Post-Moralism: The Evolution of Morality and its Consequences

The other day, watching the news, a question kept challenging the rationality and the ground behind inexplicable human behaviour, causing others to suffer unimaginable depths. As history reminds us of many similar regrettable episodes that none can be proud of, I am still searching for better answers to the paradoxical world reality that, despite the tremendous scientific and technological advances, is somehow a light year behind in morality. Why?

Searching for answers, I looked into the different moral theories in the quest for a grounding theory to justify the perpetrators' behaviour. Why are scientific and technological advances not resulting in closing the gaps? Why is the gleaming promise of progress casting a long shadow? Why have technological advancements and modernity reshaped social discourse, eroding traditional Western moral principles?

Considering that moral systems evolve from the correlation between complex phenomena and agencies, redefining norms and social contracts, I started contrasting the Enlightenment's optimistic rationality with the postmodern critique.

After analyzing the situation, I have concluded that we are living under the influence of a new moral system. This morality is not only the result of discourse, as postmodernists suggest, but also the consequence of the unprecedented spread and weaponization of ignorance through modern communication technologies. As a result, opinions are taking the place of scientific evidence, and moral relativism has given rise to what I call "post-morality."

To reach this conclusion, I started reviewing the origins of our Western civilization with the Greeks, who laid the groundwork for Western moral thought. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle emphasized reason and logic in defining "the good life." Hence, virtue ethics arose, focusing on cultivating good character traits. This established a moral foundation based on reason and the pursuit of the good.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, our Western moral system gained new nuances through the European Enlightenment, which championed reason and science as humanity's guiding lights. Philosophers like John Locke and Immanuel Kant believed in universal moral principles discoverable through reason. This era aimed to dispel superstition and blind faith, promoting progress guided by logic and evidence.

Soon after, in the 18th and 19th Centuries, Romanticism started to challenge the Enlightenment's sole focus on reason. Romanticism valued intuition, emotion, and individual experience. While not inherently anti-moral, Romanticism highlighted the limitations of pure reason in navigating human complexity.

Another relevant critique came in the 19th century from Nietzsche, who challenged Enlightenment ideals. He argued that morality was not universal but a product of social structures, introducing a seed of doubt regarding the objectivity of moral principles.

During the 20th and 21st centuries, Postmodernism questioned the notion of grand narratives, including universal moral codes. Thinkers like Michel Foucault argued that knowledge and power are intertwined, with dominant groups shaping what's considered "moral." Morality becomes relative, contingent on social context.

Building on postmodern critiques, technology and social media have amplified the impact. I believe that we are living in a post-moral era characterized by three primary hypotheses:

• The Rapid Spread of Misinformation:?Algorithms and echo chambers fuel the spread of "fake news" and manipulative arguments, undermining evidence-based discourse. This makes it harder to establish a shared understanding of right and wrong.
• The Death of Expertise:?Distrust in institutions fosters a belief that everyone's opinion holds equal weight, regardless of expertise. This can lead to dismissing factual arguments in favour of emotionally charged rhetoric.
• Moral Relativism on Steroids:?The emphasis on individual experience taken to the extreme creates a situation where personal preference trumps universal ethical principles. Empathy and compassion can wane as social media creates distance from others' suffering.

The irony is that these trends emerge alongside undeniable advancements. Yet technology is a double-edged sword. It empowers communication but also fuels misinformation. This creates a chaotic environment where reason struggles to compete with emotionally charged appeals.

Post-moralism is a departure from traditional moral frameworks characterized by skepticism toward established ethical principles. In this paradigm, subjective biases, cultural norms, and emotional responses often influence moral judgments rather than objective truths. The dominance of irrational statements and false arguments in public discourse reflects a shift from evidence-based reasoning to emotive persuasion.

Post-moralism, as it is today, poses a significant challenge as it blurs the distinction between the democratic principle of freedom of speech and the dissemination of charlatanism and conspiracy theories. This can be detrimental not just to democracy but also to Western civilization.

I believe that despite our current situation, there is still a chance for us to create a better future by establishing a common moral foundation that promotes critical thinking, media literacy, and respectful communication across differing viewpoints. It is imperative that we develop a new form of enlightenment that acknowledges the shortcomings of previous approaches while embracing reason and empathy in our complex and technologically advanced world. There is still hope if we have the will.

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