Human Nature and Nature of Morality 

When does Morality Start?

Morality or moral enquiry starts when one is faced with questions on how to act in respect to himself or others, such as: What should I do in relation to my parents? What should I do in relation to my relatives? What should I do in relation to my friends? What should I do in relation to my neighbour or strangers? What should I do in relation to my society? What should I do in relation to the nature and the environment around me? What should I do in relation to my self: my possessions, time, body, talents, potentialities and so on?

Surely there are different ways of establishing these relations and every choice needs some criteria: defining a relevant ideal and defining a practical way to reach that ideal. Without having an understanding of an appropriate ideal in advance one cannot decide what to do. It is only after consideration of one’s ideals that one can choose a course of action and be able to justify it for himself and others.