Moral Traits Importance and Rationality by Haidt

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Care/ Harm Foundation
The Loyalty/Betrayal Foundation
Equity and Rationality
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

It is expected to observe some meaning in most human decisions and actions, and different political, social, and religious approaches might be applied to find explanations. Jonathan Haidt is a famous American social psychologist who introduces a solid analysis of morality and moral emotions through the prism of politics and religion in his book The Righteous Mind. According to the author, there is always a portion of selfishness or stupidity in every act of altruism, heroism, and human decency (Haidt, 2012, p. 150). Therefore, certain moral foundations need to be clarified to understand human arguments. Haidt (2012) and his colleagues develop a theory with universal cognitive modules of care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, and sanctity/degradation. Instead of proving the importance of one trait over another, Haidt seems to equate all values in terms of their rationality and influence on human behaviors. This paper aims to analyze the harm/care and loyalty/betrayal foundations and learn how these traits innately but equally provoke moral choices in modern society.

The Care/ Harm Foundation

The care/harm foundation focuses on recognizing morality as a part of peoples evolution in the mammal class. Being identified as the first critical trait, care/harm is based on the idea of maternal sensitivity to offspring suffering (Haidt, 2012). Most people cannot accept cruelty and violence in relation to children, which explains the promotion of such values as kindness, compassion, and support. Therefore, appeal to emotions plays an important role in human relationships. Individuals do everything possible to avoid or minimize aggression and rely on the basics of attachment theory to encourage protection and safety (Haidt, 2012). In other words, this foundation is not just a condition when a mother tries to create the best living conditions for her child but the price that needs to be paid for safety. When cruelty is observed, people demonstrate negative emotions and concerns about what is done and what provokes threats. As a result, care and harm go together and predetermine human behaviors unconsciously. The chosen foundation of moral reasoning is one of the best achievements shared by Haidt because it helps identify the root of basic emotions and attitudes toward how to behave.

The Loyalty/Betrayal Foundation

Another significant value in promoting morality in human life is the loyalty/betrayal foundation and its impact on people. On the one hand, people cannot ignore the progress and achievements that have been made during the last centuries in terms of civilization, socialization, and order. On the other hand, some psychological experiments, like the one conducted by Muzafar Sherif and referenced by Haidt (2012), prove the tribal predisposition of all human beings. Following this foundation, people hardly notice how dependent they become on customs, traditions, and cultural norms. Instead of demonstrating their personal qualities, knowledge, and achievements, they co-exist within a crowd and develop their beliefs for social expectations and regulations. Today, it is crucially important to stay loyal to the country at the national level and a family at the community level. At the same time, the personal level should be recognized because it defines a person. Patriotism and sacrifices are the virtues that do not distinguish between sexes because the object of loyalty is in teams (Haidt, 2012). However, betrayal or misunderstanding could bring a conflict or even a war to which human beings seem to be innately prepared.

Equity and Rationality

Morality may vary across cultures, but the main idea remains the same there are certain rules and foundations that cannot be neglected. After reading Haidts book, it is hard to understand what foundation is more or less important. The care aspect shows that the suffering of others should be avoided by any possible means because it is unethical and inappropriate in modern society. The loyalty aspect is also integral because it defines the quality of interpersonal relationships and public beliefs about patriotism. There is a definite obligation to group membership, and if one person betrays another person or a group of people, this action breaks the existing norms and challenges the essence of community. Instead of identifying the rationality of one foundation over another, Haidt (2012) recommends combining evolutionary and anthropological theories and establishing the universal first draft of human nature (p. 152). Thus, care and loyalty cannot be examined in terms of their priority or worthiness but prove to be critical for society.

Another way to prove the equality and rationality of the chosen values is to remove one of them and observe what results can be achieved. For example, if the care foundation is preferred over the loyalty foundation, people may be selfish in creating safe and beneficial living conditions. However, care and harm are based on a long evolution process and attachments individuals have created for centuries (Haidt, 2012). If they omit the importance of loyalty to a community, they will question the essence of care, promote harm, and eliminate kindness in human relationships.

Almost the same picture emerges when loyalty is appreciated more than care. Being loyal means allegiance to a particular person, group, or nation. It is not enough to demonstrate faithfulness to some commitments but enjoy the relationships and feel positive emotions toward teammates (Haidt, 2012). In other words, loyalty and care are interchangeable virtues that support and strengthen each other. Haidts approach to equating these values is the only correct decision that should be made to create a fair and just society. When some groups of people choose one foundation over another, they contradict the idea of universal rights and provoke the development of a selfish nation that can hardly grow and evolve properly. Although these events could be noticed in new civilizations, the success is questionable and characterized by increased conflicts and cruel wars.

Conclusion

Haidts moral traits for his discussion and the evaluation of political and religious relationships are unique. Although care and loyalty foundations are not the only ones that affect human interactions, their analysis shows why it is correct to equal these values and address their rationality. To explain the rationality of care and loyalty, it is enough to remove one value from the discussion and find out the impossibility of proving the appropriateness of another. Therefore, this paper shows the truth of Haidts approach to stabilizing social relationships. People cannot be loyal if they do not demonstrate care and avoid harm; vice versa, they have nothing to do with care if they neglect loyalty. This connection is undeniable, and the book reminds the reader that there is a moral trap from which it is impossible to escape. Nevertheless, people are responsible for deciding if they want to be a part of such a morally ethical society or want to choose another way and change their lives.