Why do we speak of moral quality?

In human life, we judge each other’s behaviors not only according to general standards, for example laws or moral principles, but also according to seemingly secondary traits, not the principle that the human being respects or not, but the way he does it. The manner in morals has something essential, it is the quality of an act. For example, in the first relationships of life, we have to nurture, nurture, preserve life, but what psychology itself shows is that it is how we do it that is the condition of the existence of the person fed or cared for: it is not only the quantity of food that is given that counts but the way in which it is given that creates the links between human beings.

Quality as a way of perceiving others

The quality then becomes the real source of the evaluation, we know well that the law judges the nature of the act, the way in which it falls within a legal standard, but that morality also judges the way which sometimes can revealed to us by an impalpable trait. For example, a man who respects the law can betray by a simple word, by an act of contempt a moral quality or an absence of moral quality, from which one can say that he is a good person, or not. . Thus, there are moral qualities which attach themselves to the person to define their very essence, rightly or wrongly. From a sometimes impalpable act, our evaluation of qualities does not depend on details, qualities are the way in which we perceive each other. (…)

The column can be listened to in its entirety by clicking on the top of the page. History, economics, science, philosophy, art history…

Listen and subscribe to the collection of podcasts “The Why of the How” ; the best experts answer all the questions you dare not ask.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top