The Great Debate: What is "Moral"?

"When you put individuals first, before society, then any rule or social practice that limits personal freedom can be questioned. If it doesn’t protect somebody from harm, then it can’t be morally justified. It’s just a social convention." 

~ Jonathon Haidt

Actions that Indians and Americans agreed were wrong:
• While walking, a man saw a dog sleeping on the road. He walked up to it and kicked it. 

• A father said to his son, “If you do well on the exam, I will buy you a pen.” The son did well on the exam, but the father did not give him anything. 

Actions that Americans said were wrong but Indians said were acceptable:
• A young married woman went alone to see a movie without informing her husband. When she returned home her husband said, “If you do it again, I will beat you black and blue.” She did it again; he beat her black and blue. (Judge the husband.) 

• A man had a married son and a married daughter. After his death his son claimed most of the property. His daughter got little. (Judge the son.) 

Actions that Indians said were wrong but Americans said were acceptable: 
• In a family, a twenty-five-year-old son addresses his father by his first name. 

• A woman cooked rice and wanted to eat with her husband and his elder brother. Then she ate with them. (Judge the woman.) 

• A widow in your community eats fish two or threetimes a week. 

• After defecation a woman did not change her clothes before cooking.


Haidt, Jonathan (2012). The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

What are your thoughts?