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TU L sĩ PRAJ [A expediency. A person who is not capable of reaching his autonomous moral decisions or reaches these without thought or considerations of the factors that determine the particular situation, will not be described as morally educated person.
In the first place a morally educated person should possess sufficient factual knowledge relevant to the issue. A.J.Aver (196+) calls the "non-moral" facts of the case. The relevance of such awareness is not that one can logically deduce the ultimate choices or decision from the factual premise, rather is enables one to understand the likely consequences of certain alternative course of action. It helps the morally educated person in reaching his conclusions. If he lacks proper scientific knowledge. he may base his choices on misinformation or ignorance. So the morally educated person should be fully accurately informed of possible nonmoral facts of each situation, only then can one make right moral choices.
Thena morally educated person needs to possess knowledgeand understanding of the feelings of others. But it is not sufficient that he understands such feelings only at cognitive level. as facts only. The understanding of the feelings of others has several features which need to be made more explicit. Firstly, that there should be an emotional commitment to man. Then we should accept the significance fo the feelings of others, that is, to realize that others' feelings are as important as ours. Heis emotionally rather than merely cognitively, directed towards the fights. interests and feelings of others. There is another way in which feelings and emotions enter into our moral decision making. Our moral behaviour is influenced by our own feelings and emotions even more than by a consideration of those of others. It is because moral decisions cannot be carried out merely by an understanding. This aspect of human behaviour has been considered as of vital significance since the time of Aristotle.
There is no denying the fact that emotions play a significant role in moral development of man. It is essential to understand that we should develop a proper perspective on emotional dimension and understand it clearly that emotions are not to be considered as merely an unpleasant reminder of human infirmity. As Aristotle and other philosophers thought, it must be seen as playing an essential role in the development of morality. It is not undesirable and unfortunate exchessence. As has been said earlier that computers cannot behave morally for they lack the ability to respond emotionally. It is the emotional response that constitutes his humanity, and enables one to live as moral being.
January-March 1993 Jain Education International
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