ON HUMAN BEHAVIOR

IN ETHICS
LESSON NO.4
 HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IS THE POTENTIAL AND EXPRESSED

CAPACITY (MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND SOCIALLY)
OF HUMAN INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS TO RESPOND TO INTERNAL
AND EXTERNAL STIMULI THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE.
HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IS A COMPLEX INTERPLAY OF THREE
COMPONENTS: ACTIONS, COGNITION, AND EMOTIONS.
 MUCH OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IS
BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS EXPERIENCES.
IT IS NECESSARY, THEREFORE, TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION THE DOER’S
ROOTEDNESS WHEN IT COMES
ANALYSING AND EVALUATING HIS
MORAL ACTIONS. BELOW ARE SOME OF
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

1. NATURE
NEUROSCIENCE IS FINDING THE BRAIN STRUCTURES AND
FUNCTIONING THAT MAKE FOR THE "ETHICAL BRAIN".  IN
ARISTOTLE’S ZOON POLITIKON, MAN IS A SOCIAL ANIMAL, AND AS
SUCH, HE HAS EVOLVED IN PART DUE TO HIS CAPACITY TO BE TO
OTHERS, AND HAVE EMPATHY AND SYMPATHY THAT SERVE AS THE
BASES FOR BASIC RULES OF CONDUCT NEEDED TO LIVE
HARMONIOUSLY WITH OTHERS. MORALITY IS A RESULT OF
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

1. NATURE
MARC D. HAUSER, A HARVARD BIOLOGIST, HOLDS THAT MAN IS
BORN WITH A MORAL GRAMMAR WIRED INTO HIS NEURAL
CIRCUITS AS A PRODUCT OF EVOLUTION. THIS SYSTEM IN THE
BRAIN GENERATES MORAL JUDGMENTS. THIS WAS NEEDED IN
PART BECAUSE OFTEN QUICK DECISIONS MUST BE MADE IN
SITUATIONS WHERE LIFE IS THREATENED. IN SUCH
PREDICAMENTS, THERE IS NO TIME FOR ACCESSING THE
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

1. NATURE
MOST PEOPLE APPEAR TO BE UNAWARE OF THIS DEEP MORAL
PROCESSING BECAUSE THE LEFT HEMISPHERE OF THE BRAIN HAS
BEEN ADEPT AT PRODUCING INTERPRETATIONS OF EVENTS AND
INFORMATION AND DOING SO RAPIDLY THUS GENERATING WHAT
MAY BE ACCEPTED AS RATIONALIZATIONS FOR THE DECISION OR
IMPULSE AND RESPONSE. MORALITY MAY BE ROOTED DEEP IN THE
EVOLVED WORKINGS OF HUMAN BRAIN.
 EXAMPLE ON NATURE IN ETHICS

1. MAN IS COMPLETELY AWARE OF THE IMMORALITY OF

MURDER EVEN IF HE IS FAR FROM CIVILIZATION.
2. A MOTHER TAKES CARE OF HER CHILD AFTER BIRTH.
3. A PERSON KNOWS HOW TO RELATE WITH OTHERS
OUTSIDE OF HIM/HERSELF.
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

2. NURTURE
BESIDES NATURE, NURTURE US ALSO PLAYS A BIG PART
IN FORMING HUMAN BEHAVIOR. MAN ACQUIRES MORAL
PRECEPTS FROM A NUMBER OF EXTERNAL FACTORS. MAN
BECOMES MORAL FROM HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH FAMILY,
FRIENDS, AND OTHER SOCIAL STRUCTURES AND
INSTITUTIONS WHICH HE BELONGS IN, LIKE CULTURE,
 EXAMPLE ON NURTURE IN ETHICS

1. MAN KNOWS HOW TO RESPECT ELDERS AND OTHER

PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
2. MAN KNOWS HOW THE PROPER WAY OF RELATING TO
OTHERS.
3. MAN KNOWS HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE RULES, NORMS
AND LAWS AROUND HIM/HER.
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

3. CULTURE
MORALITY PROMOTES INDIVIDUAL AND
COLLECTIVE GOODNESS, AND MAN’S SENSE OF
WRONG AND RIGHT MAY STEM UP FROM HIS
CULTURAL BELIEFS. CULTURE MAY AFFECT OUR
MORAL DECISIONS AND DISPOSITIONS. HOW WE
VIEW AND TREAT PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN BE
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

3. CULTURE
HOWEVER, IF WE CONSIDER CULTURAL BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES THAT MILITATE AGAINST ETHICAL VALUES, IT
BECOMES QUITE EVIDENT THAT CULTURE ALONE COULD
NEVER BE THE ARBITER OF WHAT IS ETHICAL. WE NOW
TAKE A DIM VIEW OF PEOPLE WHO, IN THE PAST,
APPEALED TO THEIR CULTURE TO JUSTIFY SLAVERY, OR
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
3. CULTURE
IN SOME CULTURES, IN PARTS OF NORTHERN AND WEST
AFRICA, FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (CUTTING) IS
STILL PREVALENT. CUSTOMARILY, AN APPEAL IS MADE TO
CULTURE TO JUSTIFY THIS CRUEL AND INHUMANE
PRACTICE, THUS AFFIRMING MALE SUPERIORITY OVER
WOMEN. AND THERE ARE SOME WHO JUSTIFY TOLERANCE
OF CORRUPTION BECAUSE THEIR CULTURE REQUIRES
 EXAMPLE ON CULTURE IN ETHICS

1. A TRADITION IN THE DANI TRIBE IN INDONESIA. WHEN A FAMILY

MEMBER PASSES AWAY, WOMEN FROM THIS TRIBE HAVE TO SUFFER
PHYSICAL PAIN BESIDES SUFFERING FROM EMOTIONAL GRIEF. AND
TO DO SO, THEY CUT OFF A PART OF THEIR FINGERS.
2. IN INDIA, THE DEAD WERE BURNED AND THE ASHES ARE THROWN IN
THE RIVER. HERE IN OUR COUNTRY, WE BURY THE DEAD AND IF THE
DEAD IS CREMATED, WE STILL BURY THEM AFTER.
3. GIVING TIPS IN AMERICA IS CONSIDERED AS A NORM, HOWEVER IN
OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE JAPAN IT IS CONSIDERED AS AN INSULT.
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

4. RELIGION
THE CONCEPTS OF MORALITY AND RELIGIOSITY
HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OTHER IN A
MANNER THAT THESE TWO CO-EXIST AND THEY
ARE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE FOR A HUMAN
PERSON’S EVENTUAL IDEAL CHARACTER.
 FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

4. RELIGION
ACCORDINGLY, MORAL PHILOSOPHY TEACHES THAT A PERSON’S
MORAL FOUNDATION CAN BE LINKED TO HIS SPIRITUAL
FOUNDATION AND VICE VERSA AS ONE OF RELIGIONS’ THRUSTS IS
CONSTRUCT THE MORAL FIBBERS NECESSARY FOR MAN’S ETHICAL
EXISTENCE. A HUMAN PERSON’S SPIRITUALITY AND MORALITY ARE
SUBSTANTIAL PARTS OF HIS NATURE THAT HE HAS TO LEARN,
NOURISH AND VALUE THEM SO THAT HE MAY DEVELOP INTO AN
 EXAMPLE ON RELIGION IN ETHICS

1. ISLAM ALLOWS POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE WHILE

CHRISTIANS DON’T.
2. OTHER RELIGION PROHIBITS THE EATING OF SOME
FOODS LIKE PIG OR BLOOD, BUT OTHERS DO SO.
3. FOR CATHOLICS, THEY CONSIDER CIVIL MARRIAGE AS
IMMORAL ACT.