Ethics

1
Culture in Moral Behavior

Module 6 Culture in Moral Behavior

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. To understand the role of culture in human behavior
2. To give examples of cultural diversity between oriental and occidental
societies

Culture in Moral Behavior Explained

Dr. Emma Butchel in her work, “Challenging the concept of Morality”, explained a
comparison of morality between Chinese and Western cultures. Both cultures have their
respective sense of morality that even conflicts the other. Her study also focused on the moral and
social concepts these two societies abide. One factor that polarized these civilizations is their
behavior that helped mold their people to what they are now, as they say tradition outlasts a
lifetime so they can no longer alter moralities that they are already used to. Both civilizations once
immersed with their own, classify “odd” behavior reprehensible that they branded them as either
major offense, minor offense or at least tolerable however there are behavior that may be
integrated to their civilization. One example was during the time of Maoist China, western culture
was considered a taboo that fashion for them is a non-entity but with the transition of Communist
China to a capitalism – the very reason why the Chinese society adhered to Marxist ideology,
western culture made China into one of the richest country in the world. Cultural bias made
people fail to see the moral principle of their counterpart. Many societies even in the past adhere
to ethnocentrism, an idea that their culture alone is the only thing that matters and at the same
time dismissed others as either “uncouth” or “barbaric”. So why waste time with societies below
their station? In this case, western morality is “blind” to Asian values and as mentioned cultural
bias clouded their judgment that they can’t seem to understand the morality of another person’s
culture that is the foundation of their morality.
The Hindus and some Asian countries used arrange marriages to ensure a good future for
their children that western countries find overlapping with their principles of their freedom of
choice. Another example was raised and it was the educational system that divided the occidental
from the oriental thought. Oriental schools believed in the “infallibility” of teachers that they are
the only source of knowledge and should not be questioned whereas the occidentals rely on the
idea that students have every right to debate with their teachers that even the philosopher
Socrates subscribed to. Flexibility and broadmindedness are the two things that can help bridge
the gap between the two opposing cultures. By opening our minds and removing whatever bias
we habe we can have room to put ourselves in the shoes of others and will help usher global unity.
Man by nature tends to do good so the culture of other people especially those we held with
contempt or mirth also have goodness in them. There is nothing wrong to understand another
person’s morality devoid of cultural bias.

Course Module
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 What is Culture?
According to David Brinkenhoff and Lynn White culture is the whole idea that provides a
blueprint for living. It is a powerful force that lived in all peoples that tells us what is right from
wrong. Eating dogs for example is tolerated in the Philippines but is totally banned in the United
States and other Western countries. That is because not everything we do is acceptable to others.
According to Alan Johnson culture is the sum of symbols, ideas, forms, expressions and material
products associated with a social system. Edward Taylor defined culture as the complex whole
which includes beliefs, arts, laws, morals, customs and habits acquired by people as members of
society.
Symbols are manifestations of culture and are anything that represents more than itself an
example is a cross that to some it is just an object or figure formed by two short intersecting lines
or pieces but has several meanings. There are four kinds of symbols namely 1) Symbolic
objectives – they may mean a flag to represent a nation a currency to mean a nation’s medium of
exchange. 2) Symbolic characteristics of object – purple for royalty, yellow for cowardice and red
for war. 3) Gestures – actions that can give cultural control. 4) Spoken and written words - the
most important set of symbols in every culture for it is the building block used to construct ideas.

References and Supplementary Materials

Books and Journals
1. Panopio, Isabel et al; Sociology Focus in the Philippines; Ken Inc.; Quezon City

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

1. “Considering the Influence of Culture on Morality”;
http://thegoodproject.org/considering-the-influence-of-culture-on-morality/ August
20, 2015

Written by:
Christopher S. Espiritu
AMACC Caloocan Campus

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