QUE. Discuss how social, cultural and religious factors act as determinants of ethics.

A person’s morality is shaped by various determinants of society. These determinants inform the way a person acts or makes decisions and determine the person’s reputation and status in terms of behavior. The factors that determine a person’s morality can be broadly classified into social, cultural and religious factors.

• Social factors that act as determinants of morality for an individual:

• In a society, most people accept moral standards. Due to this, it results in a universally accepted system.

• To determine the appropriateness or inappropriateness of various interactions of an individual in his social life and with the community. For example, in a civilized society, stealing is considered immoral, so a person living in that society also considers it immoral and stays away from such acts.

• However, one should not always equate being moral with “what society accepts”, because society often acts in ways that deviate from morality. Which can also lead a person to deviate from moral values. For example, Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia.

• For an individual, parents, family and teachers shape the value system of the child. Their behavior plays a fundamental role in the formation of values ​​and determining the moral standards of the child. For example, a child raised in a patriarchal family may also adopt the moral values ​​according to that.

• Culture as a determinant of morality:

• A person’s moral principles are influenced by their culture. For example, Western culture seems to be individualistic while Indian culture is based on values ​​of universality and pluralism. Such values ​​are also reflected in the individuals brought up in that culture.

• The literature, scriptures, beliefs, etc. of any region or society guide the conduct of an individual. For example, the teachings of Vedic literature, Buddhist literature, etc. have been the basis of moral conduct in many societies of India. For example, the value of non-violence in Jainism

• Religion as a determinant of morality for the individual:

• Most religions have a moral component, religion provides the necessary guidance for living morally because it gives clear guidance on what is right and wrong and what is moral and immoral.

• Each religion has its own standards for personal conduct. For example, it also gives necessary commands regarding profession, spouse, roles of women, clothing, food and drink, dealing with other living beings, etc. E.g. Nature worship in Hinduism

• Religions also impart teachings regarding certain moral values. For instance, Buddhism promotes the virtue of ‘compassion,’ which inspires an individual to understand the suffering of all living beings around them and to offer assistance.

Apart from the above, there are other determinants such as the conscience of the individual, political factors such as the ‘law of the land’ and the constitution etc. However, one must understand that the law, society or religion may deviate from morality and include such assessments, so one must accept the responsibility of ensuring the validity of various moral standards through continuous self-evaluation and proper study.