Trevinos's Theory Of Morality

Morality “derives from the Latin moralis meaning customs or manners” (Thureau 1). Many people in today 's society often connect the idea of “people being ethical or moral to mean good or right and unethical and immoral to mean wrong or bad” (Thoreau 1). In regards to morality, people “do not conceive it in such an abstract and universal form” (Kant 21). Morals can be specified and altered in different cultures and through experiences. Morality can be developed throughout a person 's lifetime, as there are no set universal morals in place. Society and policy can alter morals in an attempt to control people 's actions. In fact, it can even impact a person 's individual identity, in America, “Individual identity is connected to guilt and

In addition to the impact of cultural and family backgrounds on morality, situational ethics also contributes to morality in the form of different circumstances and a person 's cognitive abilities. In Trevinos study about the model of cognitive moral development, he explored “how people determined what was right or wrong in a particular situation” (Trevino 604). This model focuses on the “reasons an individual uses to justify a moral choice, rather than the decision itself” (Trevino 604). It is also concluded that “[o]ur biology does not prescribe the specific forms our morality takes” (Singer 337). An experiment in which situational ethics are present would be the Trolley Problem. This experiment provides participants with two options, “turn the train down the side track, killing one person, or continue straight ahead and kill the five workers” (Thomson 1). Many scientists and psychologist, such as Thomson, believe that a specific situation can contribute to the moral actions a person takes. Situational ethics can contribute to morality by providing a certain circumstance in which a person has to make a moral decision. This high pressure situation provides participants with the opportunity to decide between two options, both having ethical consequences. The pressure of the situation can impact the result and outcome and can alter the moral decisions a person makes. Over time, as a person 's cognitive ability develops and becomes more efficient, a person will likely make more thought out and high quality decisions. A human brain must develop and people must learn in order to achieve the most efficient cognitive abilities, leading to more moral decision making. A person 's brain has to gain knowledge and experience in order to make quick and sound decisions, meaning biology does not play a role in the forming of a person 's morality. How a person grows up and learns as a child impacts a person 's morality