Week 1: Morality in Theory and Action: From Ethical Debates to Real-World Decisions

Abigail A -

I decided to do my senior project on the concept of morality and its applications. I chose this topic specifically because of a conversation and debate we had in my language class last year, based on the book *Man and His Symbols* by Carl Jung. The book examines why different cultures have varying moral standards. The particular discussion that influenced this project revolved around whether a specific scenario (in this case, cannibalism) would be morally right or wrong if it occurred in private. The idea is that someone acts according to their individual moral code, and no one ever finds out about it. One thing that I found very interesting was that the people in that class, even though they were able to say that the hypothetical person did not do anything morally incorrect, all of them said that in that situation, they themselves would not engage in that behavior even if they had the same morals.

 

I was personally one of, if not the only, people who said that under those specific circumstances, I would be able to carry out the actions described in the hypothetical scenarios. This opinion was generally off-putting for most of the class. This was fascinating to me because everyone agreed that, on the surface, it was morally understandable, yet it was strange to see that my willingness to act in such a way was received so negatively. The way this perspective was off-putting to many people intrigued me, and I want to explore that further. This is what I hope to accomplish in this project. I plan to interview friends, family, coworkers, etc., about similar moral dilemmas and examine why their feelings and gut reactions profoundly influence their moral beliefs. It’s remarkable how, in a specific hypothetical circumstance, a person might not be considered morally corrupt or incorrect, yet still feel an instinctive aversion to the scenario. I aim to delve deeper into this topic, understanding how these innate feelings connect with individuals’ actions and perceptions of right and wrong, as well as how these views compare to their beliefs about others’ morality.

The book that we read that gave me the idea for this project. Published 1964, written by Carl Jung

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    akash_k
    Woah, this is such a dense question! I cannot wait to see where you take it!
    February 23, 2025 at 10:13 am - Reply
    connor_r
    What a thought-provoking project Abby! Are there any specific moral dilemmas you’re excited to touch upon in your interviews?
    February 23, 2025 at 1:40 pm - Reply
    simar_s
    This is a very interesting project. Two points that stood out to me the most where when the class remarked that the man did not do anything morally wrong, but would not do the same under the same conditions, and "It’s remarkable how, in a specific hypothetical circumstance, a person might not be considered morally corrupt or incorrect, yet still feel an instinctive aversion to the scenario." Perhaps morality is so deeply ingrained in us—shaped by how we were raised and the society we live in—that even when we try to set aside our personal morals for the sake of an objective discussion, we ultimately cannot. Maybe our morality is our "base code," meaning it fundamentally shapes how we view the world. Because of this, even if we acknowledge that an act like cannibalism may not be morally wrong in a given context, we still instinctively react against it because our morality prevents us from truly considering it as an option for ourselves. It is the foundation of our decision-making and something we cannot easily override, even in a thought experiment. Of course, then it would make sense that our gut reaction towards a specific scenario is in line with our morality, disgust. Even though it is not wrong in the context, we cannot see ourselves eating another human being because our morality does not allow us to see that as something that we should do. What are your thoughts?
    February 23, 2025 at 11:19 pm - Reply
    puja_k
    This is very interesting! Can you explain more on how you plan on tying Man and His Symbols to your project?
    February 24, 2025 at 8:09 pm - Reply
    abigail_a
    Puja- I am planning to use the moral dilemmas and hypothetical situations in the book as well as use it as a jumping off point for my research.
    February 25, 2025 at 1:37 pm - Reply
    abigail_a
    Thank you Akash, I'm glad you're interested and I hope I don't disappoint
    February 25, 2025 at 1:39 pm - Reply
    abigail_a
    Connor- yes, I plan to talk about more basic moral dilemmas. And then also situations that would be societally frowned upon or even illegal, because I hope to be able to examine how the idea of consequences place into people's morals.
    February 25, 2025 at 1:40 pm - Reply
    abigail_a
    Simar- thank you so much for your insight and similar things that I remember from that class discussion is the reason that I chose this topic. I do like the way that you explained the idea of morals being a set base code and that encompasses what I am hoping to to figure out throughout the course of my project, whether or not that is true, whether or not people function on a moral baseline, or because of societal expectations. In the context of the specific scenario that I referenced in my post and that you were asking about, I would do the same thing as the woman in the hypothetical, because I don't see anything morally wrong with her actions based on her life and her specific moral system. And I feel like if I possessed the same moral system and specific morality that she did, I would have done the same things that she did in the scenario even though most people would not because I do kot feel that innate sense of fear or disgust that most of the class did. P.S. I hope you get everything figured out so that I can see your progress on your project.
    February 25, 2025 at 1:47 pm - Reply

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