Abstract
This chapter defines morality, and discusses how morality essentially improves man and harmonizes human relationships. In addition, while elaborating moral implications, it lists the functions and objectives of morality in scientific terms or required by the times in promoting social and economic development.
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
Song (2012, p. 465).
- 4.
“Ought”, “should” and “must” basically convey the same meaning when they are involved in the application of theory of ethics. The difference is that “ought” emphasizes more on reasonable certainty and necessity which are exactly the inherent characteristics of morality. Therefore, I prefer to use “ought” to express morality-related opinions and ideas.
- 5.
Song (2010, pp. 217–218).
- 6.
Song (2010, pp. 326–328).
- 7.
According to Hegel, “freedom” refers to the “freedom of abstract free will in the ordinary sense”, “individual freedom only related to himself or herself”, or freedom not subject to any “regulation” of “a person in himself or herself”. This is Hegel’s abstract interpretation to morality; however, man lives in reality, which means his proposal of “natural existence” is something impossible. Actually, Hegel’s ideas about man and personality can exactly prove it.
- 8.
Hegel (1961, pp. 44–49, 110–117, 164–174).
- 9.
Hegel (1961, p. 128).
- 10.
Mencius · Dedication (II).
- 11.
The Analects of Confucius · Yong Ye.
- 12.
The Analects of Confucius · Yan Yuan.
- 13.
Marx and Engels (2009a, p. 603).
- 14.
Marx and Engels (2009b, p. 387).
- 15.
Marx and Engels (2009b, p. 99).
- 16.
Hegel (1961, pp. 47–48).
- 17.
Hegel (1961, p. 48).
- 18.
Marx and Engels (2009a, p. 46).
- 19.
Marx and Engels (1960).
- 20.
Marx and Engels (1957).
- 21.
Marx and Engels (1957).
- 22.
Marx and Engels (2009a, p. 505).
- 23.
Marx and Engels (2009a, p. 571).
- 24.
Marx and Engels (1979).
- 25.
Marx and Engels (2009a, p. 571).
- 26.
Xi (2014).
- 27.
Aristotle (1990).
- 28.
Zhuzi’s Language Category. Vol. 9.
- 29.
Smith (1997).
- 30.
MacIntyre (2003).
- 31.
Li (2010, p. 39).
- 32.
Li (2010, p. 40).
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Wang, X. (2018). What Is Morality?. In: The Theory of Moral Capital. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0478-1_1
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