Moral Behavior: Freedom, Sociability, and Human Dignity
**Basis of Moral Behavior: Freedom and Sociability**
Human behavior differs from animal behavior. Animals act on instincts, genetically determined through evolution, making them perfectly adapted to their environment. Stimuli trigger specific behaviors in animals, leading to similar behaviors across the same species. Humans, however, are not fixed to any specific environment. Through intelligence and technical skills, humans adapt the environment to their needs, building bridges, houses, etc.
Stimuli do not trigger a single, specific behavior in humans but present different possibilities, forcing a choice. As Sartre said, humans are “condemned to be free.” Freedom means constantly choosing: continue reading or get a yogurt, concentrate on reading or let the mind wander. Freedom is not omnipotence; it means choosing between possibilities, sometimes many, sometimes few, and not always what we desire. But we always have to choose.
Why Do We Choose One Thing Over Another?
The obvious answer is that we choose what seems most appropriate, the best, better than other options. We consider our choice more valuable. Moral values guide our behavior, suggesting what is most convenient and best for us in our relationships. They define good and allow us to see good action in concrete situations. Values are the basis of rules, as rules are patterns of action specifying the values that inspire them. For example, the value of solidarity inspires rules requiring assistance to accident victims, adapting public spaces for disabled people, etc.
**Sociability**
Humans are social by nature. Society is needed to survive and become human. We live in a society that provides a system of values and norms, often accepted without question. Not everyone in a society shares the same values and behavior patterns, but differences among members are never too significant. We share a common culture that provides insight into the world and ourselves. Morality is a human fact, not social. Society’s existence does not justify the need for guidance through values. It is freedom, the constant need to choose, that creates this need.
The Process of Socialization
Socialization is the lifelong process by which we become individuals and responsible members of society. Society constantly evolves, requiring us to adapt to changes. Childhood is a key stage, as children have a learning capacity unmatched in later life. During childhood, we learn the basics, from language to hygiene guidelines and culinary tastes. Through socialization, we acquire values and behavior patterns. Family, school, and peer groups are fundamental socialization bodies.
**The Person as a Moral Subject**
The etymology of “person” is “per-sonare,” referring to the actor’s voice through the mask in Greek theater. It indicates that beyond what we see, there is something else: our intimacy, self, what makes us unique, the core of our freedom, and our ability to understand.
A person is a stable subject, remaining through development and changes, feeding on experiences and memories. Socially and politically, a person is a subject of rights and obligations, including universal rights that specify and make universal values discovered, analyzed, and disseminated by ethical and moral theories throughout history.
**Human Dignity**
As free and rational beings, people have dignity, while things have a price. Denying freedom dehumanizes us, making us interchangeable things. Tyrannical or dictatorial regimes deny the humanity of certain groups (slaves, Jews, etc.). Freedom is also denied by hindering individual development, depriving them of culture and information. This happens to millions of children without access to education who are exploited as cheap and docile labor.