WHAT IS MORAL STANDARDS

AND

NON-MORAL STANDARDS?
• Are norms that individuals or groups have about the kinds of actions believed
to be morally right or wrong, as well as the values placed on what we believe
d to be morally good or morally bad.
• Moral standards normally promote “the good”, that is, the welfare and well-
being of humans as well as animals and the environment. Moral standards,
therefore, prescribe what humans ought to do in terms of rights and obligati
ons.
• Moral standards are the sum of combined norms and values. In other words,
norms plus values equal moral standards.

Moral Standards
 According to many scholars, moral standards have the
following characteristics, namely:

1. Moral standards deal with matters we think can seriously inj

ure or benefit humans, animals, and the environment, such
as child abuse, rape, and murder;
2. Oral standards are not established or changed by the decisi
ons of authoritative individuals or bodies. Indeed, moral sta
ndards rest on the adequacy of the reasons that are taken t
o support and justify them. For sure, we don’t need a law to
back up our moral conviction that killing innocent people is
absolutely wrong;
3. Moral standards are overriding, that is, they take prece
dence over other standards and considerations, especiall
y of self-interest;
4. Moral standards are based on impartial considerations
. Hence, moral standards are fair and just;
5. Moral standards are associated with special emotions
(such as guilt and shame) and vocabulary (such as right,
wrong, good, and bad).
• Refer to standards by which we judge what is good or bad and right or wrong
in a non-moral way

• Technically, religious rules, some traditions, and legal statutes (i.e. laws and
ordinances) are non-moral principles, though they can be ethically relevant d
epending on some factors and contexts.

• If a moral standard says “Do not harm innocent people” or “Don’t steal”, a no
n-moral standard says “Don’t text while driving” or “Don’t talk while the mouth
is full”.

NON-MORAL STANDARDS
 MORAL
DILEMMA
 A dilemma is a situation where a person is forced
to choose between two or more conflicting options, neither
of which is acceptable. As we can see, the key here is that
the person has choices to make that will all have results s
he does not want

When dilemmas involve human actions which have moral i

mplications, they are called ethical or moral dilemmas.

Moral dilemmas, therefore, are situations where persons,

who are called “moral agents” in ethics, are forced to choo
se between two or more conflicting options, neither of whic
h resolves the situation in a morally acceptable manner.
 Three conditions that must be
present for situations to be consi
dered moral dilemmas.
“Karen Allen”
First, the person or the agent of a moral action is obliged
to make a decision about which course of action is best.

Second, there must be different courses of action to choo

se from. Hence, as already pointed out above, there mus
t be two or more conflicting options to choose from for m
oral dilemmas to occur

Third, no matter what course of action is taken, some

moral principles are always compromised. This means
that, according to Allen, there is no perfect solution to t
he problem.
 6 Types
Of Moral
Dilemmas
 Epistemic moral dilemmas

‘Epistemic’ means to do with the knowledge o

f something. This is what this dilemma is about. The
situation involves two moral choices that conflict, but
the individual has no idea which choice is the most
morally acceptable. They don’t know which is the mo
st ethically viable. They need more information and k
nowledge surrounding the two options before making
an informed decision.
 Ontological moral dilemmas

‘Ontological’ means the nature of something or th

e relation between things. The options in this dile
mma are equal in their moral consequences. This
means that neither of them supersedes the other.
They are fundamentally on the same ethical level.
Therefore, the individual cannot choose between t
he two.
 Self-imposed moral dilemmas

A self-imposed dilemma is a situation

that has been caused by the individu
al’s mistakes or misconduct. The mor
al dilemma is self-inflicted. This can c
ause a number of complications whe
n attempting to make a decision.
 World-imposed moral dilemmas

“ A world-imposed dilemma is a situation where events

that we can’t control have created an unavoidable
moral conflict.
An individual must resolve a moral dilemma, even
though the cause of it is beyond his/her control.
“
 Obligation moral dilemmas

“ Obligation dilemmas are situations where we feel we

are obliged to opt for more than one choice. We feel
we are obliged to carry out an action from a moral or “
legal standpoint. If there were just one option that is
obligatory, then the choice would be easy.
 Prohibition moral dilemmas

“ Prohibition dilemmas are the opposite of obligation

dilemmas. The choices that are offered to us are all,
on some level, morally reprehensible. They can all be
considered as wrong, but we must choose one. They
“
could be illegal, or just plain immoral. An individual
must choose between what would normally be
considered as prohibited.
 LEVELS OF DILEMMA
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

01 Pre-conventional morality

02 Conventional morality

03 Post-conventional morality
Level 1
Pre-conventional
morality

At the pre-conventional level (most nine-year-olds and you

nger, some over nine), we don’t have a personal code of
morality. Instead, our moral code is shaped by the standar
ds of adults and the consequences of following or breakin
g their rules.

Authority is outside the individual and reasoning is based

on the physical consequences of actions.
Level 2
Conventional
morality
At the conventional level (most adolescents and adults),
we begin to internalize the moral standards of valued adul
t role models.

Authority is internalized but not questioned, and reasoning

is based on the norms of the group to which the person be
longs.
Level 3
Post-conventional
morality

Individual judgment is based on self-chosen

principles, and moral reasoning is based on
individual rights and justice. According to
Kohlberg this level of moral reasoning is as
far as most people get.
 Factors Affecting Ethical Behavior

Individual Structural Organization

Characters variables culture
Ethical
•Personal values x
•Formalization
x =
or
•Leader behavior •Content
•Ego strength •Strength Unethical
•Locus of control •Rewards
•Appraisal Behahior
system
•Job pressures
 Thank
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