Culture of behavior: rules of etiquette and moral education. Culture of behavior

The attitude towards a person largely depends on his behavior among others. It is no coincidence that the overwhelming majority have a negative attitude towards boors, or arrogant individuals. Cultured people, on the contrary, are desirable in any society.

There are generally accepted standards of decency and rules of conduct, compliance with which is the key to successful communication. All these norms and rules can be combined under one term - the culture of human behavior.

Culture of behavior and personality

The concept of cultural behavior and ethics has existed for many centuries, and in our time has not lost its relevance. This concept includes rules of behavior in society, actions and forms of communication of people, which are based on morality, as well as the internal and external culture of a person. Norms of behavior are a determining factor in the correctness or incorrectness of a person’s actions in society. First of all, the main factor of cultural behavior is good manners, i.e. a person’s willingness to comply with norms of behavior, his goodwill and tactfulness towards others. Ethics and culture of behavior are a kind of standard, a system of rules accepted in society. Etiquette is intended to serve people for everyday communication, representing a set of polite intonations of colloquial speech.

The culture of communication and behavior is an ambiguous concept. Etiquette can always be realized in communication, but not all communication can be recognized as etiquette. Communication is much broader than etiquette. In any cultural communication, partners may differ in gender, age, nationality, social status, as well as degrees of familiarity and relationship. The culture of behavior is built according to these criteria. For example, a younger person is obliged to listen to an older one and not interrupt him, and a man in the presence of a woman has no right to speak rudely. To some extent, ethics is a system of cultural restraint to ensure positive communication between unequal partners. The culture of behavior is almost always designed for two recipients - the partner and the public. Thus, its rules and regulations extend in two directions at once.

Rules of culture of behavior

The rules and norms of cultural behavior begin long before two people have the opportunity to meet. In most cases, people who enter into communication remain unfamiliar with each other. But this does not prevent them from being polite and tactful.

The basic rules and norms of a culture of behavior are instilled in a person from childhood. However, if for some reason you were not instilled with them, or you have forgotten some of them, follow the simplified and basic version of how to become a cultured person:

These simple rules will not only facilitate relationships with people, but will also help you become a cultured person in the face of those around you, which is very rare today.

In a civilized society, knowledge of the rules of etiquette is expected and therefore their observance is necessary. These norms and rules developed over a long period of time in the process of living and working together for many generations. They are based on centuries-old wisdom, which was passed on from the older generation to the younger. Today before Russian society new demands are put forward for the individual, her morals, behavior and actions. In this regard, professional ethics and business culture become of great importance. After all, where business relationships are built on the basis of mutual assistance, mutual respect and attention to each person, there is a great guarantee of success and reliability. Business etiquette is an important component business relations, this is an external manifestation of a person’s internal morality and culture.

Questions and tasks

1. Does ethics give an answer to the question: “What should we do in order to commit moral actions"? Explain your answer.

a) yes; b) no.

2. Who first introduced the term “ethics”:

a) Cicero;

b) Archimedes;

c) Aristotle;

d) Socrates?

3. The most important categories of ethics are: “good”, “evil”, “justice”, “good”, “duty”, “conscience”, etc. What does the term “category” mean? (Answer to this question look it up in a philosophical dictionary or philosophy textbook.)

4. From the proposed definitions, select those that are meaningfully suitable for the concepts:

a) “ethics”;

b) “morality”;

c) "morality".

A. Well-established principles, norms, and rules of conduct in society.

B. Understanding the value of not only oneself, but also others.

B. The science that studies morality.

5. Formulate the “golden” rule of morality and explain why it was called “golden”?

6. The need to behave morally appears in the form of such concepts as “duty”, “conscience”, “honor”, ​​“dignity”. What concepts appear in the following situations:

a) a businessman cares about his good name, the authority of his team, and the prestige of his profession;

b) the rudeness of a work colleague causes team members to feel ashamed in front of clients no less than their own guilt.

7. What rules and regulations reveal the principle of fair treatment of work?

8. Do you agree with the statement: “Conscience is a person’s moral awareness of his actions”? Explain your answer with an example.

a) yes; b) no.

9. How can one formulate the “golden” rule of communication ethics in the relation of a manager to a subordinate and vice versa - a subordinate to a manager?

10. Prove the right (or wrong) statements of specialists from leading companies who believe that knowledge of etiquette and culture of behavior is an important condition successful work in any organization.

11. Moral criteria are applied to professional behavior: “politeness”, “tactfulness”, “delicacy”, “benevolence”.

What moral criteria emerged in the following situations:

a) an older, well-built woman chooses jeans for relaxation. The seller carefully, so as not to offend, recommended that she buy a beautiful sports suit, talking about its advantages over jeans. The buyer agreed and bought a tracksuit;

b) at a savings bank, a very irritated visitor approaches the “window” for paying for utilities, having failed to understand how to fill out a new form of receipt. Does the savings bank teller say, “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to you now”?

12. How do you understand the statement of M. Cervantes: “Nothing is so cheap and nothing is valued so dearly as politeness”?

13. Etiquette is:

a) the science of morality;

b) manner of behavior;

c) general culture.

14. The rules of etiquette are:

a) perseverance, perseverance;

b) integrity, unquestioningness;

c) politeness, tact.

15. Based on moral standards traditions, customs, habits. Define these concepts (to do this, use dictionaries, for example, the Russian Language Dictionary or the Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary).

Explain why it is important to know traditions and customs.

16. Is there a difference between business and household etiquette?

17. Attentiveness is:

a) gallantry towards ladies;

b) servility;

c) the ability to provide a small service;

d) flattery;

e) friendliness towards elders;

f) the ability to smooth out awkwardness in a timely manner.

18. Indicate the correct answer. Maintaining a sense of proportion in a conversation is:

a) politeness;

b) diplomacy;

c) tact;

d) courtesy;

e) all answers are correct;

f) all answers are incorrect.

19. What professional moral standards are violated in the following examples:

a) “Why, grandfather, did you live to old age, but didn’t learn to count?!” - said the savings bank teller to the client;

b) “I don’t want to listen to your objections. I don’t care that you discovered a defect on your sleeve at home. There was a fitting, it’s better to look at the finished product, and not admire yourself in the mirror” (from the monologue of the receptionist at the knitting studio).

20. Are “modesty” and “shyness” synonymous? Explain your answer.

21. Politeness involves greeting. How should you say hello when you find yourself in an unfamiliar group for the first time?

22. What should you not do when greeting?

23. Choose the correct ones from the proposed options. Who should greet whom first in the following pairs: senior-junior, woman-man, boss-subordinate, older man-girl?

24. The initiator of the handshake in most cases should be:

a) women;

b) men;

c) younger in age;

d) junior in position (subordinate).

25. Comment on Saadi’s statement: “Whether you are smart or stupid, whether you are big or small, we don’t know until you say a word.”

26. Good taste is:

a) style;

b) elegance;

27. From the given examples, select those that comply with ethical prohibitions to some answers and questions during the telephone conversation.

a) “Hello, who is this?”

b) “Petrov is not here now. How can I help you?"

c) “Ivanov is not there, I don’t know where he is!”

d) “Okay, agreed. Bye"

d) “Where did I end up?”

f) “Ivanov is not here now. It will be at 14.30. Maybe I should give him something?”

28. When a call ends, the person who called hangs up first. What should a man do if he calls a woman?

29. Why business correspondence called communication in miniature?

30. When exchanging business cards, the recipient immediately put it in the case. What rules of etiquette did he break?

31. Are women's business cards different from men's business cards? Choose the correct answer:

a) differ in size;

b) do not differ;

c) differ in color;

d) differ due to “embellishments”.

32. Indicate the correct answer. Business protocol is:

a) awareness of the conscientious performance by employees of their duties;

b) a set of rules in business and official relations;

c) rules regulating the procedure for meetings and departures, conversations and negotiations, organization of receptions and business correspondence;

d) all answers are correct;

d) all answers are incorrect.

33. Indicate which items business interaction meet moral criteria:

a) a modern businessman, when making a transaction, must be convinced that honor comes before profit;

b) don’t trust anyone and respect yourself;

c) you need to be attentive and polite in communication, correct with others (colleagues, bosses and clients, communication partners), be able to spare the pride of your interlocutors;

d) the principle of business relations should be only competition (confrontation);

e) you should be tactful in communication, i.e. provide the partner with the opportunity to get out of difficulties with honor and dignity, without losing his “face”;

f) you should always focus on the final goal (for example, making a profit, concluding a large contract). Therefore, the end justifies the means.

34. What “commandments” formulated by J. Yager relate to business etiquette.

a) do everything on time;

b) don’t laugh loudly;

c) control your irritation;

d) don’t talk too much;

e) be kind, friendly and welcoming;

f) think about others, not just yourself;

g) don’t be sloppy;

h) dress appropriately;

i) speak and write in good language?

35. Getting to know an organization (company) begins with the interior of the premises. Does workspace interior to the area of ​​business etiquette?

a) yes; b) no.

36. Indicate which positions must be taken into account when conducting a business conversation:

a) ethical standards and rules;

b) the premises should not interfere with the establishment of an atmosphere of trust;

c) the initial phase of the conversation sets the tone for the entire subsequent conversation;

d) all positions are correct;

e) all positions are incorrect.

37. Indicate the correct answer. Atmosphere goodwill during a business conversation depends on:

a) punctuality;

b) the right choice location of the conversation;

c) the interior of the room;

d) establishing contact with a partner;

e) first phrases during a conversation;

f) use of address by name;

g) all answers are correct;

h) all answers are incorrect.

38. Describe the sequence of preparing a sandwich.

39. They eat pears and apples:

a) using a knife, cutting the fruit into several parts;

b) bite off the whole fruit;

c) first peel, and then bite off the whole fruit.

40. Indicate the correct answer. It is customary to clean with a knife:

a) tangerines;

b) oranges;

c) all answers are correct;

d) all answers are incorrect.

41. Take lumps of sugar from the sugar bowl:

a) hands;

b) tweezers;

c) a teaspoon.

42. Taking a napkin at the table is customary:

a) tie around the neck;

b) tuck it into the collar;

c) lay on the chest;

d) put on your knees.

43. At the end of the meal, the fork and knife should be put down:

a) parallel to each other on a plate with handles to the right;

b) on both sides of the plate;

c) on a plate crosswise.

44. They take bread from a common plate:

a) hands;

b) a fork held in the right hand;

c) a fork held in the left hand;

d) with a special fork lying on a common plate with bread.

45. Why can a gift tell a lot about its giver?

46. ​​What is most important in a gift:

b) sincerity;

c) hint;

d) the desire to bring joy?

Answers

Ethics is the science of morality. Morality gives a person the opportunity to evaluate the actions of the people around him, to understand himself and to comprehend whether he lives correctly, how he should live, what he should strive for.

The term “ethics” was first used by Aristotle to denote practical philosophy, which should answer the question: “What should we do in order to perform moral actions?”

3. Category (Greek - statement, evidence) - a form of awareness in terms of the universal ways of a person’s relationship to the world, reflecting the most general and essential properties, laws of nature, society and thinking (Philosophical Dictionary / Edited by I.T. Frolov. - M, 1991).

5. The “golden” rule of morality: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

It began to be called “golden” because it was given great importance and it was firmly entrenched in the public consciousness. For example, a Russian proverb says: “What you don’t love in another, don’t do it yourself.”

6. a) honor; b) conscience.

7. A conscientious attitude towards work is revealed in the norms and rules: love for the chosen profession, the desire to improve skills, adherence to labor discipline, accuracy in performing one’s duties, caring attitude towards tools, the desire to share the secrets of their work (mentoring), etc.

9. In relation to a manager towards a subordinate: “Treat your subordinate the way you would like to be treated by a manager.”

In relation to a subordinate to his superiors: “Treat your leader the way you would like your subordinates to treat you” (Psychology and ethics of business communication: Textbook for universities / Edited by V. N. Lavrinenko. - M., 1997).

10. Knowledge of etiquette is a necessary professional quality that is constantly being improved.

A culture of behavior is part of business etiquette. It examines the actions and forms of communication of people that are based on morality, adherence to certain norms, rules and aesthetic taste.

Without knowing the rules of good manners, you can end up in ridiculous situation, discredit yourself and the company.

11. a) tact; b) politeness.

12. True politeness can only be benevolent and benevolent. 13.6).

15. Ozhegov S. I. Dictionary of the Russian language. - M., 1988.

Custom - p. 355;

Habit - p. 477;

Tradition - p. 658.

By adhering to traditions, you can avoid many conflicts and misunderstandings. It is important to know the traditions and customs of the country where a person is going on a business trip or vacation, and to take them into account in friendly communication and in business interpersonal contacts.

16. Business etiquette is more formal than household etiquette, so business politeness does not accept lengthy thanks and apologies.

17. a), c), d), f).

19. a) tact; b) correctness.

20. Modesty is the ability of an individual to restrain himself in discovering his merits. Shy - bashful-timid in behavior, in behavior, embarrassed (Ozhegov SI. Dictionary of the Russian language. - M., 1988).

Therefore, modesty is not synonymous with shyness.

21. When entering an office (room), you should greet the people there, even if you do not know them.

22. When greeting, you should not hold a cigarette in your mouth, chew, or keep your hand in your pocket.

23. The youngest one says hello first; man with woman; subordinate with boss; girl with an older man.

25. The spoken words demonstrate the level of culture and are an indicator of good manners.

27. a), c), d), e).

28. A man who calls a woman waits for her to hang up first.

29. Business correspondence helps to establish relationships with consumers and various services. Business correspondence as well as business conversation, must be competent, correct, based on compliance with ethical principles.

30. The person who receives the business card should read it, thank him and then put it away.

33. a), c), d).

34. a), d), e), f), h), i).

38. To make a sandwich, use a common knife to transfer the butter to the edge of your plate, and then spread it onto the bread with your knife. Sausage, slices of fish or meat are placed on the sandwich with a fork.

45. A gift is a mirror that reflects a person’s character traits.

They strive to make the child like themselves. The baby copies the speech and behavior of adults and becomes part of society.

Culture of behavior, as a scientific term, denotes the totality of all forms of behavior in which moral and human values ​​are expressed. This concept includes all areas of a person’s internal and external culture: behavior in etiquette, everyday culture, relationships with other people, the nature of interests and needs, hygiene, organization of personal time, aesthetic tastes, pantomime, facial expressions, speech culture.

The culture of behavior of an individual characterizes his moral, aesthetic and spiritual appearance. It shows how much a person has learned and accepted the values ​​of the society in which he lives, and how skillfully he uses them. Each of us bears responsibility for observing the rules of behavior, for our own culture and for those who will replace us.

Rules of behavior in society must be instilled in a person from the very beginning. early age. Only in this case will the child be able to skillfully use his skills in the future.

Bad habits can be compared to weeds. They grow where there is no proper control and order. At a very early age, when the baby already knows how to walk and manipulate his body, it is necessary to begin developing some sanitary and hygienic skills and respect for others (not only adults, but also other children).

By the age of three, a child should be able to undress and dress independently. At this time, it is necessary to teach him how to handle clothes and shoes. It should be neatly folded or hung and in its place. It's not as simple as it might seem. Parents should exercise unobtrusive control and guide the baby. As a result, the child will develop the habit of taking care of himself and his things.

A culture of behavior also presupposes the ability to brush your teeth, wash your face, and wash your hands. It’s not difficult to teach a child to do this. At the beginning he will need your help and control. Parents should lead by example to others. By the age of six, a child should be able to say hello, goodbye, thank you without reminders, and remain silent when necessary.

This is especially important when they start attending school. The baby begins a completely new life. He has a lot of rules to learn. These include: coming to class on time, sitting correctly, keeping things tidy workplace, do not shout, raise your hand, address teachers correctly. All these skills will be useful to the child in later life. They are developed daily by teachers. For successful consolidation, parental participation is necessary.

However, it is not enough to know the rules; you must also follow them. It is these people who are called behavior - this is a kind of set of skills and habits that indicates the level of human development and helps him fit harmoniously into society.

The very first behavioral skills are developed in children at an unconscious age. Therefore, it is very important for young parents to take care of the culture of their behavior and life. A personal example, combined with control and exactingness, will certainly give a positive result.

It's never too late to teach good things. Even if you missed something, there is always an opportunity to catch up. Remember that eradicating a bad habit is much more difficult than instilling one. Be patient and do not deviate even for a minute from your goal. You will have to control both yourself and the child. This is not an easy task, but you will definitely succeed.

a high degree of compliance of a person’s everyday actions and actions with the norms of morality, ethics, and aesthetics. A culture of behavior is achieved through the formation of socially significant moral qualities of an individual, the individual’s conscious acceptance of moral norms that correspond to the culture of his people, their environment, their social circle, their customs, traditions, and faith. A culture of behavior is measure and tact in actions. In relationships with others, it is compliance with age requirements and norms. It is transmitted mainly in the family, while at school it is formed by such disciplines as culture of communication, ethics, etc.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CULTURE OF BEHAVIOR

a set of formed, socially significant personality qualities, everyday actions of a person in society, based on the norms of morality, ethics, aesthetics. culture.

K. p. expresses, on the one hand, morals. the requirements of society, enshrined in norms, principles and ideals, on the other hand, the assimilation of provisions that guide, regulate and control the actions and actions of students. In K. p. the unity of external appearance is manifested. factors regulating activity and behavior, and internal - individual capabilities of the individual. The rules of cultural behavior acquired by a person turn into a valuable personality quality - good manners. Good breeding, good manners, and adherence to etiquette have always been valued in society, because they reflect a rich inner person. human world. In life, unity is external. and internal culture is not always maintained. For external gloss and excellent manners can hide selfishness, indifference, cynicism, and decent and good people sometimes they create inconvenience to others because they do not always know how to behave in society.

In cultural culture, the culture of communication, the culture of appearance, and everyday culture (satisfaction of needs) are organically merged.

The basis of a culture of communication is the humane attitude of man to man. Therefore, nurturing a culture of communication in children requires the formation of trust and goodwill towards other people. The norms of communication are politeness, adherence to conventional and generally accepted ways of expression good relations to each other, forms of greetings, gratitude, apologies, rules of behavior in society. places, communication between women and men. Children need to reveal their deep inner. the meaning of K. p., in the understanding that following decency indicates respect for people and traditions, otherwise they will see them as empty conventions.

Children need to be taught how to behave around family, friends, neighbors, and strangers; in transport, in society. places, at meetings, etc. Children should be familiar with the rituals of congratulations, giving gifts, expressing condolences, the rules for conducting business conversations, including telephone conversations, etc.

An indispensable attribute of a culture of communication is tact, the ability to understand the feelings and moods of the people around them, to put oneself in their place, to imagine possible consequences for them their actions. Important sign K. p. is a manifestation of accuracy and commitment.

In K. p. great place occupied by the culture of speech, the ability to participate in polemics, discussions, and understanding of humor.

Ext. attractiveness plays a very important role in the life of a child or teenager. Often, his mood, behavior and even position in the team depend on the assessment of his appearance by those around him and the child himself. Cultivating a culture of appearance begins with the formation of habits of cleanliness and adherence to the rules of personal hygiene. Indicators of a child's good manners are gestures, facial expressions, movements, gait, and posture. The ability to dress elegantly, choose your own style and not blindly imitate fashion is also developed from a very early age and is necessary for both girls and boys. It largely depends on adults how a child’s external ideal will be formed. human beauty. In the absence of the correct ped. leadership, under the influence of not very cultured people, vulgar aesthetics can be developed. representation. Great importance The media have a role in cultivating the tastes of children and youth.

An important task is the education of aesthetics. attitudes towards objects and phenomena of everyday life, including the ability to rationally organize one’s home, behave correctly when eating and in other everyday situations. In everyday communication, children learn the rules of good manners by imitating the behavior of adults, Art. comrades.

The child’s personal experience of communicating with other people is not great enough; the formation of conscious skills and habits of K. p. is of decisive importance. classes, this process is relatively easy, because the student. and educate. Activities are carried out by one teacher, under whose supervision the children are throughout the day. Widely used game forms. Teenagers are emotional, touchy, get tired quickly, their willpower is not sufficiently developed, which under unfavorable conditions can lead to incontinence, imbalance, and unmotivated actions.

Adolescents are characterized by a desire for self-affirmation in a team, i.e. the teenager is internally ready to accept the rules, the implementation of which will allow him to take a worthy place among his peers, but he does not always know how to do this. Edifications, reproaches, and comments are ineffective means of educating children, causing hidden and sometimes obvious resistance to education. The task of educators is to change skepticism. attitude towards the rules of politeness, good manners, showing morals. essence and attract. sides K. p.

High school students already have experience of correct morals. relationships when the content of the action corresponds to the external. the form of its implementation. They have a more developed need for self-education, which contributes to the formation of cognitive skills.

The behavior style of a teenager, a young man in So. to a large extent develops under the influence of societies. opinions, so it is important to enter the sphere of societies. assessments included K. p. Insufficient attention of our society as a whole to K. p. affects the education of adolescents and young people. Therefore, raising children's moral standards requires, first of all, increased responsibility for the fulfillment of norms of behavior by all members of society. National are of great importance. features of cultural practices that have developed as a result of morals. development of many generations and are an indispensable attribute of universal human culture.

The culture of human behavior in society - raising a child. She goes through the influence national culture, the carriers of which are the people around the child. Adults would like to see a child as they themselves are, so education is a process of assimilation.

The culture of human behavior in society boils down to the formation of a child’s personality and his adaptation to life in a given society, as a result of which the child comprehends the culture within which he is placed and learns to act without violating generally accepted rules of behavior.

We all seem to have a good idea of ​​the culture of human behavior in society. What is behind the words culture of behavior? Still, it is useful to turn to the scientific definition of the concept. The Dictionary of Ethics will help us here. Culture of behavior is a set of forms of everyday human behavior (in work, in everyday life, in communication with other people), in which the moral and aesthetic norms of this behavior find external expression.

The culture of human behavior in society, how exactly the requirements of morality are implemented in behavior, what is the external appearance of a person’s behavior, to what extent organically, naturally and naturally these norms merged with his way of life and became everyday life rules. For example, the requirement of respect for people is expressed in the form of rules of politeness, delicacy, tact, courtesy, the ability to take care of other people’s time, etc.

The culture of behavior includes all areas of a person’s external and internal culture. Such as etiquette, rules of dealing with people and behavior in in public places; culture of life, including the nature of personal needs and interests, relationships between people outside of work.

And also, organization of personal time, hygiene, aesthetic tastes in the choice of consumer goods (the ability to dress, decorate a home). And such as aesthetic properties inherent in man facial expressions and pantomimes, facial expressions and body movements (grace). They especially highlight the culture of speech - the ability to competently, clearly and beautifully express one’s thoughts without resorting to vulgar expressions.

Culture of behavior is considered as a generally accepted form of external expression of true humanity. Here, the culture of behavior of a person to a certain extent characterizes his spiritual, moral and aesthetic image, shows how deeply and organically he has mastered cultural heritage humanity, made it his own property.

It turns out that the culture of human behavior in society is the whole person, in the entirety of not only external manifestations, but also internal qualities. And this means that each of us bears responsibility for our own culture of behavior for the people around us and especially for those who are growing, for those who are taking their place.

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Morality and culture of behavior
Ethics, morals, ethics

Ethics is one of the oldest and most fascinating areas of human knowledge. The term “ethics” comes from the ancient Greek word “ethos” (ethos), which meant the actions and actions of a person, subject to himself, having varying degrees of perfection and presupposing the moral choice of the individual. Initially, back in the time of Homer, ethos was a dwelling, a permanent residence. Aristotle interpreted ethos as the virtues of human character (as opposed to the virtues of the mind). Hence the derivative of ethos is ethos (ethicos - related to character, temperament) and ethics is a science that studies the virtues of human character (courage, moderation, wisdom, justice). To this day, the term “ethos” is used when it is necessary to highlight universal human moral principles that manifest themselves in historical situations that threaten the existence of world civilization itself. And at the same time, from ancient times, ethos (the ethos of the primary elements in Empedocles, the ethos of man in Heraclitus) expressed the important observation that the customs and characters of people arise in the process of their living together.

In ancient Roman culture, the word “morality” denoted a wide range of phenomena and properties human life: disposition, custom, character, behavior, law, fashion prescription, etc. Subsequently, another word was formed from this word - moralis (literally relating to character, customs) and later (already in the 4th century AD) the term moralitas (morality). Consequently, in terms of etymological content, the ancient Greek ethica and the Latin moralitas coincide.

Currently, the word “ethics,” while retaining its original meaning, denotes philosophical science, and morality refers to those real phenomena and properties of a person that are studied by this science. Thus, the main areas of morality are culture of behavior, family and everyday morality, and work morality. In turn, the structure of ethics as a science expresses the functions historically assigned to it: determining the boundaries of morality in the system human activity, theoretical justification of morality (its genesis, essence, social role), as well as a critical value assessment of morals (normative ethics).

The Russian fundamental principle of moral themes is the word “character” (character, passion, will, disposition towards something good or evil). For the first time, “morality” was mentioned in the “Dictionary of the Russian Academy” as “the conformity of free actions with the law.” Here the interpretation of moral teaching is given as “a part of philosophy (philosophy. - I.K.), containing instructions, rules guiding a virtuous life, curbing passions and fulfilling the duties and positions of a person.”

Among the many definitions of morality, one should highlight the one that is directly related to the issue under consideration, namely: morality belongs to the world of culture, is part of human nature (changeable, self-creating) and is a social (non-natural) relationship between individuals.

So, ethics is the science of morality. But since morality is socio-historically conditioned, we should talk about historical changes subject of ethics. Ethics itself arose in the process of transition from primitive society to early civilizations. Consequently, ethical knowledge was not a product human civilization, but the product of even more ancient, primitive communal relations. IN in this case What is meant here is rather normative ethics, rather than ethics as a philosophical science. During the period under review, morality began to stand out as a special, relatively independent form. public consciousness. Individual moral consciousness expressed reflection on moral norms that opposed the real mores of ancient Greek society. We can cite some of these norms attributed to the seven wise men: “Honor your elders” (Chilo), “Hasten to please your parents” (Thales), “Prefer old laws, but fresh food” (Periander), “Moderation is the best” (Cleobulus) , “Wilfulness should be extinguished sooner than a fire” (Heraclitus), etc. Ethics arises as concrete historical value systems (in relation to a particular historical era) are given an abstract, universal form that expresses the needs of the functioning of early class civilizations.

It should be noted that morality is studied not only by ethics, but also by pedagogy, psychology, sociology, and a number of other sciences. However, only for ethics is morality the only object of study, giving it an ideological interpretation and normative guidelines. Questions about what is the source of morality (in human nature, space or social relations) and whether the moral ideal is achievable are transformed into the third, perhaps the main question for ethics: how and for what to live, what to strive for, what to do?

In the history of ethics, the evolution of the object of study can be traced as follows. Ancient ethics is characterized as the doctrine of virtues, a virtuous (perfect) personality. Here virtue is identified with any specific bearer of it (the same hero of myths) and is associated primarily with such moral qualities as courage, moderation, wisdom, justice, generosity, etc.

Humanists Italian Renaissance complemented these virtues with another one, in which the traditions of ancient and medieval culture, - the virtue of philanthropy. C. Salutati (1331-1406) called this virtue humanitas; it combines the interpretation of humanitas, coming from Cicero and Aulus Gellius, as education, instruction in the noble arts, and the attitude towards humanitas as the totality of the natural properties of man in the Middle Ages. Humanitas, according to Salutati, is that virtue “which is also customary to call benevolence.” The head of the Florentine Academy, M. Ficino (1433-1499), defined humanitas as the main moral property. Under the influence of humanitas as the virtue of philanthropy, he believed, people become inherent in the desire for unity. How more people loves his equals, especially since he expresses the essence of the family and proves that he is human. And vice versa, if a person is cruel, if he distances himself from the essence of the race and from communication with his own kind, then he is a man only in name.

Christian ethics of the Middle Ages focused on the study of morality as an objective, impersonal phenomenon. The criteria for distinguishing between good and evil were extended beyond the boundaries of the individual. From the point of view of Christian ethics, the absolute source of morality is God. In it a person finds the reason, basis and purpose of his existence. Moral norms are elevated to a world law, following which a person, God-like in his essence, but hopelessly sinful in the socio-natural dimension, is able to bridge the gap between his purpose (to be like God) and everyday existence. To the above-mentioned virtues, Christian ethics adds three more new ones - faith (in God), hope (in his mercy) and love (for God).

In the ethics of modern times, one of the most ancient normative requirements, expressing the universal content of morality, has received a new meaning. At the end of the 18th century. This requirement is called the “golden rule”, which is formed as follows: “act towards others as you would like them to act towards you.” I. Kant gave a more strict expression of this rule, presenting it in the form of the so-called categorical imperative. Moreover, here we should pay attention to the fact that Kant thereby gives morality an important humanistic dominant: “Act in this way,” he writes in the “Critique of Practical Reason,” “so that you always treat humanity both in your own person and in the person of everyone else in the same way.” as an end and would never treat it only as a means.” According to Kant, the categorical imperative is a universal, generally binding principle that should guide all people, regardless of their origin, position, etc.

Having traced the evolution of the object of ethics, it is necessary to indicate the three functions of ethics: it describes morality, explains morality and teaches morality. According to these three functions, ethics is divided into empirical-descriptive, philosophical-theoretical and normative parts.

Here it is necessary to note some differences between morality and ethics, although at the level of ordinary consciousness these concepts are recognized as synonyms. There are several points of view on this matter that do not exclude, but, on the contrary, complement each other, revealing some nuances. If morality is understood as a form of social consciousness, then morality includes practical human actions, customs, and morals. In a slightly different way, morality acts as a regulator of human behavior through strictly fixed norms, external psychological impact and control, or public opinion. If we correlate morality with morality understood in this way, it represents the sphere of moral freedom of the individual, when universal and social imperatives coincide with internal motives. Morality turns out to be an area of ​​human initiative and creativity, an internal attitude to do good.

One more interpretation of morality and morality should be pointed out. The first is an expression of humanity (humanity) in an ideal, complete form, the second fixes a historically specific measure of morality. In the Russian language, the moral, noted V.I. Dal, is that which is opposite to the bodily, carnal. Moral - relating to one half of spiritual life; opposite to the mental, but constituting a common spiritual principle with it. V.I. Dal refers to the mental as truth and lies, and to the moral as good and evil. Moral man- this is a good-natured, virtuous, well-behaved person who agrees with conscience, with the laws of truth, with the dignity of a person, with the duty of an honest and pure-hearted citizen. V. G. Belinsky elevated the human desire for perfection and the achievement of bliss in accordance with duty to the rank of “the fundamental law of morality.”

The moral culture of an individual is a characteristic of the moral development of an individual, which reflects the degree to which he or she has mastered the moral experience of society, the ability to consistently implement values, norms and principles in behavior and relationships with other people, and readiness for constant self-improvement. A person accumulates in his consciousness and behavior the achievements of the moral culture of society. The task of forming a moral culture of an individual is to achieve an optimal combination of traditions and innovations, to combine the specific experience of the individual and all wealth public morality. Elements of a person’s moral culture are a culture of ethical thinking (“the ability of moral judgment”, the ability to use ethical knowledge and distinguish between good and evil), a culture of feelings ( friendly attitude to people, interested and sincere empathy for their sorrows and joys), culture of behavior and etiquette.

Moral progress in the world of culture human relations

The moral culture of an individual is a product of the development of human relations and, therefore, is determined by social progress. In this regard, there have long been discussions about moral progress. Is it an illusion or reality? There is no clear answer to this question yet. We are interested in the very question of moral progress and possible answers to it in connection with the question of how moral progress is revealed in the world of culture of human relations, where the values ​​of material and spiritual culture, their creation and development are objectified (and deobjectified) .

It is obvious that moral progress is one of the aspects of the socio-historical progress of mankind. We should equally talk about economic, scientific, technical and other types of progress, each of them having its own specifics, relative independence and its own criteria.

The criterion of moral progress reveals the prospects for normative and value-based human improvement. The origins of this kind of human improvement (both in practical-educational and scientific-ethical terms) lie in the famous thesis of Protagoras “Man is the measure of all things.” At least three propositions followed from this position. Firstly, in human existence, the establishment of culture (primarily customs and mores) are fundamentally different from the laws of nature. Thus, a kind of cultural layer was identified in man, irreducible to his natural being. And this layer is subject to formation and education. Secondly, this cultural layer, “second nature,” appears as the result of the activity and creativity of man himself. The world of culture is a product of the activity of man himself. And thirdly, and most importantly: the cultural content of a human individual depends on his relationships with other individuals. Therefore, it is not the individual himself who is the bearer of culture (and within it, first of all, morality): both culture and morality are located outside his body, in the society in which he lives, in relationships with other individuals. So the ancient tradition of understanding moral person transformed into criteria for moral progress, which was a reflection of the development of man’s dominance over the elemental forces of nature, over his social relationships, over his own spiritual world, over himself.

Moral progress acts as a complex, multifaceted process of establishing humanistic principles in the consciousness and activity of man as the creator of history. In this regard, it is appropriate to mention that K. Marx identified three qualitative types of social relations in history, in connection with which we can talk about the stages of moral progress and the establishment of the principles of humanism in the culture of human relations. “Relations of personal dependence (at first completely primitive),” writes K. Marx in “Economic Manuscripts of 1857-1858,” “these are those first forms of society in which the productivity of people develops only to an insignificant extent and in isolated points. Personal independence based on material dependence is the second major form, in which for the first time a system of general social metabolism, universal relations, comprehensive needs and universal potencies is formed. Free individuality, based on the universal development of individuals and on the transformation of their collective, social productivity into their public property - this is the third stage. The second stage creates the conditions for the third”*. These three large forms public relations individuals among themselves, which are rooted in the corresponding mode of production, correspond and certain historical types morality that characterizes the direction of its progress.

Personal dependence - personal independence (based on material dependence) - free individuality (based on the universal development of individuals) - this is the logic historical process, which is refracted in the criteria of moral progress and the development of moral culture.

Considering the ethical nature of culture, A. Schweitzer also raised the question of “ethical progress.” The essence of culture, he believed, is twofold. Culture is the dominance of man over the forces of nature and the dominance of his mind over human beliefs and thoughts. A. Schweitzer believed that the dominance of reason over a person’s way of thinking is more important than the dominance of man over nature. Only this will give us “a guarantee that people and entire nations will not use against each other the force that nature will make available to them, that they will not be drawn into a struggle for existence that is much more terrible than the one that man had to wage in a civilized state.” . One can, of course, disagree with the thinker’s statement that “ethical progress is essential and undoubted, and material progress is less essential and less undoubted in the development of culture,” but this judgment seems, rather, to be a reaction to significant “achievements of the spirit in material sphere." In other words, scientific and technological progress since the last century, as A. Schweitzer believes, was associated with the fact that “the forces of ethical progress have dried up,” and “a culture that develops only the material side without corresponding spiritual progress is like a ship, which, having lost steering, loses maneuverability and rushes uncontrollably towards disaster.”

In fact, A. Schweitzer expresses, although in a slightly different aspect, the idea that a certain ensemble of abstract demands of moral consciousness, as if floating in the air, sets quite specific moral relations and turns into a moral culture specific both to a certain historical era (antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, etc.) and to a particular society. Hence the conclusion is drawn about the greater importance of moral progress than material progress.

The presence of a value element in moral progress creates significant difficulties for understanding the development of morality as a real, empirically fixed process of replacing some mores and moral principles with others - new, more perfect, more humane, etc. With a reasonable degree of confidence, it can be argued that moral progress does not directly depend on the level of development of productive forces, material progress or economic basis. At one or another historical stage in the development of material and spiritual culture, the criterion of moral progress is the level of development and freedom of the individual. This level is characterized by the degree of participation not only of a handful of “chosen ones,” but of the largest part of humanity both in the creation and in the development of material and spiritual culture

Culture of behavior and professional ethics

Let us dwell in a little more detail on things that would seem obvious. Above we have already spoken more than once about the culture of human relations. In this case, we will talk about it in relation to human behavior. After all, each of us “behaves” in one way or another, performs some actions, actions in relation to the world around us and, above all, in relation to people. Behavior reveals the characteristics of a person’s character, his temperament, views, tastes, habits, emotions, feelings, etc.

Each person has a so-called general, characteristic tone of his usual mood. In this sense, we characterize this or that person: “a cheerful person”, “a gloomy person”, “a frivolous person”, etc., although in each of these cases situations of deviation in personal mood in one direction or another are not excluded. A stable mood, its general background, inherent in a particular individual, spreads to others, which is of fundamental importance, say, when recruiting so-called small professional groups(cosmonaut squad, submarine crew). In other cases, this happens, as a rule, spontaneously, without any preliminary socio-psychological work. If the behavior of individual members of a team prevents it from forming into an integral social organism, then we are talking about a difficult moral and psychological climate in the team.

There are two types of behavior - verbal (verbal) and real. Verbal behavior is our statements, judgments, opinions, evidence. Behavior expressed in words largely determines the culture of relations between people; the power of words is enormous (the poet E. Yevtushenko expressed it this way: “With a word you can mark, with a word you can save, with a word you can lead shelves”). Behavior already at the verbal level can be life-affirming or meaningless human existence. (Remember, for example, Aesop’s judgment about language from Figueiredo’s play “The Fox and the Grapes.”)

It was already discussed above that the emergence of thinking, will and language was the main prerequisite for cultural genesis at the turn of the transition from habilis to neoanthropes. Since then, i.e. since completion biological evolution man, the word has become a regulator of behavior and relationships transmitted in oral and written creativity. It is not for nothing that one of the elements of the “seven arts” of educational programs of antiquity and the Middle Ages was rhetoric, the science of oratory (and, more broadly, of artistic prose in general), which remained part of humanities education until the 19th century.

The main sections of classical rhetoric, which reveal various aspects of verbal behavior, are: 1) finding, i.e. systematizing the content of speeches and the evidence used in them; 2) arrangement, i.e. dividing the speech into introduction, presentation, development (evidence of one’s view and refutation of the contrary) and conclusion; 3) verbal expression, i.e. the doctrine of the selection of words, their combination, as well as simple, average and high style speeches; 4) memorization; 5) pronunciation.

You can cite a great many wise sayings, proverbs, individual statements about the power of the word, the language of communication, which is clothed in the language of the culture of a historical era or any ethnic group throughout the entire duration of its existence.

Real behavior is our practical actions, actions performed in accordance with certain rules, moral principles. In this case we're talking about about the coincidence of ethical knowledge and moral behavior, which indicates a high moral culture of the individual. Another situation is hypocrisy, discrepancy between words and deeds, etc. When comparing the behavior of a person with accepted norms and moral values, it is customary to talk about “normal” or “deviant” behavior. Therefore, in order to understand a person, the meaning of his actions, the nature of his behavior, it is necessary to penetrate into the motives that guide him in a given situation. Only by understanding the motives can one correctly judge the actions, the real behavior of a person in relation to the reality around him, and above all to other people, to himself.

The culture of behavior is also revealed in how a person is able to understand himself, evaluate his actions and their motives. M. M. Prishvin subtly noticed that if we always judge ourselves, we judge with bias: either more towards guilt, or towards justification. This inevitable fluctuation in one direction or another is called conscience, moral self-control.

Often in everyday speech we talk about “cultural human behavior” and “behavior of a cultural person.”

Cultural behavior is a person’s behavior in accordance with the norms that a given society has developed and adheres to. It includes certain manners generally accepted methods communication, dealing with others. Cultural behavior presupposes correct and beautiful behavior at the table, a polite and helpful attitude towards elders and women, the ability to behave in society (both familiar and unfamiliar), adherence to professional ethics, etc.

Rules of conduct may change over time, and at the same time, behavior patterns also change. These rules taken together constitute etiquette that regulates the external manifestations of human relationships. Etiquette refers to the external culture of a person and society. It includes those requirements that acquire the character of a more or less strictly regulated ceremony and in the observance of which a certain form of behavior is of particular importance. Etiquette in modern conditions(Unlike traditional societies, where it was reduced to a strictly canonized ritual), becomes more free and natural, acquires the meaning of everyday benevolent and respectful attitude towards all people, regardless of their position and social status. Attention to the external form of culture is manifested here only insofar as it reflects ideas about beauty in the behavior and appearance of a person. Then we say that any actions and motives of human activity have both ethical and aesthetic significance (value) and therefore can be assessed, on the one hand, as beautiful or ugly, on the other, as good or evil. The main thing here is precisely the behavior, which can be, should be cultural.

However, cultural human behavior is part of the problem of the culture of human relations. Another part of it is the behavior of a cultured person. In this case, the emphasis is on the person - what is he like, cultural or uncultured? In what terms should we talk about cultured person? Obviously, this is a person whose knowledge of ethical principles and moral standards accepted in a given society has turned into an internal conviction and has resulted in a moral feeling. The criterion of culture and good manners is the correlation of an action as a manifestation of moral feeling with the interests of another person. Therefore, more extensive than the scope of etiquette is the culture of feelings, which is formed in the process of communication between man and nature, in labor activity, in interpersonal contacts when objectifying monuments of material and spiritual culture.

So, the culture of ethical thinking, the culture of feelings, the culture of behavior, etiquette in their totality form whole system moral culture of the individual. Each of these elements is directly embodied in professional ethics. In this case, as a rule, they mean specific moral requirements associated with the characteristics of various professions.

Professional ethics are, firstly, codes of conduct that prescribe certain type moral relationships between people engaged in any one field of professional activity, secondly, certain ways justifications for these codes, interpretation of the cultural and humanistic purpose of a particular profession. So, let’s say, the concept of a lawyer’s professional duty includes a special, sometimes even punctual and pedantic commitment to the spirit and letter of the law, compliance with the principle of equality of all before the law. Military-statutory collectives are characterized by greater clarity, even rigidity of relations, more unambiguous adherence to statutory requirements and orders of superiors than other types of collectives, and at the same time they are characterized by a higher degree of mutual assistance and mutual assistance. All this is dictated by the nature of the activities of military-regulatory teams, increased requirements and emergency situations that arise during the performance of official duties.

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