Normative Vs Descriptive Morality Essay

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When asking individuals what morality is, the answers you will receive maybe similar but will differ in relation to each individual. That is because although human beings are similar in composition we differ in many ways in terms of personality or judgment. For most, the first thing you may think of in a sense of "morality" are the codes of conduct that tie into ones ' sense of morals. In order to distinguish the definition of morality we must first declare that there are two types of morality which include descriptive morality and normative morality. In the Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy authors Bernard and Joshua Gert express the differences in descriptive and normative morality. While identifying the definitions of both terms, we will also take a look at the similarities of both as well as differences and examples.

Let 's begin by dissecting the definition of descriptive morality. Descriptively is to refer to certain codes of conduct that are put forward by a society or a group (such as a religion) or accepted by an individual for her own behavior (Gert). In regards to the descriptive sense of morality there are specific codes put forward that count as moral, which are distinctions made amongst the characteristics of morality, etiquette, law and religion even in small standardized societies. As for …show more content…

This is usually included as part of morality, in terms of the norms that express a certain type of speaking, eating and living. Such qualities as vacuming before company, or exscussing yourself from the table after you 're done eating dinner are examples of normative morality. While these are small etiquette examples, bigger things such as holding the door open for a stranger, or saying please and thank you to employees at your daily stops such as gas stations, colleges, businesses, ets. are "those qualities of mankind that concern their living together in peace and unity