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Is Morality a Biological or Social Construct?

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Morality Essay

Is morality a biological or social construct?

The term morality, according to Eysenck(2009) can be described by Shaffer (1993) as: "A set of principles or ideals, that help the individual to distinguish right from wrong and to act on this distinction.”

Morality is important to society as it would not function effectively, unless there was some kind of agreement on what is right and wrong.

There seems to be a universal human acceptance on what right or wrong should be. If you look cross culturally over time it seems to suggest we all follow a certain basic rule, one that, Matthew 7:2 from The New Testament sums up quite efficiently:

“ For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging, is the standard by which you will be judged”

This very widespread principle would amount to us as a society today in the 21st century as more common sense but where did morality actually come from?

According to All About Science(2013), the Darwinian principles suggest, we are all a product of evolution, from a process called natural selection.

Natural selection is the continuing process in which biological characteristics become either more or less common in a population. Meaning that: Individuals in a species that show a wide range of variation is because of differences within their genes. Individuals with characteristics most suited to the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, as the genes that allow these individuals to be successful are passed to their offspring.

This theory would lead you to believe that moral behaviour arose in humans as an extension of the biological altruism and empathy involved in the animal worlds care of its mates and offspring.

If morality was a direct product of evolution, why would people constantly argue about what’s right and wrong?
Although to say that

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