Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsObjectivityMoralityArguments For & Against ItDoes It Exist?

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Objectivity

Morality

Arguments For & Against It

Does It Exist?

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Objective morality is the idea that right and wrong exist factually, without any importance of opinion. It’s the concept that some actions and beliefs are imperatively good or inherently bad, and that the goodness or badness of those things holds true no matter who you are or what else you believe in.

Objectivity refers to the notion that something is factual, aka objective, and without bias.and morality means a sense of something being right or wrong.objective morality is also known as moral objectivism.

The History of Objectivity

The idea of objective morality has been around for centuries. It is the opposite of subjective morality, which is the view that morals can very from person to person. The idea of objectivity is one that has been discussed since ancient times, from Mohism in ancient China (479-221 BCE) to Plato and Aristotle in ancient Greece (427-322 BCE).

In the 19th century, philosophers migrated to the idea that because science can prove concepts factually, philosophy should become more factually oriented. While some philosophers criticized this shift, it gained enough steam that it became a dominant form of thinking.

The History of Morality

The idea of morality transcends humans. For example, research in neuroscience and animal ecology suggest that some animals have a primitive sense of morality, such as chimpanzees punishing other chimps for violating rules of the social order and animals demonstrating empathetic behaviors towards others such as rhesus monkeys refusing to dispense electric shocks to fellow monkeys, even if they would get food as a reward in doing so.

Did Humans Inherit Morality?

As people, we generally consider our sense of morality as we know it to be the result of our ability to write and communicate in complex ways. Science has suggested key components of morality including prosocial concern, conformity, and the presence of biologically anchored norms have evolved along different evolutionary trajectories amongst primates, possibly influencing human morality both in theory and in practice.

Morality vs. EthicsMorality and ethics can be related and influence each other, but the two are different. In its simplest form, morals are what you believe, and ethics are what you do.

Morality vs. Ethics

Morality and ethics can be related and influence each other, but the two are different. In its simplest form, morals are what you believe, and ethics are what you do.

The Difference Between Morals and Ethics

The Arguments For and Against Objective Morality

Because objective morality can’t be determined, hands down, as definitely existing or not, some people believe in it, and others do not. There are arguments to be made both ways.

ReminderBefore delving into them, it’s important to note that these are philosophical concepts, not facts. Scholars and philosophers have debated these questions for millennia, and there is no quantifiable “easy” answer.

Reminder

Before delving into them, it’s important to note that these are philosophical concepts, not facts. Scholars and philosophers have debated these questions for millennia, and there is no quantifiable “easy” answer.

The Arguments For Objective Morality

Here are some arguments that support objective morality:

The Arguments Against Objective Morality

Here are some arguments that are against objective morality:

How Do We Really Know What’s Right or Wrong?

Does Objective Morality Truly Exist?

There is no “right” answer about whether or not objective morality exists. In fact, the arguments for and against its existence are both strong and logical.

There are also truths on each side: those who believe in it say we agree that certain actions are wrong, and those who don’t say that those decisions about right and wrong change depending on time and circumstance.

A Word From Verywell

Philosophy is a complicated subject, and it has many facets. If this article made you want to learn more about philosophical ideas, consider learning about additional concepts. One great example isepicureanism, which has a lifestyle model to improve your happiness.

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shermer M.Morality is real, objective, and natural.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1384(1):57-62. doi:10.1111/nyas.13077Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Objectivity.Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Moral.Objectivity - history of the term[Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 7]Burkart JM, Brügger RK, van Schaik CP.Evolutionary origins of morality: insights from non-human primates. Front Sociol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2022 Jul 7];0.Wilson C.The scientific perspective on moral objectivity. Ethic Theory Moral Prac. 2017 Aug 1;20(4):723–36.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shermer M.Morality is real, objective, and natural.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1384(1):57-62. doi:10.1111/nyas.13077Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Objectivity.Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Moral.Objectivity - history of the term[Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 7]Burkart JM, Brügger RK, van Schaik CP.Evolutionary origins of morality: insights from non-human primates. Front Sociol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2022 Jul 7];0.Wilson C.The scientific perspective on moral objectivity. Ethic Theory Moral Prac. 2017 Aug 1;20(4):723–36.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Shermer M.Morality is real, objective, and natural.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1384(1):57-62. doi:10.1111/nyas.13077Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Objectivity.Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Moral.Objectivity - history of the term[Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 7]Burkart JM, Brügger RK, van Schaik CP.Evolutionary origins of morality: insights from non-human primates. Front Sociol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2022 Jul 7];0.Wilson C.The scientific perspective on moral objectivity. Ethic Theory Moral Prac. 2017 Aug 1;20(4):723–36.

Shermer M.Morality is real, objective, and natural.Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1384(1):57-62. doi:10.1111/nyas.13077

Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Objectivity.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Moral.

Objectivity - history of the term[Internet]. [cited 2022 Jul 7]

Burkart JM, Brügger RK, van Schaik CP.Evolutionary origins of morality: insights from non-human primates. Front Sociol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2022 Jul 7];0.

Wilson C.The scientific perspective on moral objectivity. Ethic Theory Moral Prac. 2017 Aug 1;20(4):723–36.

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