Morality and Conscience

Morality – a review
Morality according to Perry is man’s effort to harmonize conflicting
human interests. As mentioned in the past modules morality of a person is different
from another person. One example is the case of public execution. There are some
sectors in the Philippines society that consider this evil for taking life ran contrary
to their belief that taking human life is against the laws of God. On the other hand
public execution especially the most human type that is lethal injection is the
goodness or evilness of the act may be justifiable. People mistook that anything
that we find good is moral because man’s pursuit or happiness is the primary
reason why we live in this world. This is not true, for man’s desire to be good is
innate in him and may prevent his pursuit of such act. A married man might
entertain extra-marital affairs, especially to a lovely woman that also implied
interest in him and form him that is “good” for that is means to his pursuit of
happiness. But then again he might neglect this passion once he recalled his marital
vows which is greater good.
Values
Values are anything that satisfies human needs. Aristotle once said
that the ultimate good is to find things that will give us happiness and that is where
happiness comes in, he further added that value is a “fitting function” -anything t
hat is important or significant to us. Anything that enriched out life or at least made
it meaningful such as a special someone, a friend, our laptop, our birthdays or
anything that is special are values. Even our beliefs and principles are values that
we even shared to our offspring that will guide them to their adulthood. Values
may also come as actions of our own or of others that we classify good acts are
values while evil acts are not because they result to unhappiness. Morally good
values are genuine for their goodness are evident whereas evil are called apparent
values for they are evil things masquerading as good.
Kinds of Values
1. Biological values – they are important because they for the physical
survival and growth of man examples are food, shelter, work, pleasure, medicine,
and the likes.
2. Psychological values – this contributes to his psychological and social
examples are companionship, friendship, marriage etc.
 3. Intellectual values – this developed man’s fulfillment such as truth,
science, art and religion
4. Moral values – this is for the formation of one’s character. Example are
generosity kindness, charity and honesty.
Conscience
Is a feeling or inner voice that served as a guide to the correctness or
error of one’s behavior. Some authors views it as the “inner law” or the “sixth
sense” that gives premonitions to acts we are to perform or acts we already did.
Where did this come from? Moral conscience is innate idea that simply follow
God’s unwritten dictum of “follow good and obey evil ”. Man is basically good for
man is a creation of God, being the source of goodness, He crated man endowed
with free will but induced conscience to make sure His words are heard.
An upright conscience is a necessity for human dignity, because it knows
moral principles and practiced them in each circumstance. Only prudent
judgements can recognize the truth. Anyone who follows his conscience is prudent
for he is guided not only by human reason but by the voice of God. God is the
conscience of the truth and though conscience man can grasp a semblance of
reason. Inasmuch as conscience is present in man he assumes responsibility. When
an evil act is performed, he realized his error by feeling remorse for his action then
later regret it, which is a manifestation of conscience. An act that is willfully done
is appeared to be guided by conscience thereby responsibility is undeniable.
The Greatest Good
Jeremy Bentham a British philosopher during the 19th Century
answered that question when se said that the “greatest good is the greatest
number”. He introduced Utilitarianism that is simply starts that the end of an action
must be good, if it is not then the action is unjustified. Which is simply anything of
use if good while useless are evil. But like a double-edge sword it also has a good
side, he implied the spirit of humanity where everyone lived in single plant and
their desire to be happy and goodness are innate in a man. Everybody wants to be
happy, so the best thing is to follow happiness and goodness that is common to
everyone. Being children of God, we have identical aspirations, so what ever we
finr good might also be good to others.