means being able to actively act from your place, act according to the logic of events, understanding and realizing how your actions will respond to you and others. This means foreseeing (feeling, grasping) the consequences of each of your steps and striving to prevent a possible negative course of events. Responsible behavior in this sense is reasonable and prudent behavior in the good sense of the word - the behavior of someone who cares what happens to him and others. Responsibility also means the ability to correctly understand the needs of both other people and your own. We behave responsibly towards others when we respect them as individuals, strive to help when asking for help, support when necessary, when we affirm their being and contribute to their development. Indifference, like an attempt to “break another over the knee,” is always an irresponsible attitude towards him. The same goes for your attitude towards yourself. Being responsible for oneself means taking care of one’s preservation and development, and the reasonable ability to manage one’s own behavior, without giving free rein to irrational passions.

The first most important condition for responsibility is the very freedom of the action performed. If a person was bound, unconscious, or imprisoned, there is no free choice, and we cannot hold the individual morally responsible for what happened to him and around him. He had no choice. He could not act according to his own will.

The second most important condition for the completeness of a person’s moral responsibility is the intentionality of his actions. We are morally responsible, first of all, for what we wanted to do, what we consciously chose, what we strived for. What if we brought harm to others by accident, by mistake, unintentionally? As then? It must be said that unintentionality, although it softens moral responsibility, does not completely remove it. If someone was playing with a gun and accidentally killed his best friend, he also experiences pangs of conscience and suffers from a sense of guilt. And if the court acquits such a random killer or punishes him only for negligence in handling weapons - that is, for frivolity, then moral responsibility will be much higher. Perhaps this is paradoxical, but people who unwittingly become the cause of other people’s troubles, often completely “guilty without guilt,” experience the full burden of responsibility for what happened, even if no one strictly condemns them from the outside. This probably happens because it is difficult for us to console ourselves with the role of “toy of fate” and “instrument of fate.” The question always arises: “Why me and not someone else?” We do not want to be a mere means even in the hands of Providence, we are intensely looking for our own hidden impulse that can explain our dramatic role in someone else's life story, and this “personal interpretation” of what happened makes us feel responsible.

Responsible behavior is opposed to irresponsible behavior - these are actions “at random”, actions that are performed somehow, without taking into account the consequences for oneself and for others. Irresponsibility is always associated with indifference and frivolity or with excessive self-confidence, and often with both. When a person irresponsibly makes a free choice, he places himself and others in a position of high degree of uncertainty, because the consequences of a thoughtless, random, blind choice are unpredictable. They are likely to be detrimental to everyone involved in a particular situation. With irresponsible behavior, the individual does not experience feelings of anxiety, tension inherent in responsibility, and does not concentrate his attention on the task he has taken on. He believes that “it’s not easy to get out,” and is often mistaken.

And here the second understanding of responsibility comes into force, we are talking about the responsibility that is “borne.” “To bear responsibility” means to accept all the consequences of the actions taken, to pay for them in the full sense of the word. In turn, irresponsibility means in this context an attempt to shift the consequences of one’s actions onto others, to make them pay for their own cowardice, unreasonableness or unrestrained daring. Jean-Paul Sartre, who believed that man is a being absolutely free to choose, saw one single moral norm that people must necessarily obey - responsibility for every free choice. You can invent your own morality - the strangest and most bizarre, you can be kind beyond measure or uncontrollably cruel - this is a matter of your choice. However, at the same time, you must take upon yourself and only yourself all the consequences of your behavior. If you say that you were forced, coerced, seduced or fooled, you are lying, because the last decision is always made by the person himself. Pain, contempt, exile, ruin must be accepted by the freely choosing individual just as much as love, wealth or fame, because every result is the result of his free choice, and not a single soul in the world is responsible for your own actions.

2. The concept of aesthetic. Goodness and beauty in the spiritual experience of modern man

The human world includes beauty, this is intuitively clear to everyone. Every person is capable of love, and for the most part they love the beautiful, the wonderful, the sublime. And accordingly, many, to put it mildly, do not like the ugly and base. However, a naive and intuitive understanding of the world of beauty is not enough to confidently navigate it. Here, as usual in problematic situations, there is a need for good philosophy. It is interesting that until the middle of the 18th century. philosophers did not attach due importance to the sphere of beauty. Philosophers of antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance considered, for example, logic and ethics, but not aesthetics, to be independent branches of philosophy. Why?

The Greek "aestheticos" means "pertaining to feeling." But feeling was considered just a moment of cognitive or practical activity. When it became clear that the sensory-emotional world has not only a subordinate, but also an independent meaning, the time of aesthetics came, within the framework of which such values ​​as beauty and beauty received their understanding. The founder of aesthetics, Baumgarten, defined beauty as the perfection of the sensual, and art as the embodiment of beauty. The category of beauty concretizes the category of beauty, because it is more specific, it explicitly includes elements of comparison: something is not just beautiful, but very beautiful, wonderful and as far removed as possible from the ugly, the antipode of the beautiful. Emphasizing the uniqueness of aesthetic perception, Kant characterized it as “expediency without purpose.” Aesthetic judgment is not interested in anything else; it has independent value. In human life, the aesthetic principle has its own special niche.

Where and how does the aesthetic exist? The simplest answer to this question is this: aesthetic, and this includes beauty, is a property of an object. Such an answer from the standpoint of understanding the iconic, symbolic nature of the aesthetic is rather naive. Being included in the process of symbolization, the aesthetic unites and connects the subject with the object, the spiritual with the physical. Both the “naturalists” who consider aesthetic properties to belong to objects and those who reduce the aesthetic to the perceptions of the individual are mistaken. The secret of the aesthetic lies in the amazing consistency of the “face” of an object with the inner emotional and imaginative life of a person. In his aesthetic attitude towards nature, towards others and towards himself, a person constantly checks everything for humanity, looking for proportions that would organically connect him with the external environment.

The value character of the aesthetic is especially clearly manifested in the relationship between the beautiful and the ugly, and they are far from equivalent. Man strives not for the ugly and base, but for the beautiful and sublime. Deprive the world of the aesthetically positive, and you will lose much more than half of sensory perception.

In an effort to multiply and develop the world, first of all, the beautiful, the beautiful, people turn to art. Art, as already noted, is the embodiment of beauty, which, of course, presupposes the creation of the latter.

Beauty can be expressed by sound, light, matter, movement, rhythm, the human body, word, thought, feeling. As you know, there are many types of art: architecture, sculpture, literature, theater, music, choreography, cinema, circus, applied and decorative arts. Every time the bearer of beauty is something, for example in the case of music - the sounds that musicians produce through musical instruments. Art is the ability to express oneself according to the signs of beauty. Feelings are also beautiful if they lead to positive experiences of value. There are countless examples of this, from the love of Romeo and Juliet to the courage of a warrior defending his homeland.

For a designer, engineer, or technician, it is very important to see the similarities and differences between, on the one hand, a work of art and, on the other hand, a technical artifact, i.e. technical product or device. The Greek "techne" means art, skill. Both the artist and the technician are skilled craftsmen, although the goals of their work and creativity are not the same. The purpose of a work of art is to function as a symbol of beauty, of beauty; The purpose of a technical artifact is its usefulness to humans. It cannot be ruled out that in some cases a technical product is also a work of art, but this is not always the case. At the same time, every technical artifact does not fall out of the aesthetic world. Moreover, as it turned out, the usefulness of a technical product does not oppose its aesthetic merits, but forms a unique unity with it, but desirable for a person. Awareness of this fact led to the development of design and artistic construction of objects, including technology. The word “design” is of English origin and very successfully reflects the essence of technical aesthetics. It consists of the root stem "zayn" (sign, symbol) and the prefix "di" (division). The designer carries out a variety of symbolic activities. He translates his spiritual world into technical signs that are relevant to technology users. For a designer, technology is not just hardware, but a symbol of beauty and beauty. According to L.N. Tolstoy, “The concept of beauty not only does not coincide with goodness, but rather is the opposite of it, since goodness for the most part coincides with victory over addictions, while beauty is the basis of all our addictions.” And I, perhaps, agree with this opinion, since goodness is the spiritual state of a person in which he does not pay attention to any external factors influencing him, but is guided by the spirit of the soul and heart. This can manifest itself in his work, and in his communication with people, actions and thoughts.

Beauty is mainly manifested by some external factors. Take, for example, girls who are only concerned with their appearance; they spend hours in beauty salons, busy with various procedures, but behind this “doll” mask there is nothing. There is nothing interesting, communication with them will not give any impressions and will not evoke any emotions. You will say that a person should be beautiful both in soul and body, and I agree with this, but in this case the external data becomes beautiful, and the inner world is absent. This confrontation between goodness and beauty, in my opinion, will always be.

3. Religion and its role in the modern world

Religion (from the Latin religio - piety, piety, shrine, object of worship) is a form of worldview in which the development of the world is carried out through its doubling into the otherworldly - “earthly”, natural, perceived by the senses, and the otherworldly - “heavenly”, supernatural , supersensible. The formation of an artificial (theoretical, artistic or other) “world”, in contrast to the real, vital, objective world, is a feature of all forms of its spiritual development by people. They say: “the world of scientific theory”, “the world of fairy tales”, “the world of music”. The specificity of religion lies in the special nature of its “second” world and its semantic role. The basis of the religious worldview is the belief in the existence of one or another type of supernatural forces and in their dominant role in the universe and the lives of people.

Faith is a way of existence of religious consciousness, a special mood, an experience that characterizes its internal state. An external, socially significant form of manifestation of faith is a cult - a system of established rituals and dogmas. Socially significant ideas, feelings, and actions are combined in religion, as in the worldview in general, with the individual involvement of people in its ideas, images, meanings, and with their personal creativity. Both are obligatory “poles”, the living conditions of religious consciousness.

Religious ideas cannot be derived from the feelings and experiences of an individual person. They are a product of the historical development of society. There were and are many variants of religious beliefs. Such forms of religions as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam are considered global and to this day have a large number of adherents in different countries. Religion is a socially organized (and organizing) faith of human communities, a form of their worship of “higher powers,” and thereby the values ​​most revered by a given society embodied in them.

The nature of religious worldview is complex and requires careful study. Until recently, its assessment in our literature was extremely simplified and coarsened; it was interpreted simply as a system of “ignorant” ideas about the world and man. Meanwhile, religion is a certain phenomenon of spiritual culture, a form of ideology that has a social nature and functions. The ideological content and social roles of religious teachings are ambiguous and subject to historical changes and rethinking. What is their most general essence?

Research shows that fantastic religious ideas about animate forces, immeasurably superior to human, “natural” forces, reflect the constant intrusion into the lives of people of natural and social processes “alien” to them, bearing in themselves the features of randomness and catastrophism. The mysterious forces of nature and history (fate, fate) were interpreted as “higher powers.” Religion developed on the basis of the consciousness of people's dependence on such uncontrollable forces as the illusory compensation for the weakness of society in front of them. Ideas about “higher powers” ​​intricately intertwined the principles of good and evil; the demonic and divine sides of religion developed in parallel for a long time. Hence the mixed feeling of fear and respect of believers towards higher powers. From the nightmare of evil spirits, believers sought salvation by turning to divine powers.

Worship of “higher powers” ​​gradually leads to the concept (image) of God - a supreme being worthy of worship. In mature forms of religions, the idea of ​​God conquers everything demonic and is freed from it. By analogy with the “father-son” relationship and others, God is conceived as a ruler and at the same time an intercessor, the savior of man. God is also conceived as the guardian of custom, tradition, morality, cultural ties that bind people, and spiritual values ​​revered in society. The selfish desire to appease the gods, to call upon them as assistants, is combined with their selfless veneration and the desire to follow a high example. The strengthening of this moment is associated with the development within the framework of religious consciousness - at its highest levels - of ethical ideas, ideals, and norms. A religious and ethical attitude towards a deity often gives faith a bright, joyful character, contributing to the formation of high universal values.

Religion is a complex spiritual formation and socio-historical phenomenon that does not fit into unambiguous, straightforward characteristics. One of the historical missions of religion, which is acquiring unprecedented relevance in the modern world, has been and continues to be the formation of consciousness of the unity of the human race, the significance of universal moral norms, and enduring values. But in a religious worldview, completely different moods and ideas can be expressed: fanaticism, hostility towards people of other faiths, of which there are many examples in the past and present. The experience of our days provides examples of irreconcilable hostility between different groups of people of the same faith. But this, we repeat, does not provide grounds for an unambiguous assessment of the socio-political role of religious views in general.

Religion is a multifaceted and multi-valued phenomenon. It is generated by specific patterns of social development. Social processes will ultimately determine its fate. Today, with all the vulnerability of the ideas of a supernatural world principle in the light of the achievements of science, with all the fantastic forms in which the religious worldview is expressed, the influence of religious ideas on the public consciousness of different countries and regions is still very great.

This is largely due to the fact that the “human world” of religions in its own way reflects the vast real life experience of mankind, creates a system of emotional and figurative ideas and experiences, values, norms of life, moral ideals that modern humanity so needs. With the help of solemn, festive rituals, religion cultivates human feelings of love, kindness, tolerance, compassion, mercy, conscience, duty, justice and others, trying to give them special value and associate them with the experience of the sublime, the sacred. By placing the spiritual and value side of people's lives on a pedestal, religious consciousness contributed to the development of human spirituality, this truly “supernatural” aspect of human existence in a certain sense. It is social and therefore cannot be captured through natural, “natural” explanations. In addition, it is associated with the ideal side of culture, with human subjectivity and therefore is not grasped as something material, tangible, and is less amenable to rational-theoretical interpretation and regulation.

We can conclude that religion has been and remains the most important factor in the formation of a morally stable and humane society. After all, religion makes a person understand what is good and what is bad; reverence for ancestors and respect for parents.

Conclusion

The values ​​that ensure human life are health and safety, material wealth, relationships in society that contribute to the self-realization of the individual and his freedom of choice. A person’s moral values ​​are a set of rules and norms of behavior in society. These rules should guide a person in his life.

The most important condition for an individual's morality is his freedom. . If we do not choose anything of our own free will, we are not free. However, we will not be completely free, since we depend on moral social principles and legislation. Well, of course, responsibility for one’s actions must be instilled in a person from childhood, without it there will be no personality as such.

Aesthetic is a meta-category, that is, the broadest and most fundamental category of aesthetics. It reflects what is common to the beautiful, ugly, sublime, base, tragic, comic, dramatic and other characteristics of life and art.

Goodness lies within a person. Good should improve the world, make it better, because the more good we do, the more it comes back to us. But if goodness and beauty unite, our life will sparkle with all the colors of life.

Well, in conclusion I will say about religion. It keeps our minds and actions within a certain moral framework, teaches us to respect our parents and be respectful to our elders. Nowadays this is not always the case, but still, for the most part, we try to adhere to this moral framework.

List of used literature

1. Lavrinenko V.N., Ratnikova V.T. "Philosophy". - M.: Unity-Dana, 2004. 356-360 pp.

2. Spirin A.G. "Philosophy". - M.: Gardariki, 2004. 279-283 pp.

3. Rychkov A.K. "Philosophy". - M.: Vlados, 2004. 173-175 pp.

4. Guchilov N.F. "Philosophy". - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2004. 298-301 pp.

5. Kokhanovsky V.P. "Philosophy". - Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2005. 340-342 pp.

6. Gubin V.D. "Philosophy". - M.: Prospekt, 2007. 184-187 pp.

7. Alekseev P.V., A.V. Panin “Philosophies”. - Prospect, 2008. 365-367 pp.

8. Razin A.V. "Philosophy". - M.: Gardariki, 2006. 304-307 pp.

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The words morality and ethics are perceived ambiguously in our time. On the one hand, we all seem to understand that we cannot live without morality. On the other hand, the moral easily acquires in our minds the taste of something annoying, insincere: “moral code”, “moral and labor education”, “moral fortitude” of the Gvintik people. . . Is this insincerity and importunity almost inherent in the very nature of morality? The unique searches and problems of the human soul that we call them moral are, of course, interesting and important for everyone. But perhaps Friedrich Nietzsche is right, and the naissuttewische in a person’s life begins just right “beyond good and evil”? Thus, a decent person must take into account the requirements of morality. Nevertheless, don’t we see that it is precisely those who are able to step over these demands who celebrate life’s victories? And what kind of decency can one go on an empty stomach? Maybe high moral experiences are the privilege of those who already have wealth? Or maybe all morality

and consists precisely in acquiring prosperity by freeing yourself and your loved ones from squalor and humiliation, incompatible with human dignity? And various heroes and altruistic fanatics - isn’t it better without them at all?

Maybe it really is a happy country that doesn’t need heroes? Why then does the heart involuntarily skip a beat when faced with manifestations of true moral nobility? On the one hand, we are told about the knowledge of good and evil. On the other hand, who hasn’t met simple and sincere people who had no moral philosophy about anyone, and yet were distinguished by their impeccable kindness? And vice versa - highly educated scoundrels who expertly created evil? However, by raising all these questions, we are already plunging into the outskirts of ethics, the outskirts of thinking about human morality. So how can it be impossible to simply brush aside these bitter and pressing questions; life itself brings us to them again and again. And one more thing: could there even be any final, generally valid answers to such questions, or does everyone here not follow their own path and choose what is closest to them? And when this is so, why is the science of ethics needed? Let's judge. First of all, let’s take into account that, in fact, the concept of morality and moral values ​​is, to put it mildly, exploited in our country. During the years of Soviet power, it became a habit to patch up all the holes of the decrepit social organism with a “moral factor”; It is not surprising that in its fall the bankrupt system dragged with it everything connected with it - so the crisis of socialist morality turned into a devaluation of morality in general. Meanwhile, the more daunting the problems arise before us, the more unsung the prospects for the future - the more invisible is the desire of modern man to find some solid ground under his feet, something for which he should live, which could serve as a kind of tuning fork for his excited soul, a measure of his actions . Consciously or unconsciously, she again and again turns to cardinal questions of morality, questions of choosing moral values. We cannot reject them altogether - so the one who would decide not to breathe, a minute sooner or later, will still take a breath of fresh air. However, the outlined situation deserves to take a closer look at it. After all - despite all the traditional moral stereotypes that have long set everyone's teeth on edge - or can we sincerely say that our life, our culture was really built on the principles of morality? That in the course of everyday existence, ideas about good and evil, dignity and honor, duties, respect for man, loyalty to one’s word and convictions have been and are being weighed a lot? No, we cannot say that; Today, unfortunately, we are very far from the normal state of human culture, the core of which is the listed concepts and values. Shortly after the First World War and the fatal social changes that coincided with its conclusion, the world famous humanist thinker Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) made a medically precise diagnosis of the era: a culture in which the foundations of ethics are degrading, doomed to decline1. Unfortunately, we are now seeing confirmation of this diagnosis in the example of our society. The bitter paradox lies in the fact that our culture, even to this day, after everything we have experienced in recent years, is probably most fully characterized by the three most famous principles of the former socialist cultural construction - the principles of party spirit, ideology, nationality - but in the most base, grotesque way their disfigured embodiment. Thus, our culture was and remains a party culture (although now multi-party), at least in the understanding that it encourages us to correlate the words and actions of people, first of all, not with universal human criteria of justice, truth, goodness, but with partial, own party ones (lat. pars, partis - this is a particle) by the interests of one or another, obvious or hidden forces. It seems that we can no longer perceive the cruel prose of modern life otherwise than as a certain tug of war - “left” against “right”, “East” against “West”, one group of businessmen against all others. . . Meanwhile, if in the actions of their opponent people are able to discern only the manifestation of some tendency, and not an independent search for good and truth, truth and good run away from them. Our culture remains “highly ideological” in the sense that, as before, it poorly distinguishes the real state of things from abstract ideas about how these things should be “behind the idea.” It’s just that the place of the “new man” and the “bright communist future” has been replaced by more modern ideas, which also hide from us

the uniqueness of the real surrounding existence - such as it is. And, in the end, our culture becomes “folk” - unfortunately, not so much in terms of expressing the real national consciousness and the real traditions of national life, but in a completely different meaning. And today in our country there are enough people who like to hide personal irresponsibility behind the shoulders of the “broad masses”, to think in terms of “peoples” and “nations” where it would have been better to take care of a specific person. There is no doubt that all of the listed features not only cannot replace the ethical potential of culture, but also contradict the very nature of human morality. With the strengthening of partisanship, ideology and orientation towards the masses, the actual ethical position associated with respect for reality, awareness of the inviolability of moral values, the indispensability and seriousness of the life calling of each person is almost lost - the position of the “independence” of a free person in the world. It is not surprising that when freedom finally came and when people began to depend more on their own choice and their own dignity than before, signs of a terrible lack of these foundations immediately appeared. We all see every day how low the culture of human relations has fallen, how the entire structure of life has become vulgarized now, when the fear of repression no longer weighs on people. Someone is ready to do anything just to make money at the expense of their neighbor, someone finds joy in the stupid flaunting of physical strength and arrogance, someone is sad for the past times of general secretaries and the Gulag, when you didn’t have to decide anything yourself - such as Unfortunately, our current reality, the very ugliness of which seems to be “out of the blue,” once again demonstrates the importance for people and society of a strong, spiritually meaningful system of moral values ​​rooted in real life. At least based on this negative experience of the continuous onset of rudeness and cruelty, the dominance of criminal structures, etc. We are convinced that neither economic or political life, nor law, nor elementary business relations between people can acquire normal development while they lack a minimum ethical basis. Let's look at modern culture from another point of view. Always, regardless of historical conditions, a person feels the need for higher, unchanging value guidelines that would strengthen her spiritual strength, enrich her with meaning, and determine the active direction of her life. For a person who believes - deeply and seriously, as in Europe, say, they believed during the Middle Ages - such value beacons were and are the sacred ideas of the religious worldview. For the person of the New Age with her secularized consciousness - the “Faustian man”, as Oswald Spengler dubbed her - the value of knowledge and activity acquires priority; It is with his achievements in these two areas that such a person correlates the meaning of his own existence. For the romantic of the 19th - early 20th centuries. the most important are the values ​​of organic development and the internal infinity of the eternally new and mysterious in each of its manifestations of being - values ​​that are predominantly aesthetic in nature, etc. Marxist ideology also formed its own system of complex values. For many decades, this system of values, associated with the ideas of material practice, social struggle, objectivity (i.e., sensitive concreteness) of human existence, etc., determined the spiritual horizons of consciousness of the prevailing part of the population of the former USSR. Even without coercion, voluntarily and willingly, people believed in the inevitability of communism, in the historical correctness of the hegemonic class and the party that leads it, in social justice in a Marxist way, in the liberation mission of their country and the wisdom and leaders. For the sake of these values ​​they gave their lives, went through great deeds and incredible suffering. . . And then this system fell. The value beacons of Soviet Marxism have faded, leaving millions of people in a state of severe spiritual crisis, with a feeling of a wasted life and complete uncertainty around them; The real scale of this tragedy of the human spirit will perhaps only be appreciated by our descendants. Naturally, under such conditions, the need for a “change in milestones” and the greed for spiritual renewal sharply intensify, which most often, however, is thought of as a return to something that already existed somewhere and once, at a saving distance from the fatal historical movement our society. The search for such values ​​leads some to the philosophy and ideology of classical European humanism, others to the Christian doctrine in its traditional interpretation or to some other existing religion,

Modern moral values ​​are the most important part of people's lives. It wasn't always like this. At the primitive level, when there was no science, little attention was paid to morality.

How it was in the early days

The Middle Ages promoted those moral values ​​that were closely related to religion, which at that time occupied a dominant position. Increased attention was paid to Divine revelation and dogmas, and the Holy Scriptures were studied. They treated science with caution, the authors of their works were not treated in the best way, they were sent to the stake. The Inquisition had very specific moral standards.

Types of values

It is not so easy to classify all the diversity of ideas about correct behavior. The highest moral values ​​are viewed from different angles depending on the environment in which they originated and existed.

When classifying priorities, they usually rely on the sphere of life of society, the bearers of certain views, the mechanism by which they build a hierarchy of spheres of life that are important to them. The three main groups, which include things that are paramount for people, are aspects of the spiritual and material world, as well as the socio-political environment.

What do people place value on?

Moral values ​​belong to the subjective (spiritual) sphere. This implies recommendatory and evaluative, normative ideas that should normalize the ways of human expression against the background of nature and society. You can believe in true and false ideas.

In essence, a value is only as important as the meaning given to it. Every moral norm has its own function and purpose for its creation. As a rule, this is the regulation of relationships between people.

Culture is of utmost importance. It combines spiritual, material, political and social aspects. By focusing attention on certain things, moral values ​​demonstrate how, by following the right path, you can achieve your own goals, realize your needs and creative potential. In this way, the individual's talents are revealed.

Thread in time

It is also worth noting that views can be individual, collective, group, universal, national. Personal moral values ​​are how significant an object, idea or phenomenon is in the eyes of a particular person. It all depends on the level of knowledge, tastes, habits, inclinations, and other personality traits.

Each individual attaches great importance to this aspect of his life, but also largely relies on the opinion of society. Consequently, on the values ​​​​accepted by a group of people, which he accepts and shares. In order for a team, organization or society to exist harmoniously, they must have that important, reverent attitude towards which they can share.

People whose accents and priorities are set in a similar way usually find a common language much better. In this way, individuals unite towards similar goals.

Unity of peoples

On the scale of nations and humanity, in a general sense, significance is also attached to certain objects. The whole society decides what is of paramount importance to it. A value-normative system is being drawn up. Society develops, its individual members interact with each other. If ideals and interests are similar, then the interaction is fruitful, favorable and effective. The people must have one goal and priorities in social and political life. Mechanisms for achieving common goals are collectively developed.

As a rule, great importance is given to social justice, civic duty, the richness of spiritual life, human dignity, and material well-being. Ideally, people care about what is happening in the world around them: whether resources are being used correctly, whether policies are being pursued wisely, whether wars are being waged, the state of the economy.

What is important and priority today

In the modern world, universal human values ​​must have increased priority. There is a special hierarchy that arranges life values ​​into three steps. The decisive factor is the role played by one or another aspect in social life. Values ​​of secondary importance are noted. That is, without them, society could survive and function.

A separate group is elements of everyday life of the spiritual and material plane. They are needed in order to properly satisfy the needs of man of the most diverse kinds in the course of his existence. Thus, so that he has the opportunity to lead a prosperous life and continuously develop.

The third group is higher order values. This category includes those needs that form the foundation of relationships and the circulation of resources in society.

Higher Order Priorities

The highest values ​​are those that have a character characteristic of all humanity. The focus here is on peace, social order, freedom, friendship, trust, work, creativity, life, honesty, kindness, love, family ties, creativity, knowledge of truth, health, courage and fidelity. Patriotism is of great importance, which is an essential condition for people’s desire to defend their homeland and bear the duty of a warrior.

All of the above, as a rule, becomes the result of the prevailing traditions in a particular community. The more extensive the set of tasks that people solve together becomes, the higher they value duty and responsibility. Discipline and the ability to be responsible for one’s words and actions are of great importance today. Labor, high-quality performance of one’s duties, and the benefits brought to the world in which a person lives play a big role. When a person is not involved in work, he cannot organically develop and improve. Performing certain tasks has a huge social role. Education takes place, endowing the working people with a common consciousness.

The value of labor

It is through the work done that a person can realize himself and do better. A people is civilized to the extent that it respects and loves work. At the same time, the individual must feel the importance of what he does, benefit himself and other people, while using his best sides and being creatively realized.

The realization that your talents and abilities are applicable to the world around you and are in demand makes a person harmonious and happy.

Society is constantly changing, and along with it, the values ​​by which it lives change. Sometimes it’s hard to decide what is more important and paramount, you have to be torn. Each person must decide for himself what exactly is important to him, set priorities, then it will be easier to set goals and take steps towards their implementation.

Since ancient times, learned minds have deduced a number of qualities that characterize the “ideal citizen.” At all times, he was characterized by such moral values ​​as masculinity, courage, generosity, justice, kindness, mercy. Everyone should strive for such a bright image (as conceived by ancient experts). Of course, wanting and conforming are two different things. But people always want to dream and strive for the best.

Religion

Faith has been an important driving force at all times. Islam, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism - all these religious movements basically have the same generally accepted rules of behavior in society that must be observed. They are collected in a set of laws or commandments, supported by the motivation of followers of a particular religion.

Do not kill, do not steal, do not deceive, do not harm your neighbor... For a believer, this is like a guide to action. In addition, all commandments resonate well with legislation. Spiritual and moral values ​​are built on their basis. Among other things, for a religious person they mean grace, which ultimately leads to a better life.

Upbringing

From the earliest years, a person, even a tiny one, is surrounded by society with its own rules and norms. It is he who, from childhood, lays for us the foundation on which the formation of moral values ​​will take place.

First, parents, by their own example, show the child what is good, what is bad, what is possible and what is not. Further, his life will be influenced by teachers who, in addition to demonstrating their own example, convey in an accessible form the norms of correct behavior in society, show the border between good and evil, and explain how thin it can be.

Teenage maximalism

Overestimation often occurs during adolescence. Parents and teachers talk about how things should be done, but friends and peers think it’s bad and good is something else entirely. This is where the question of ethical choice arises: creating your own worldview and determining what is important for you and what you should not do.

Freedom of choice is one of the most obvious human freedoms. It is given to us by nature upon birth and is even enshrined in law. A person decides for himself what to do.

But the freedom of one, as we know, ends where the freedom of another begins. It is during adolescence that people most often make some mistakes, sometimes break laws, try forbidden things, and make wrong decisions. All this in one way or another helps in the formation of an individual with his own value system.

Kindness

Mercy, self-sacrifice, charity, helping the weak and infirm - all these moral values ​​are characteristic of a good person. “Good” seems to be a simple and unambiguous concept, but everything is not so simple. It can be interpreted in different ways. Everything depends on the moral values ​​of a person.

Everyone has their own criteria for good: for some, the absence of evil is already good, for others it lies in specific deeds. Both take place and, in essence, are good. There are also more examples that describe not so good actions, but they are explained by the best intentions. Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine the fine line between good and evil.

People around

Man, as you know, is a social creature - alone he is bored, sad, and has no one to talk to. There are almost always a lot of people around us, very different. These are our parents, and people of the older generation, and those younger than us. All these people around influence us and contribute to our understanding of the moral values ​​of the society in which we find ourselves.

Individuals have different values ​​and degrees of authority for us. We listen to someone more and even go for advice; we try to be like someone. Some people are remembered by their actions, others by the words they say, which leave a mark and make us think.

One way or another, the environment affects everyone. During the course of historical changes in society, changes also occur that affect moral values. What was considered immoral a couple of centuries ago is now considered the norm; once “wild” things are now an everyday occurrence. There are also controversial human moral values, for example, maintaining virginity until marriage.

Immorality

What does the concept of “bad” include? It seems that everything is extremely simple, but in the modern world, good and bad are so closely intertwined and confused that it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. Some spiritual and moral values ​​seem insignificant. Today it is fashionable to be strong and powerful, to despise weakness and infirmity. To achieve their goals, people often forget about friendship, love, respect, mutual assistance, mercy and many other things that are considered correct and kind.

Of course, each person decides for himself what is good and what is bad, but in any case, white always remains white, and black always remains black. And there are things that, when we step over them, we commit immoral acts. And they cannot be justified by citing the thin boundaries between good and evil.

Moral values ​​should be instilled in every person from early childhood. But it often turns out that people do not even understand what moral values ​​are and what they should be.

Instructions Moral values ​​are the basic rules and principles of human behavior in society. Each person, when he lives with other people, must adhere to the rules to maintain stability and create favorable conditions for development, work, and learning. Without this, no society can survive. Of course, not every subject will comply with such conditions, for which punishment should be imposed on violators. It is also clear that in every society the rules and values ​​will change: in the ancient world or the Middle Ages it was difficult to imagine the freedoms, boundaries and frameworks for the individual that have appeared in modern society. There is no need to confuse moral values ​​with the laws of the state: not all laws meet these criteria. Moral values ​​usually come not from the mind, but from the heart, but at the same time they are created so that every person can live comfortably and in peace with himself and other people. Many believe that moral values ​​come from the Bible and it is thanks to it that modern citizens know and accept them. In fact, such values ​​have matured in the souls of people since ancient times, and thanks to the Bible they became known and spread as true for the moral existence of man. One of the main moral values ​​is love for other people. This is not the sensual or sentimental love that a person experiences for the opposite sex, but the love that is shown to a person regardless of his gender, age, race or religion. This love helps to open the heart to the needs and requirements of another person, makes you help even strangers, sympathize with them and not do evil towards others. Thanks to this love, a person will not commit violence against his neighbor - neither physical nor psychological. This kind of love is very difficult to come by, because people are used to competing, envying, fighting, and hating. You need to learn to love your neighbor just like any other art. Through love, other moral values ​​emerge, such as kindness and generosity. The most important gift a person can give to another is their time. That’s why making time for family, friends, and even strangers is so important. Sometimes giving something is much nicer than receiving it. Kindness and generosity are closely related to the ability and desire to help other people, with compassion and mean a person’s lack of indifference. Honesty and modesty are also important moral values ​​that many people forget about. Being honest with other people and not showing off the good deeds one does to others is worthy of respect. It is these qualities that turn into noble human behavior. The terms “morality” and “morality” are used as synonyms. But it is not always the case. Some scientists consider morality to be a separate category of ethics with features characteristic only of it.

Morals and ethics

Ethics is a philosophical science that studies morality. Often the terms “morality” and “morality” are considered identical; in this case, morality is not a category of ethics, but the subject of its study.

According to some scientists, these concepts are different. For example, according to Radugin, morality is how one should act, the norm of behavior. And morality is real actions. In this case, morality acts as a separate ethical category.

The concept of “morality” is inherently associated with the categories of good and evil. Good and evil are not attributed to natural phenomena and processes, but specifically to the actions of people. They can be “moral” and “immoral”, which cannot be said about the elements. Good is what contributes to the moral development of a person, and evil opposes the moral ideal. It was in an attempt to answer the question of what good and evil are that morality itself developed and ethics as a science appeared.

Properties of morality

Morality has certain properties. Moral requirements are objective, but a specific person evaluates actions. This assessment of the morality or immorality of an act is subjective. Morality is a specific moral system, at the same time it is universal, since it covers the entire human society.

Morality has practical meaning, but it is not always useful for a given person. Compliance with moral standards often turns against the person himself if his surroundings are immoral. Morality must be selfless. Self-interest is immoral.

One of the main components of morality is moral self-awareness. This is an individual’s awareness of himself, his place in society, the desire for a moral ideal.

Human moral culture is divided into internal and external. Internal culture is the core on which a person’s spiritual image rests. These are moral ideals and attitudes, principles and norms of behavior. And the external culture of a person, manifested in the form of a culture of communication, depends on it.

A person's behavior depends on his moral culture. And his actions are assessed depending on the moral norms and ideals of a given society. Moral behavior is determined by the value system accepted in society. People's activities are assessed from the standpoint of good and evil. Thanks to morality, people develop common spiritual and moral values. What should be moral values?

Morality or morality is an absolute criterion by which relationships between people are regulated. Moral values ​​are the highest because they are universal for various societies and social groups. These are the principles that stand above everything else, and by which actions in difficult or controversial situations are verified by people who are guided in everyday life by a variety of scales of measures and assessments. The fundamental principle of morality is: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” The highest moral values ​​equalize people's rights and become the standard for everyone. Morality is an internal attitude of a person that encourages him to behave ethically. Higher moral values ​​play a big role in a person’s life, and in order to understand them better, you can attend special courses on higher life values, or special lecture classes.

The highest moral values ​​of a person

• Good as opposed to evil is a person’s selfless and sincere desire for good (help, salvation) in relation to others and himself. A person simply initially consciously chooses the side of good, further developing in this direction, coordinating his actions with what is associated with good.
• Mercy or compassion predetermines leniency toward the weak, crippled, sick, or even simply imperfect. Refusal to judge and willingness to help, regardless of the degree of its merits, is mercy.
• Universal happiness is the projection of one's own well-being onto humanity as a whole, also known as humanism. Contrasted with misanthropy and selfishness.
• Salvation is a state of spirit cultivated by various religious and philosophical teachings, to which a person should strive, and for the sake of which moral actions and way of life make sense.
• Honesty is another of the highest moral values. The easiest way to determine a person's level of morality is to see how often he lies. The only practical justification for lying is a white lie.

Through observance of morality, a person can grow internally, performing noble deeds and self-improvement. It doesn’t matter that for many others such nobility and kindness seem meaningless and unjustified. For the most moral person, this is the only way to develop and rise to a new level of his spiritual life.

For anyone who wants to learn in detail what the highest moral values ​​of a person are, how to correlate them with the basic values ​​of life, it is recommended to take courses in the knowledge of the highest values ​​of life at the M.S. Center. Norbekova

We all live in society, interact every day with many people: loved ones, colleagues, and just strangers: passers-by on the street, in public places - shops, cafes, cinemas. To make this interaction as comfortable as possible, society has adopted certain rules of behavior, which are usually called public morality. On the one hand, it is clear that if each individual does only what he wants, regardless of the convenience of those around him, life in the society of such people will become much more difficult and even dangerous. How can you exist calmly if you don’t know what to expect from others? Therefore, moral standards are a protection for people. On the other hand, public morality in some matters is often a stumbling block, and sometimes there are those who declare themselves free from all morality. We usually call such people immoral, socially dangerous, and sometimes they deserve to be called villains or tyrants. If morality is a certain framework, norms by which humanity regulates relationships within society, and they, as a rule, are duplicated in the legislation of any civilized country, then moral values ​​are what every person is guided by when he behaves one way and not another. These are beacons that people focus on on their life path. Well, or they don’t get their bearings - here, of course, options are possible.

Stages of formation of morality

How are the moral values ​​of each person formed? Initially, of course, they begin to take shape in the family. It is the relatives who tell the child what is good and right and what cannot be done. The moral feelings of preschoolers are formed in accordance with accepted moral standards in the family - and they can be different depending on social status, country of residence, professed religion and many other aspects. Children at this age do not yet question what adults say; they are guided by the behavior of their parents and elders, so a certain foundation of morality is laid even then. The child grows up, goes to school, begins to communicate with classmates and teachers. The time comes when it is the authority of peers that can determine the behavior of a student. As a rule, this happens in adolescence, and to one degree or another affects anyone, even the most “correct” and homely children. The fact is that at such a critical age, the child is not yet able to focus on internal freedom and his own desires and concepts; it is more important for him not to differ from his peers, and parents and teachers, as it seems to him, only limit his freedom. The influence on the formation of moral beliefs and rules of behavior continues into adulthood. The environment at the institute, at work, and, finally, the endless stream of information from TV screens, from the Internet - all this is simply impossible to ignore. And this, undoubtedly, determines the scope of what a person considers permissible and what is inappropriate. Middle-aged and older people for the most part consider their moral principles to be unshakable, which cannot be said about younger members of society. If drug addiction, for example, or child abuse are condemned now just as they were decades ago, then the attitude towards some other vices has become more tolerant.

Morality as the main characteristic of society

The morality of the bulk of society in a country is a parameter whose importance should not be underestimated. It determines the spiritual state of the entire nation, and this is closely related to its security, the demographic situation, and, ultimately, the level of well-being of the people. Now the overwhelming majority of countries that consider themselves civilized are focused on building a humane society, that is, one in which human life is the highest value. The concept of spiritual and moral development and education of the individual in a humane society is based on the idea that all people have equal rights and have an equal degree of freedom. On the same foundation stands the concept of spiritual and moral education of the individual citizen of Russia. Despite the fact that in our country in recent decades there has been a significant change in values, the basic, highest spiritual and moral values ​​remain unshakable. Whatever the political system, no matter what changes occur in society, I would like to believe that values ​​such as goodness, justice, mercy, honesty, love, family and loyalty will always be valued above all else. It is these concepts that fill the human soul with light and make a person happy. No matter how much strength, power, and wealth are valued in modern society, deep down everyone understands how fragile all this is, how superficial it is, while true values ​​always remain with a person, because it is they who make a person a higher being, worthy of respect. It is especially noticeable who is worth what in difficult conditions for survival. Only a person who has an inner core, who clearly understands what is good for him and what is evil, is able not to lose his human appearance in such a situation.

Moral behavior in society

When moral degradation occurs, a person is doomed to death, because for him there are no longer any guidelines, meaning or fulfillment in life. In the end, true meaning in life appears only when a person brings benefit when he is needed: by loved ones or at least by himself. Even ancient philosophers came to this conclusion. They argued that what will most likely keep a person from doing a bad deed is not fear of punishment, but conscience, the harshest judge. The well-known statement of the German philosopher Hegel: “Morality is the reason of the will” remains true to this day. Every day we make a choice: to act one way or another - guided precisely by our internal attitudes. The moral values ​​that we focus on are the restrictions on our freedom; according to them, we control our actions. What is important in this case, what stands above our desires? As a rule, when choosing a line of behavior, a moral person will weigh not only the degree of his desires, but also coordinate them with the extent to which the result of his behavior will affect the freedom, well-being, and mood of another person. Moral behavior is behavior adjusted in such a way as not to cause harm to one’s neighbor, because personal freedom, as we know, ends where the freedom of another person begins. Sometimes it is very difficult to make a choice, precisely because it is difficult to calculate and weigh the possible consequences. And any act of a human being can be interpreted in completely different ways. There is black and there is white, and, as you know, there are a great many shades. It is easy to condemn an ​​action that seems cruel or frivolous without knowing all the nuances. Once you start to understand deeper, moments are revealed that make you think and understand that everything is not so simple. Therefore, a moral person will not only never act to harm another person, but will also not allow himself to harshly condemn another person. Of course, there are actions that are absolute evil, no matter how you look at them. They are usually associated with violence, murder, mass destruction of people, but now we are not talking about that, but about those manifestations of morality that we encounter every day.

Religion as a source of spiritual values

Religion is the bearer of moral norms, and it cannot be underestimated, because it also regulates the relationships between people and the norms of everyday behavior, and not just a person’s attitude towards God and the church. In most world religions, God is the embodiment of goodness and justice, and the basic commandments represent the most important guidelines in life: do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not commit adultery. Perhaps, at the moment when a certain shift or substitution of values ​​occurs, the role of religion in the life of society increases - it contributes to the unification of people, and represents a fulcrum in an unstable world. Morality and religion are, of course, closely related to each other, but at the same time, history knows many examples when the most monstrous evil was committed under the slogan “God wills it.” So, moral and spiritual values ​​are the foundation without which no society, even the most high-tech one, can survive. Moral values ​​was last modified: January 9th, 2016 by Elena Pogodaeva

Throughout the history of human civilization, most people have strived for goodness and creation, because they intuitively felt the correctness of this path in life. At the same time, at all times there were tyrants and criminals who sought power, totalitarianism and wars, as a result of which it was possible to seize other people's wealth and gain even more power. However, despite all the obstacles, moral values ​​have always been perceived as the main factor in determining a person and his place in society. Scientists and thinkers of the past noticed that morality is an integral part of every person, since it is inherent in him from birth. Proof of this is the fact that there are no bad children. All children, from the point of view of psychology and higher ethics, are good, because they do not yet have an adult outlook on life and the desire for profit, wealth, or power over other people. A child may behave badly, but this does not mean that he is bad. Every child needs to be instilled with moral values, since they should become the main guideline for him in our troubled world. The main feature of modernity is the absolutization of the concept of “freedom”. It is this that becomes the main criterion for choosing a development path for a person. Constitutional rights, enshrined in law, have become the main factor for many people when committing certain acts, and this, unfortunately, is not a very good indicator. If earlier moral values ​​clearly defined the concept of good and evil, today such distinctions are practically not made, since there is no longer a clear understanding of these meanings. Breaking a certain law and committing an illegal act that violates the freedom of another person is considered evil. If any action is not prohibited by law, then it automatically becomes permitted and correct. This is the most negative thing, especially for our children. The main determining factor that played a significant role in the development and improvement of the human soul and spiritual values ​​was religion. Today it has been reduced to a simple everyday ritual that no longer carries any spiritual meaning. Despite the fact that people continue to baptize children and celebrate Easter and Christmas, they no longer attach spiritual meaning to these sacred holidays. This has become commonplace, as a result of which the moral values ​​of most people have significantly decreased. Freedom has become the main factor in the development of modern man, who today in his actions and actions is guided not by the concepts of “moral or immoral,” but “legal or illegal.” Everything would be fine if our laws were adopted by truly honest and decent people, and also corresponded to the standards of morality and honor.

A good example would be moral values ​​in philosophy, since thinkers and sages value justice, honesty and truth above all else. Therefore, it would be useful for a modern person to plunge into ancient wisdom and become familiar with, at least, the well-known sayings of thinkers of the past. As for our children, it is extremely necessary for them to learn from us, adults, from a very early age about the basics of correct behavior and attitude towards other people. Moral values ​​play a major role in this matter, since at the initial stage of development they help the child to refrain from wrong actions and deeds, and subsequently give him a guideline in choosing the right path in life. After all, honesty and decency always win in the end, since this is a cosmic law that a person cannot influence.