Reasons
These same morals that pervade human society can also be seen to some extent in the animal kingdom. This gives some credence to the idea that some moral codes are innate. Parents rear their children because it gives them a greater chance of success in their children surviving to adulthood and thus passing on the genes of the parent to future generations. the murder of useful members of society weakens the society as it hurts the citizen who committed the crime as well. Incest reduces chances of reproductive success, and therefore is not beneficial for passing on genes. Using this biological argument, anything that decreased chances of reproductive success would thus be seen as unethical or deviant, while anything that increased the chance of reproductive success would be seen as ethical.
Read more about this topic: Universal Code (ethics)
Famous quotes containing the word reasons:
“One who is publicly honest about himself ends up by priding himself somewhat on this honesty: for he knows only too well why he is honest—for the same reasons another person prefers illusion and dissimulation.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“One of the many reasons for the bewildering and tragic character of human existence is the fact that social organization is at once necessary and fatal. Men are forever creating such organizations for their own convenience and forever finding themselves the victims of their home-made monsters.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the search.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)