Det som betyr noe : Kan samtaler om følelser gjøre oss mer moralske?

Abstract

Følelsene marker det som betyr noe. Ved å navnsette den delen av følelsen som reagerer, blir vi mer bevisst hva som betyr noe for oss. I følge Charles Taylors teori om moral søker vi å velge riktig fordi vi ønsker å kunne oppfatte oss selv som gode. Moralen ligger i individets vurderinger og valg av riktige handlinger og verdier. Slik kan følelsene brukes til å navigere frem moralske valg.

Det er gjennom språket vi utrykker hva som er viktig og tilegner oss nye verdier. Artikulering av følelser skaper også nye følelser. Videre spiller språket en avgjørende rolle i å skape relasjoner og mulig felles forståelse. Følelsene og moralen er språkavhengige. Individenes moralske vurderinger utvikles med utgangspunkt i de sosiale verdiene som ligger i samfunnet og i språket, og i et rammeverk som sikrer hensynet til relasjonene rundt.

Ludwig Wittgenstein viser hvordan vi blir lurt av språket fordi vi henger igjen i en gal forståelse av hvordan språket fungerer. Vi misforstår uttrykk, overser forenklinger og generaliseringer. Vi blir vi lurt til å tro at ting som er konstruert ikke er konstruert. Eksempler på språkforvirring er: 1) Følelser og fornuft oppleves som to adskilte fenomener. 2) Skillet mellom det private og det personlige er en illusjon som gjør det pinlig å dele personlige erfaringer. Dette er en av grunnene til hvorfor vi ikke snakker mer om følelser. 3) Kjønn er en konstruksjon hvis betydning vi er forhindret fra å avsløre. 4) Vi oppfatter at det fysiske og det psykiske ved et menneske er to forskjellige fenomener.

Resultatet er at gjennom å delta i samtaler om følelser, kan vi utvide ordforrådet for det som betyr noe og bli mer moralske. Vi kan også kartlegge hvordan språket fungerer, ved å studere dets anvendelser.

Feelings involve judgments about what matters to us. We become aware and attentive of what matters, when we put into words why we react in different situations. The articulation constitutes emotions.

According to Charles Taylor's theory, we seek to live morally because we want to see ourselves as being "good". Morality is achieved through the individual evaluation of different principles and choices of action. The moral choices are valuable, distinct decisions based on consideration of others and what the individual finds worth while. The choices of the individual become a framework of values and principles. Within this framework the individual can develop and articulate his or hers moral identity further. Emotions can therefore, act as a personal compass when making the right decisions to live morally.

It is through language that we express what is important, and obtain and develop new values. Articulating feelings can create new feelings. Language plays an important role creating relationships, common space and possible mutual understanding. Therefore, both feelings and morality is created within the language. The individual's moral evaluation develops in the contexts of social values, language itself and the framework which secures considerations for others.

The answer to the question: "Can talking about feelings make us more moral?" is therefore: Yes. The assignment argues that Taylors theory is not only an individual based moral theory. It relies also heavily on the values and principles of the society secured through language itself and the considerations of others built into the framework.

Ludwig Wittgenstein has showed how we are fooled by language because we misunderstand how it works. We think language is somewhat related to the world around us, and that expressions have meanings according to this relation. However, Wittgenstein has pointed out that expressions take their meaning from their usage. Furthermore, mastering a language is like partaking in a language game, where the rules are too complicated and not consistent enough to formulate. As a consequence we misunderstand expressions, we overlook simplifications and generalisations. We are also fooled into believing that things are natural, when they are not.

Examples of this language confusion are: 1) Sense and sensibility is thought of as being two separate phenomena. This prevents us from understanding how important sensibility is for example when thinking and making decisions. 2) The believed difference between what is private and what is personal is an illusion making us believe that it is embarrassing to talk about feelings. 3) We don t realise that the meaning we attach to gender are not permanent but socioculturally determined and out of proportion compared to its biological role. This illusion constrains our lives and behaviour. 4) We believe that a person can be divided into a physical and a psychological part. The language maintains the illusion and prevents us from unmasking the damage it causes to people and to the organisation of society.

The assignment concludes that trough talking about our feelings, we can develop our vocabulary of what matters to us, and thereby become more moral. We are also able to learn more about how the language works by studying the numerous usages of each expression.