Choice Book Review

Morality is based off the individual and underlining factors. One book cannot determine how one should live, believes secular humanist. Right and wrong is based on the opinion of the individual, the environment, and circumstance. The Bible gives us the Ten Commandments to help on stay on a straight path. I agree that environment and circumstances have an influence on behavior but not on whether the behavior is right or wrong. (71)

Coming from the point where humans were created in God’s image, it follows that they have the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. From the rules of conduct given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to the Ten Commandments given to the Israelites, we see that God throughout history has prescribed what is considered right and what is wrong. Jesus summarized these commandments as loving God and loving our neighbors in Matthew 22:37- 40. Similarly, the fact that we were created in God’s image means that we have an inner ability to know what is wrong and right – conscience (Romans 2:15).

Morality in its basic definition, is the knowledge between what is right and what is wrong. In Joan Didion’s essay, “On Morality,” she uses examples to show how morality is used to justify actions and decisions by people. She explains that morality can have a profound effect on the decisions that people chose to make. I think that morality is an idea that is different for every individual based on morals and background.

Each action we take as humans determines our personal character and ethical theories guide us and teach us right from wrong (Mosser, 2013).

Sometimes in life we have difficulty in decisions that makes us question our morals even deeper our character.

Everyone has choices in life, and these choices are what define us. Sometimes they can affect not only the decision maker, but it can affect others too, whether it is just a few people or it is millions of people. This is why a choice

Masters of Choice is a wonderful publication by Iris Lopez. Iris Lopez is an urban anthropologist who currently works at the City College of New York. She is currently the director of Latin American and Latino Studies and was previously the director of Women’s Studies as well. Throughout her professional career, she has worked extensively with the Latino communities within New York City. Iris Lopez has chosen to focus her work on gender studies, immigration studies and reproductive rights. Her professional and educational background along side of her exceptional research skills helped her to create the captivating publication Masters of Choice: Puerto Rican Women’s Struggle for Reproductive Freedom. Within this publication, Lopez looks at what she believes to be the roots of evil within the United States development and influence on Puerto Rico, as well as the Birth Control Movements.

The importance of taking steps in life betterment can be seen in Ethan Frome. Although one may lack a history of “making moral decisions,” the human instinct to do so is always there (from Morality

There are two big decisions in our life: first is to be with God and let him purify our soul, the second allowed the devil be your mate, a mate who keep hurting you, making you blind and miserable instead of giving God be the delivery, who delivers us from the devil and badness. Good and evil are the widespread things we see in our life, even though they are different, but there will be a good thing and bad thing in the universe that contains man action and consequence. We would not be able to know if something is right unless we compare it to bad things because if goodness does not exist man will never know what good is, never know of fairness and unselfish or not even Christ doesn’t live.(Lewis 2001, pg.37).

Rushworth Kidder suggests that decision-making is driven by our core values, morals and integrity, and that some decisions fall into one of two categories: Moral Temptations and Ethical Dilemmas.

He believes freewill does not explain the bad things that happen in life. He originated his idea from the Christian thinker, Irenaeus. Irenaeus believed everyone is a blank slate and if people are not guided by some moral compass and are left by themselves, they will not make morally correct decisions. However, he does conclude that everyone has a leaning toward badness, but there is a potential to do good things.

Morality is defined as a recognition or belief that explains why some behaviors are bad or good. In simple words, morality refers to values relating to the distinction between wrong and right or good and bad. Few morals are easily accepted and are only questioned by some fringes of society who might disagree with such morals. These individuals on the fringes can be bad or good. The ones who reject socially accepted moral does not necessarily mean that they are good persons. Thus, one can say that each individual has morals that are different from each other (Joseph).

Knowing between right and wrong is a good foundation to practicing good ethics and morals. In today's world, individuals can make a single decision that can have an extreme positive or negative effect on their family, their employer, a nation, and even on the entire world. The life we lead reflects the strength of our character. For example, if we choose to steal, instead of earning it that makes one of weak character or morals. Like in The Pardoner’s Tale from Chaucer, “ greed is the root of all evil.” Ethics are different for each person, but for the most part, people want to be known as a good person. One wants to be known as someone who can be trusted, and one is concerned about his or her relationships

From the reading, I understand that people think and act differently when faced with ethical issues. For one to make a rational decision, an extensive process of judgment is required (Bandura, Caprara, & Zsolnai, 2000). For an individual to be responsible, he or she should put into consideration the magnitude of the consequences of the actions, social

Life is characterized by many situations that require decision making, especially on ethical and moral grounds. The issue of what makes an action right and wrong has been studied for a very long time and several theories developed to address this issue. Socrates and Aristotle are some of the early philosophers who came up with theories about the rightness or wrongness of our actions. As noted by Warnek (2005), Socrates considered self-knowledge as necessity of life and also, an important ingredient to obtaining success. Socrates stated that every individual needs to attain self-knowledge which is acquired by studying every fact necessary for existence. Socrates believed that by possessing knowledge about what is right, individuals are more likely to do good deeds and that the bad deeds in the society come from those who are ignorant of what is right and wrong. Socrates proposed that, by being aware of the spiritual and mental consequences of wrong actions, no person would even consider engaging in such acts. According to Socrates, any person who is aware of a truly right action will automatically choose it over the wrong one. Aristotle on the other hand stated that all humans have physical, emotional and rational natures. Of the three, Aristotle considered the rational nature as not only being the most important of the three but also uniquely human and fundamental to philosophical self-awareness. Aristotle encouraged moderation