Moral Standards (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what moral norms are, their characteristics and examples. Also, the difference between moral and legal norms.

What are moral norms?

Moral norms are Rules of conduct imposed by a society that govern the actions of people. They are based on values that society considers important, such as respect, justice and generosity, and they seek to channel people's actions towards good. Some examples of moral standards are: being kind to others and not lying.

These rules are not written, but are passed down from generation to generation and are known by all members of a given community. They are complied with voluntarily and non-compliance has no specific sanction, although it can lead to rejection or social isolation.

Moral norms differ from legal normswhich are those dictated by an authority and mandatory compliance. These are based on justice as the supreme social value and non-compliance has legal weight, that is, it implies a sanction or penalty. Legal rules are always written, as is the case with laws or decrees. In many cases, these norms are based on moral norms.

Many moral norms are universal in naturesuch as “do not kill” and “respect others.” However, many others depend on the social context. In this way, what in one population is considered morally correct, in another could mean the opposite. Furthermore, some moral norms can change over time.

Characteristics of moral norms

The main characteristics of moral norms are:

They are rules that regulate the behavior of individuals.
They are based on values, such as solidarity, honesty and respect.
They arise from the culture and customs of each society.
They are not written or documented.
They are transmitted by habits, word and example through generations.
They do not require a legal apparatus to be put into practice by people.
Non-compliance does not carry any legal sanction.
They vary between different populations.
They contribute to social harmony.

Examples of moral norms

Some examples of moral norms are:

Be kind to others.
Speak honestly.
Give priority of passage to an ambulance or essential service that needs to travel urgently.
Take care of and respect your children.
Do not throw waste on the street.
Respect other people's opinions.
Comply with the promises and commitments made.
Keep the secrets.
Don't pressure another person to do something they don't want to do.
Assist the sick and needy.
Treat all people with respect.
Do not damage other people's property.
Don't lie.
Respect national symbols.
Do not discriminate.
Apologize when necessary.
Take care of the environment.
Respect other people's property.
Don't talk about others behind their backs.
Do not judge the decisions and actions of others.

Differences between moral norms and legal norms

Moral norms and legal norms are two types of norms that They seek to regulate the actions of people in a society. Both are based on values that a community considers good and expected, and that lead to social harmony.

However, there are some fundamental differences between them:

	Moral standards	Legal regulations
Record	They are not written, they are passed down from generation to generation.	They are written and documented
Authority that imparts them	Society as a whole	Certain institutions
Sanctions	Social rejection	Penalties previously defined by the institutions

Moral philosophy

Moral standards — Providing help to others in certain situations is a moral norm.

moral philosophy, Also called ethics, it is the part of philosophy that analyzes and studies human behavior. This discipline reflects on good, evil and moral actions.

Within moral philosophy, the work of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) stood out, who introduced the term categorical imperative to refer to moral duty, and which turned out to be a central concept in later modern ethics.

The concept categorical imperative refers to a rational and universal principle that regulates moral actions. One of Kant's most notable formulations of this principle is: “Act in such a way that your will can consider itself as universally legislating”, that is, act in such a way that this action can be extended to all time and place.

References

Vernengo, R. (2001). Moral norms and legal norms. Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library.
Royal Spanish Academy (2023). Moral. https://dle.rae.es/moral.
Rachels, J. (2006). Introduction to moral philosophy. Economic Culture Fund.