Understanding Human Morality: Principles and Character

1. Morality

Erich Fromm stated in one of his books: "The art of living: man is both the artist and the object of his art." Man is a builder and construction time. He is responsible for himself and is a moral being.

1.1. From Action to Free Moral Action

Action, whether planned or certain animal and human behavior, is characterized by being open and free. This free and open nature of action is what makes human beings responsible for their actions. An individual reflects upon a certain situation, makes a decision, and acts accordingly. The free nature of human intervention is the foundation of the moral character that possesses exclusivity. Freedom is the ability to decide and choose from several options, which allows specific actions to be carried out by someone. Thus, the human being is essentially and inevitably a moral being.

1.2. Definition of Morality

The word moral (moralis, in Latin) derives from the word mos, which means "habit" or "custom." For each subject, there are many customs that regulate everyday life. All these customs constitute the morality of a group or subject.

• As Moral Content: This matches the definition given before. It refers to the specific content of morality, i.e., the rules and principles governing correct behavior.
• As Moral Structure: This refers to the moral features of human nature. The nature of the human being becomes the only moral entity and inevitably determines existence.

Action, Habit, and Character

• Habits: These are certain tendencies to act in a similar way in similar situations.
• Character: Character cannot be considered something that is definitely acquired; rather, we build it slowly but steadily throughout life.
• Action: One can say that nature is the basis of our moral nature because, once formed, it determines our actions and their correctness or incorrectness.

1.3. Moral Standards

A rule is a standard that establishes how we should act to conform to what we believe is preferable in a given situation, what we believe should occur in this case.

• Social Dimension: These rules may be explicit in legal codes that constitute the positive law of this community (e.g., the prohibition of stealing). Or they may be implied by the custom and usage of this community (e.g., behavior in case of an accident).
• Personal Dimension: Moral standards require not only compliance but also an inner conviction of the subject. The subject must recognize the moral standard as their own, not merely as something socially imposed. Morality is that which the individual assumes and assimilates; it is through this process that one judges the correctness or incorrectness of the action itself.

Process of Moral Maturity