Ethics Group 4

REPORTERS:
BUNTA, NASRAIDA T.
MATABALAO, LEAH G.
Lesson 2: Culture and Morality
Introduction
 Mary Douglas highlighted the lack of communication between anthropologists
and moral philosophers.
 Anthropological findings often enter ethical discussions as “exotic examples.”
 Philosophers focus on the rational foundation of ethics, another the
anthropologists study the interaction of moral ideas with social institutions.
The Communication Gap
 Two conversations run parallel: one from philosophers, another from
anthropologists.
 Anthropologists explore the role of culture in human life and societies.
 Philosophers focus on moral issues and their rational foundations.
 The challenge arises when anthropologists study cultural morality and
philosophers explore the role of culture in moral formation.
What is Culture?
 Culture is derived from the Latin word “cultura,” or “cultus” which means care or
cultivation.
 It involves human beings developing potential through social interaction, which
leads to accomplishments within society.
 Anthropologist Edward B. Tylor’s, an Englishman, developed one of the classic
definition of culture : “Culture is the complex whole including knowledge, belief,
law, art, morals, customs, and other capabilities acquired as a member of
society.”
 Tylor viewed culture as encompassing all human activity, from art to social
institutions.
Sociological Perspective on Culture
 Sociologist define culture as the entire way of life shared by people in a society.
 According to Landis (1992): Culture is a complex set of learned and shared
beliefs, customs, habits, and knowledge within a society.
 It includes social institutions, traditions, and the patterns of daily life.
The Influence of Culture in Moral Development

 Culture has been with us since the dawn human existence. Significant as it is, a
culture considerably shapes it’s members on how they live and relate within
themselves and with other cultures. (Bretzke, 2004)
 Culture is social environment in which a person is born and wherein he or she

live together with other persons. Hence, culture has a great impact in the
development of human person in varied ways; may it be in physical, knowledge,
thought, relationship, religious or moral development.
 Culture is a person’s social heritage that has been passed from one generation
to the next basically through the relationship that binds the society together.
 Culture is rooted from the collective “ human experience”. Culture is always
transmitted, shared or acquired through learning. Culture satisfies human needs
as a social being. And culture tends towards the participation of the members of
the society.
 Culture, indeed, provides norms, customs, laws, and moral demand that to be
followed.
At this point let us particularize how culture influences the moral

development of the people:
1. Culture is always social and communal by which the relationship of the

people towards one another and their experience as a people are the cultures
meadows. In this relationship that and communal experiences that culture
influences the moral development of its members .
2. The culture defines the normative principles and behaviors of the society. It
defines which particular principles and behavior that should be kept that
would serve the best interest of the community.
3. Culture, as best exemplified in the experience of the people, develops
restrictions and set boundaries and limitations as they live and relate with one
another.
4. As culture helps in generating the character and identity of its people, it also
includes the moral character. Culture condition the mind – the way people think
and the way they perceived the world and their relationship with one another.
5. The culture identifies the authorities or the governing individuals or groups
they are the symbols of guidance and control.
The parents of a child are the first authorities who set and teach the child
essential for the moral development of their children.

Ethics Group 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ethics Group 4

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ethics Group 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

REPORTERS:

The Influence of Culture in Moral Development

 Culture is social environment in which a person is born and wherein he or she

At this point let us particularize how culture influences the moral

1. Culture is always social and communal by which the relationship of the

You might also like