Understanding Human Nature: Biology, Culture, and Ethics

Item 1: What is Man?

Biologically, man is an animal by nature. Culturally, man is a social being. Animals and humans—man is able to create and transmit culture through human language.

Intelligence

Being aware of reality is the ability to direct our behavior to deal successfully with new situations and relate to the environment. So-called emotional intelligence is the ability to deal with our moods, feelings, and emotions and relate positively and effectively with things and with others. Since we live not alone but in partnership, in addition to the intelligence that is proper to each person, we can distinguish social intelligence.

Good Conditions for Human Development

• Dignity implies having minimal material and social conditions that allow the person to have a decent life.
• Equality means equal relationships with people in the environment without any discrimination or disadvantage on grounds of sex, race, or any other reason.
• Freedom implies that the person, man or woman, can make decisions responsibly, without external constraints or coercion.

The Exercise of Freedom

Freedom is a natural right that man has to work in one way or another, or not to work. The exercise of freedom can be seen from two dimensions:

• Current dimension: allows realization.
• Historical dimension: favors that companies are increasingly just.

What is Ethics?

Ethics is a philosophical reflection, an opportunity based on different morals and reason. Ethical reflection aims to:

• Submit our own moral standards and those of others to criticism.
• Reflect on one's life.
• Seek the reasons why we advocate an idea and no other.

Item 2: Moral Values

Moral values are those qualities that we appreciate especially.

Moral Rules

Moral rules are behavior patterns, habits, and rules that aim to regulate coexistence.

• Subjective morality claims that each person is free to acquire and adopt certain moral values and a certain moral universe.
• It argues that to facilitate coexistence, shared basic moral standards are needed.

Autonomy

Autonomy is the ability of humans to free themselves voluntarily, to give themselves standards to guide their conduct.

Moral Development

Moral development is maturing from heteronomous action posed by thoughtlessness or based on the authority of others.