CN 6147 – Ethics

2:00-3:00 PM M-Th

Instructor: Ms. Jessa Christine T. Flores

Topic: Chapter 2, Lesson 2: Culture and Morality

Prepared by: Bobong D. Batuampar III

Lesson 2

Culture and Morality

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

 Define Culture;
 Investigate the connection between Culture and Morality; and
 Find out how Culture influences an individual’s moral development.

What is Culture?

Culture – is derived from the Latin word “cultura” or “cultus” that means care or cultivation.

Culture as Cultivation – implies that every human being is a potential member of his own
social group.

- “No man is an Island”

- Man is endowed with certain innate qualities to make use of, but he cannot develop
these qualities without the presence of other people.

Q: Why do we need the presence of other people in order to develop our natural talent and
qualities?

A: The presence of others provide an individual OPPORTUNITIES which in turn, develops into
ACHIEVEMENTS.
Achievements help man to achieve self-actualization and enable them to become
contributing members of society.

Edward B. Tylor – was an English Anthropologist who developed one of the classic definitions
of culture.

Culture – according to Tylor, culture refers to as the complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, law, art, moral, custom, and other capabilities and habits acquired as a
member of society.

In Tylor’s view, culture includes all aspects of human activity, from the fine arts to popular
entertainment, from everyday behavior to the development of sophisticated technology.

Culture contains the following:

 Plans
 Rules
 Techniques
 Designs
 Policies for living

Other Definitions of Culture According to Sociologists

“Culture is the entire way of life followed by people, and everything learned and shared
by people in society.” – Hunt, et. Al, 1994.

“Culture is a complex set of learned and shared beliefs, customs, skills, habits,
traditions, and knowledge common to members of society” – Landis, 1992.

Connection between Culture and Morality

Moral judgments and behaviors are highly sensitive to culture. The understanding and
construction of the exact same moral issues can vary substantially across individuals who come
from different cultural backgrounds or possess different levels of multicultural experiences. (Hu,
2018)

Culture affects one’s perception of morality and may be different from others who came
from different cultures.

Ex: Punishment of Criminals over Heinous Crimes

The Influence of Culture in Moral Development

Culture has been with us since the dawn of human existence. Significant as it is, a culture
considerably shapes its members on how they live and relate within themselves and with other
cultures (Bretzke, 2004).

Culture has a great impact in the following aspects of human development:

 Physical
 Knowledge
 Thought
 Relationship
 Religious Development
 Moral Development

CULTURE IS ROOTED FROM COLLECTIVE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

- It is passed down from person to person; one generation to another, until the end of that
certain culture.
- It is always transmitted, shared, or acquired through learning.

CULTURE SATISFIES HUMAN NEEDS AS A SOCIAL BEING

- It allows an individual’s participation as a member of society.

- Culture functions to mold and establish a social identity that brings people as well to the
knowledge of common objectives which members would try to achieve.

MORALITY IS ALWAYS A CULTURAL ASPECT

- It has an essential influence on an individual’s moral development.

CULTURE IMPRINTS THE EXISTING MORAL PRINCIPLES TO ITS MEMBERS

- It tells the members on what to do, how to do things, and what are the things that should
be done and avoided
- It shapes the character of its members
Q: How does culture influence 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 culture’s meadow.
2. Culture defines the normative principles and behaviors of the society.
3. Culture develops restrictions and sets boundaries and limitations as they live and relate
with one another.
4. Culture helps in generating the character and identity of its people, including their moral
character
5. Culture identifies the authorities or the governing individuals or groups.

Assignment: ½ CW

Instruction: Pick one of the five points regarding the influence of culture to an individual’s moral
development and explain.

Deadline: Feb 14, 2023.

References:

Leaño, R. D., & Gubia-on, A. B. (2018). Ethics for college students. Mindshapers

Co., Inc.

HU Xiaomeng, YU Feng, PENG Kaiping. How does culture affect morality? The
perspectives of between-culture variations, within-culture variations, and
multiculturalism[J]. Advances in Psychological Science, 2018, 26(11): 2081-2090.