What Is Morality?

There may be various philosophical interpretations of morality. However, morality is often a

belief about what is objectively wrong and right regarding our behavior, beliefs, and words.
Morality may come from our beliefs in religion, culture, philosophy, politics, education, laws, or
other areas of life.

Morality may sometimes feel "black and white," meaning you believe a behavior or custom is
entirely negative or positive. Religious or cultural morality may focus on this type of thinking.
Other times, morality may be grayer, as the circumstance can matter in deciding the right course
of action. For instance, lying isn't often considered a moral action. However, there could be
instances where lying would cause the least harm and may feel just. This illustrates the complex
nature of morality in our world, as people may need to decide based on the specific context.

What Is Objective Morality?

Objective morality is the belief that morality is universal and not up for interpretation, suggesting
that objective morality exists independently of individual perspectives. Some individuals may
think of objective morality when they study commandments in their religion, while others may
believe the universe has objective rules to follow, such as universal kindness.

There are specific arguments against the existence of objective morality, as well. For example,
not everyone will follow the same rules according to their religion, culture, or upbringing. What
is "extremely bad" to one person may be okay to another. However, proponents of the idea that
morality is objective maintain that morality exists in nature and is ingrained in humans, making
sense regardless of cultural or personal differences.