Understanding Human Behavior: Science, Philosophy, Ethics, and Morality

Science

Science: Knowledge is systematic, rigorous, and objective. It consists of a set of descriptions, explanations, theories, and laws on the nature of things. It is based on observable data. It is a knowledge that is mathematicized, quantified, and subject to experimental verification. It is not evaluative knowledge.

Philosophy

Philosophy: Knowledge is systematic, rigorous, objective, and rational. It tries to understand things beyond the observable and measurable, but without falling into myth, belief, or unsupported speculation. It is specifically rational knowledge. It is justified rationally. It addresses human and social issues. Philosophy, unlike science, is valuable and not only explanatory.

Religion

Religion: It is a type of explanation that is also valued and legislative. It also goes beyond science but is not exclusively rational. It is based on belief and faith, something that is not provable. It is not based on objective data and rational arguments.

Ethics

Ethics: It is philosophical knowledge, rational thinking about good and evil, duties, and rights. It is, above all, the principles and foundations of moral norms and values. It is a theoretical and practical science, having a practical purpose, bringing fundamental human knowledge and rational argument to life.

Instinct

Instinct: Innate behavior that is mechanical, blind, irrational, linked to certain key stimuli, similar in all individuals of the species, and genetically programmed.

Morality

Morality: A set of specific rules or moral codes that indicate what is right or wrong, what we should do or avoid. It is characteristic of individuals, cultures, religions, and so on.

Ethics

Ethics: Rational thinking, namely arguing about the fundamental ethical norms and standards, and therefore is also a reflection of good and evil, what we should do, and what to avoid.

Kant

Kant: The moral value of an action does not depend on its utility or sterility, that is, it does not depend on the consequences or achievements that can be achieved. It depends solely on the will, intention, meaning a serious attempt at intention, collecting all the means in our possession. The act is sought with all our strength, not the mere desire.

Human Act

Human Act: This act is done with full awareness and full freedom, of a voluntary and conscious nature. It is the act that makes human beings rational and free. It is the only act with moral values, the only act for which we are responsible. Only human action deserves praise or blame.

Act of Man

Act of Man: Acts performed by humans missing any of the above conditions: full consciousness or freedom. The acts performed against the will or unconsciously are not moral (good or bad) but are amoral, not implying moral responsibility.

Voluntary Act

Voluntary Act: To love means to decide and make all necessary means to accomplish something.

Wish

Wish: To feel an attraction to something but not use all the means to achieve it.

Habit

Habit: A permanent way of acting, mechanical, sometimes involuntary, habitual, acquired by repeated acts, which develops a disposition or mechanical tendency.

Character

Character: The part of the personality, the way of behaving that is acquired, that is, not innate. It consists of the set of acquired habits. The moral character of a person consists of the set of moral habits of that person.

Jealousy

Jealousy: To feel anger for the benefit of others.

Malevolence

Malevolence: To rejoice in the misfortunes of others.

Virtue

Virtue: A lifelong habit to do good from a moral standpoint (temperance, generosity, courage, honesty, kindness, humility, solidarity, altruism, accountability, peacefulness, fidelity).

Vice

Vice: From the moral point of view, it is the permanent habit of doing evil, to act improperly (envy, cowardice, selfishness, lying, dishonesty, antipathy, arrogance, vagueness, selfishness, irresponsibility, aggression, infidelity).

Volunteering

Volunteering: Volunteering is a result of the whole person because all his faculties are involved: intelligence, habits, and learned customs, which may also influence the final decision.

Knowledge

Knowledge: The data collection phase about alternatives, possibilities, and interesting circumstances to make a decision.

Decision

Decision: To assess and weigh the pros and cons of different alternatives. Deliberation may be fast or slow.

Decision

Decision: The phase when the deliberation will cut the act's choosing. It may be strong or weak.

Execution

Execution: The stage which proceeds to perform the acts required to achieve the chosen objective.