Moral Sense Research Articles

Prophetic Humor: Maulānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānavī’s Jokes and Puns

Abstract This article contributes to the scholarship on the Islamic tradition and Urdu culture in modern South Asia through an analysis of comic genres in the writings of the colonial-era Sufi theologian and social reformer Maulānā Ashraf ʿAlī Thānavī (1863–1943). Jokes, humorous anecdotes, and puns are found in sources such as transcripts of sermons and Sufi counsel sessions (mavāʿiz̤ and malfūz̤āt). These sources document an imaginative use of narrative and wordplay to produce senses of pleasure that facilitate the transmission of moral lessons and through this transmission the creation of community (this combination of comedy, counsel, and collectivity is here called prophetic humor). We analyze prophetic humor and build an argument about how it operates in tradition as form of life through three analytical movements. First, we explore how tradition becomes a site of play and pleasure but also anxiety and ambivalence. Second, the turn to comic genres allows us to appreciate tradition as a site of textuality and translation, that is, tradition names a framework for cultivating literary and ethical sensibilities (adab). Finally, we consider the question: Is humor necessarily subversive and secular? The article attends to this question by complicating Alenka Zupančič’s secularist psychoanalytic theory of comedy vis-à-vis an engagement with Talal Asad’s critical anthropological study of tradition (especially what he says about ritualization and secularization). We show how Maulānā Thānavī’s use of humor largely reflects the protocols of ritualization but also responds to the demands of secularization. These various argumentative strands come together to illuminate how prophetic humor displaces the reigning epistemological and methodological imperatives of colonial modernity, such as secularism, rationalism, and historicism.

Moral conviction interacts with metacognitive ability in modulating neural activity during sociopolitical decision-making.

The extent to which a belief is rooted in one's sense of morality has significant societal implications. While moral conviction can inspire positive collective action, it can also prompt dogmatism, intolerance, and societal divisions. Research in social psychology has documented the functional characteristics of moral conviction and shows that poor metacognition exacerbates its negative outcomes. However, the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying moral conviction, their relationship with metacognition, and how moral conviction is integrated into the valuation and decision-making process remain unclear. This study investigated these neurocognitive processes during decision-making on sociopolitical issues varying in moral conviction. Participants (N = 44) underwent fMRI scanning while deciding, on each trial, which of two groups of political protesters they supported more. As predicted, stronger moral conviction was associated with faster decision times. Hemodynamic responses in the anterior insula (aINS), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) were elevated during decisions with higher moral conviction, supporting the emotional and cognitive dimensions of moral conviction. Functional connectivity between lPFC and vmPFC was greater on trials higher in moral conviction, elucidating mechanisms through which moral conviction is incorporated into valuation. Average support for the two displayed groups of protesters was positively associated with brain activity in regions involved in valuation, particularly vmPFC and amygdala. Metacognitive sensitivity, the ability to discriminate one's correct from incorrect judgments, measured in a perceptual task, negatively correlated with parametric effects of moral conviction in the brain, providing new evidence that metacognition modulates responses to morally convicted issues.

To stay civil during the carnage: Feeling rules for soldiers in British military memoirs from the Napoleonic Wars (1803–15)

Abstract During the Napoleonic Wars (1803–15), an unprecedented number of soldiers wrote “military memoirs,” firsthand accounts of the “first total war.” Next to private forms of recording experiences and keeping contact with those at home, such as letters or diaries, these memoirs were part of a larger shift in the relations between the army and civil society: soldiers wrote, at least partly, to change what non-combatants thought about them. As Britain did not see battles on home soil, war was both omnipresent and far away. Moreover, the reputation of the British armed forces was notorious, with common soldiers famously called “the scum of the earth” by Wellington. In conveying the battlefield experience to a sheltered audience, military memoirs, especially those written during or shortly after the wars, aimed at bridging the emotional divide between military and civil life, between the callous soldier and the compassionate citizen. Soldiers, too, these texts argued, were men of feeling, able to preserve a moral sense of respectability despite all the killing, blood, and trauma. Many memoirs communicated viscerally and in graphic detail about the horrors of war, both to make the traumatizing experience understandable and to show the heights of their emotional self-discipline. Bringing together the history of biography, reading, and emotions, this article argues that, by writing frankly about their horrific experiences, British soldiers fighting during the Napoleonic Wars contributed to changing civil society’s feeling rules about the army, reproaching the civilians’ contempt, and soliciting their compassion.

The Anatomy of a Benign Failure: Péter Szőke’s Ornithomusicology as Represented in Barátom, Bonca, a 1975 Hungarian Children’s Film

The 1975 Hungarian children’s television film Barátom, Bonca (Bonca, my Friend; directed by Ilona Katkics, screenplay by Katalin Varga) contains a remarkable scene in which a ten-year-old boy is initiated into the idea of universal music through a declaration that birdsong has musical quality. In my article I show that the scene was inspired by ornithomusicology, the one-man discipline of Péter Szőke, whose (pseudo)scientific activity in Kádár-era Hungary aimed to prove that birdsong and human music were governed by the same neurological and physical laws. Attending to the history of its genesis, I dissect the scene to demonstrate that everything one hears in it is the result of four consecutive instances of failure: wishful thinking in science, misinterpretation, misrepresentation and misidentification, of which the first can be ascribed to Szőke, the rest to the filmmakers. I show how the filmmakers’ factual errors were conditioned by age-old concepts of European culture, and I conclude that these errors nevertheless contributed to the artistic authenticity of the final product. This authenticity is inseparable from a strong sense of environmental ethics, which is partly conveyed by the specific way the word ‘music’ is used in the film.

Impact of Islamic work ethic on employee ethical behavior: the serial mediation of moral identity and felt obligation

PurposeDrawing on conservation of resources, social cognitive and self-verification theories, the current study endeavors to extend our comprehension of the mechanisms linking Islamic work ethics (IWE) to employee ethical behavior. More specifically, the current study investigates the potential impact of IWE on employees’ ethical behavior through the serial mediating roles of moral identity and felt obligation.Design/methodology/approachBy utilizing two-wave data collected from 513 employee-co-worker dyads in the education sector in Turkey, we employed AMOS to conduct a confirmatory analysis and the PROCESS macro for SPSS to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe results provide evidence for our hypothesized model. Our results indicate that employees with higher levels of IWE are more likely to exhibit higher levels of ethical behavior. Our results also reveal that IWE has a significant and positive impact on employees’ moral identity and sense of obligation, which in turn enhances their ethical behavior.Originality/valueBy integrating multiple theories, the current research addresses a dearth in the literature and provides a nomological network from Islamic work ethics to ethical employee behavior through the serial mediating role of moral identity and felt obligation. This study adds value to the literature on human resource management and work ethics by examining how IWE affects the attitudes and behaviors of employees in both the public and private sectors. Accordingly, organizations can strengthen their workforce’s moral identities and instill a sense of obligation to behave morally by incorporating workplace ethics into HRM processes.

The Egalitarian Conditions of Just Happiness: A Rawlsian Approach to Pluralistic Well-Being

What role can political institutions play in reconciling the demands of justice with the desire for happiness in diverse societies? The increased measurement and politicization of well-being in recent decades has left many multicultural democracies struggling to support their citizens’ happiness while respecting the value of pluralism. Drawing on John Rawls’s theories of social and developmental psychology, as well as empirical research on the social determinants of well-being, this paper develops a conceptual and normative framework for understanding and addressing this challenge. Conceptually, the paper describes how political institutions function as “infrastructures of feeling” that shape the psychological dispositions and moral sensibilities of those living under them. Normatively, the paper argues that institutions reflecting Rawls’s liberal egalitarian conception of justice are uniquely capable of supporting happiness while affirming pluralism. This “experience-oriented egalitarianism” offers an original account of the connections between institutional design, public policy, moral psychology, and social justice, with direct implications for policymaking in multicultural democracies. The paper therefore concludes by offering several prescriptive recommendations for addressing the infrastructural origins of the “happiness crises” emerging in many diverse societies.

“An Exact Union of System”: Bute's Cabinet Revolution and Imperial Reform, 1762–63

Abstract In his brief ministerial career, John Stuart, third Earl of Bute, undertook a project to remake how the king's ministers would perform. Eschewing the personal power accorded to ministers like William Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle under George II, Bute and the young King George III attempted to reform the cabinet into a place of debate, unity, and resolution where administration was shared by all ministers equally. In this they were following the moral and aesthetic sensibilities of the age into a new form of political arrangements, adapting the 1688 settlement into a structure capable of administering territorial empire so long as one did not look too closely at issues of sovereignty or representation. The seemingly small and inconsistently applied shift nonetheless had enormous consequences as it shaped the hemisphere-defining policies of Bute's ministry: the Treaty of Paris of 1763 and the Royal Proclamation of 1763 that followed close on its heels. While historical accounts of Britain's 1763–83 imperial crisis tend to focus on the revenue schemes of 1764–65 as the primary origin point for conflict, Bute's “cabinet revolution” played a larger role than has generally been acknowledged in setting the stage for grander visions of imperial power and the larger protests over that power.

Dysregulation of dopamine neurotransmission in drug addicts: implications for criminal behavior and corrective interventions.

Drug addiction often correlates with criminal behavior. When investigating criminal behavior among individuals grappling with drug addiction, it becomes crucial to scrutinize the influence of dopamine. Substances such as heroin, morphine, methamphetamine and other drugs can cause abnormal dopamine secretion when people are addicted to them, which promotes changes in the brain's reward circuit and emotional balance, thereby increasing susceptibility to criminal behavior. The pivotal role of dopamine within the reward pathway and its regulatory function in emotional processes exert profound influence on behavior following drug simulation. These influences are primarily manifested by three distinct attributes: a singular criminal motive and objective, lack of moral sense, and impulsive decision-making processes. Drawing upon the distinctive dopaminergic dynamics inherent in individuals afflicted by drug addiction, this study advocates for targeted corrective interventions. The preventive paradigm encompasses the cultivation of supportive community environments, the establishment of comprehensive databases, and providing legal education and protection, among other initiatives. In terms of treatment, along with judicial sanctions and protections, exercise regimens and psychotherapeutic interventions are advocated. The corrective endeavor necessitates a synergistic integration of community-based and legalistic frameworks. The objective is to furnish guiding principles for tackling criminal behavior precipitated by aberrant dopamine secretion, underpinned by a scientifically informed approach.

The Context of Achieving and Application of Education by Sociologist Rangalal Sen

Dr. Rangalal Sen (1933-2014) was known in the country and abroad as a professor. After completing his education from Dhaka University, he first joined the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as a lecturer in 1964. In the next year, he moved to the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University in the same position. His career began in 1953 as a primary school teacher. Apart from teaching, he was actively associated with several socio-political organizations and learned societies, including: Dhaka University Teachers’ Association, Dhaka University Senate, Bangladesh College-University Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Sociological Association, Expatriate Bangladesh Government, Bangladesh Itihas Parishad, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Asiatic Society, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Parishad, Sher-e-Bangla Smriti Parishad etc. Moreover, he became a syndicate member of many universities at many times on the nomination of the Chancellor. In June 2011 the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh awarded Rangalal Sen in the unique status of National Professor. This distinguished professor passed away on February 10, 2014. Even though Dr. Rangalal Sen passed away, some of his sociologically valuable works will survive him. By acquiring education, human qualities will be fully developed in a person, where there will be no violence and strife, mutual kindness will be displayed among people, the active presence of non-communal and democratic mind will be ensured, a rational social system with moral sense will be established – this was Rangalal Sen’s philosophy of education. Rangalal Sen was not only a Marxist sociologist or theorist but also a dedicated worker of socialism. According to his philosophy, the true meaning of life lies in making the human society more beautiful through honesty, justice, non-violence and altruism in personal life without limiting religious practice to worship and fasting. A good person but not good as a teacher, or a good teacher but not good as a person- these were completely unthinkable things for Rangalal Sen. His advice to everyone was to be a good person first. Enriched with real education, he has always kept one and the same ideal in his heart. Therefore, regardless of the party and opinion, only those who know him were and are always respectful to him. Rangalal Sen can be termed as a humanistic sociologist, egalitarian educationist and moralistic philanthropist considering the education achieved by him and its practical aspects. Rangalal Sen, who was blessed with good fortune, got close to such great persons in his life and cherished their ideals in such a way that his line of ideals never crossed., Dr. Sen’s personality formation can be well understood in the light of sociological judgement of education. This short article attempts to explore the institutionalization of Rangalal Sen and the catalysts behind it. For this purpose, Rangalal Sen’s educational life, career and application of education in it, influence of institutional and non-institutional education as a background for the formation of his ideal personality, reciprocity of ideals etc. are discussed.)

Early Childhood Education: The Relationship between Ethics and Respect

This essay explores the relationship between ethics and mutual respect from multiple perspectives and the role of teachers in providing equal education. The ethical significance of respecting others is widely acknowledged. Early childhood to adolescence is a crucial period for establishing social and ethnic identity as well as ethical and respectful attitudes. In education, it is essential to support minority groups, eliminate racism, pay attention to the education of children with disabilities, and value Aboriginal education. For instance, teachers should promote children's sense of self and dignity, choose books from different countries to foster moral and respectful relationships, avoid racism in the classroom, provide equal opportunities for children with disabilities, and respect Aboriginal culture. In conclusion, children should develop an ethical sense of inclusiveness and respect from an early age to establish a diverse, fair, and respectful social environment.

Research on Craftsmanship Spirit Cultivation for Students of Big Data Technology Major in Higher Vocational Colleges based on Integration of “Position, Course, Competition, Certification”

In the context of modern vocational education, the spirit of craftsmanship is embodied in the integration of the pursuit of excellence, innovation and creativity, and continuous learning. Higher vocational colleges are the main battleground for cultivating blue-collar talents in big data technology. However, the students cultivate generally suffer from issues such as a lack of independent problem-solving skills, weak communication skills, insufficient professional technical abilities, and a weak sense of professional ethics and discipline, which severely impact their employability. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the quality of education and improve employment capabilities by cultivating the spirit of craftsmanship among students, thereby promoting the development of higher vocational education from the supply side. The proposal of the four-in-one integration concept of "Position, Course, Competition, Certification" provides new impetus and development direction for the reform and innovation of talent cultivation models in vocational education. Jiangsu Maritime Institute leverages the integration of "Position, Course, Competition, Certification" to enhance the adaptability and quality of vocational education and talent cultivation. By closely aligning the curriculum system with job demands, deeply integrating practice with theory, promoting teaching and learning through competitions, and facilitating school-enterprise cooperation and industry-education integration, the college has effectively promoted the cultivation of the spirit of craftsmanship among students specializing in big data technology in higher vocational education.

Research on the Practice of Ideological and Political Education in Mathematics Courses in Vocational Universities Based on Classroom-Training-Competition Mode

The purpose of this study is to explore how to effectively integrate ideological and political education into the mathematics curriculum by proposing a "combination of classroom teaching, practical training projects, and competition activities". By organically combining classroom teaching, practical training projects, and competition activities, it promotes students' learning of mathematical knowledge while enhancing their sense of social responsibility and professional ethics. Research results show that this model has significantly improved students' mathematics performance, especially in terms of basic knowledge and modelling ability. At the same time, by participating in mathematical modelling competitions and practical training, students have demonstrated strong teamwork spirit and innovation ability, and their professional ethics have been significantly improved. Through questionnaires and interviews, the feedback results show that students attach great importance to the practical value of the curriculum and ideological and political education. Finally, the research suggests that the integration of ideological and political elements into more mathematics courses should be explored in the future, in order to improve the quality of education and cultivate high-quality talents with a sense of social responsibility and professional ethics.

Anarchy, Evolution, and Ethics in International Relations

Abstract Challenging the Realist claim that international anarchy produces an amoral sphere of political action, Brian C. Rathbun argues that anarchy has selected for individuals with a particular moral sense. Flipping Realist arguments around, he claims that individuals would have never survived the hardships of anarchy if they were completely amoral. Rather, morality is a precondition for survival in anarchy. But unlike Constructivists, who maintain that socially constructed norms over time have civilized international politics, Rathbun claims that a morality is part of our human nature, and thus, a material feature of the world. To substantiate his claims, Rathbun adeptly applies insights from multiple disciplines, marshalling empirical evidence generated through a variety of natural and social scientific methods.

The discursive construction of celebrity governance with popular consent: Zheng Shuang’s surrogacy scandal

ABSTRACT In this essay, we focus on Zheng Shuang’s surrogacy scandal to explore the moral and cultural logics of entertainment governance in China. The official media enacted moral discourses related to traditional cultural values and women’s right to frame the regulatory measures, which resonated with people’s sense of morality, emotions, and expectations about entertainment celebrities. Given the fact that the official discourses about the scandal gained popular support, we argue that banning celebrities with ‘lapsed morals’, rather than a regulatory move imposed from top-down, was constructed out of the consensus between the official and public discourses.

Patriarchal backlash: Representations of sexual violence on Uruguayan TV

The article investigates the tensions between feminist conceptualizations of sexual violence and the persistence of patriarchal discourses that challenge it resulting in a justification of violence and misogynistic representations in a Uruguayan TV program. We argue that the return of conservative discourses that question sexual harassment accusations, reinstate gender differences, and gender inequality by installing a new normativity and naturalization of violence against women. Through the analysis of representations, evaluations, and discourse strategies deployed in two episodes of a high rating debate TV show centered on sexual violence, we show the victims are not recognized as such. There is a recontextualization of the sexual violence situation by which participants in the TV show challenge the policies and practices that have been recently established to prevent and sanction sexual violence. The findings evidence certain cultural transformations in the threshold of moral sensibility that define what is acceptable or not and make visible a patriarchal backlash.

Research on the Relationship between Emotional Education and Rational Education in Ideological and Political Education Curriculum

Under the background of the rapid development of Chinese path to modernization and the accelerated evolution of the unprecedented changes in the world in a century, the improvement of the talent training mechanism has attracted more and more attention from the society. Among them, the ideological and political education curriculum has become one of the main means of talent training, and the emotional education and the rational education will directly affect the actual effect of the ideological and political education. Emotional education focuses on emotional experience and the cultivation of moral sense, while rational education focuses on the improvement of thinking ability and theoretical level. The balance between the two contributes to the realization of comprehensive quality-oriented education. Through the analysis and discussion of the basic theory, implementation approach and the current situation of emotional education and rational education, the paper aims to find out the main problems in the process of practical education, explore the effective balance strategy, and then promote the organic combination of theory and practice, enhance the educational effect, and promote the comprehensive development of students.

Does a stronger moral identity lead to a more reserved sense of humor? The influence of moral identity on sense of humor and its underlying psychological mechanisms.

Three studies were conducted to examine the influence of moral identity on sense of humor, employing the benign violation theory (BVT) as a theoretical framework. Study 1 (n = 350), a questionnaire-based survey, aimed to establish a preliminary exploration of the relationship between moral identity and sense of humor. Studies 2 (n = 172) and 3 (n = 172) jointly examined the impact of activated moral identity on sense of humor (humor appreciation, humor sharing) through the recollection and writing task. The results of these studies indicated that the effects of (activated) moral identity on the sense of humor (humor appreciation, humor sharing) were moderated by the type of humor and social distance of the target. On the one hand, high levels of (or activated) moral identity can significantly and positively predict sense of humor (humor appreciation, sharing); on the other hand, when there is a moral violation in the humor, and the target involved is at a close social distance, activated moral identity decreases the humor appreciation and humor sharing, where benign judgment plays a mediating role. These findings enrich the understanding of the complex relationship between moral identity and sense of humor, and have significant theoretical and practical implications.

Shared decision-making with older people on TReatment Escalation planning for Acute deterioration in the emergency Medical Setting: a qualitative study of Clinicians' perspectives (STREAMS-C).

Shared decision-making (SDM) is increasingly expected in healthcare systems prioritising patient autonomy. Treatment escalation plans (TEPs) outline contingency for medical intervention in the event of patient deterioration. This study aimed to understand clinicians' perspectives on SDM in TEP for older patients in the acute medical setting. This was a qualitative study following a constructivist approach. Semistructured interviews with vignettes were conducted with 26 consultant and registrar doctors working in emergency medicine, general internal medicine, intensive care medicine and palliative care medicine. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed. There were three themes: 'An unequal partnership', 'Options without equipoise' and 'Decisions with shared understanding'. Clinicians' expertise in synthesising complex, uncertain clinical information was contrasted with perceived patient unfamiliarity with future health planning and medical intervention. There was a strong sense of morality underpinning decision-making and little equipoise about appropriate TEP decisions. Communication around the TEP was important, and clinicians sought control over the high-stakes decision whilst avoiding conflict and achieving shared understanding. Clinicians take responsibility for securing a 'good' TEP decision for older patients in the acute medical setting. They synthesise clinical data with implicit ethical reasoning according to their professional predictions of qualitative and quantitative success following medical intervention. SDM is seldom considered a priority for this context. Nonetheless, avoidance of conflict, preserving the clinical relationship and shared understanding with the patient and family are important.

The memories we (dis)like: wartime global news and Ukrainian-language poetry as semantic weapons

The research notes examine a shared memory created during the Russian war against Ukraine, as depicted in news coverage of global media outlets, and in Ukrainian-language competitive poetry from international free competitions and Ukrainian governmental art projects. The research goal is to explain the hidden dangers and consequences of war memorization. The author compares public collective evaluations of key metaphors used in news during the initial three weeks of war and analyzes key images in Ukrainian poetry from pre-war and wartime periods. Preliminary results of the secondary qualitative content analysis of news and analysis of group discussions with students specializing in different fields illustrate how the metaphors varied in terms of adequacy and artistic expressiveness due to societal evaluations. The findings of quantitative semantic analysis of Ukrainian-language poems highlight how the shift in key images correlates with the transition from a relatively peaceful context to an overtly military one. The knowledge gained contributes to a better understanding of memory weaponization and specific ways in which collective sensitivity is little influenced by media positions (pro-Ukrainian or non-pro-Ukrainian), being more dependent on a sense of morality.

THE RELEVANCE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH IN THE TRAINING PROCESS OF FUTURE PHYSICIANS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER MEDICAL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

This article delves into the critical role that medical research plays in the education and training of future physicians. Medical research is indispensable for the accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and prevention of diseases, making it a cornerstone of modern medical practice. The involvement of medical students in research activities not only equips them with vital skills but also shapes their professional identity and ethical framework. Participating in medical research enhances students' critical thinking and analytical skills. It immerses them in the latest scientific advancements, ensuring they stay abreast of new developments in the medical field. This exposure fosters a scientific mindset, encouraging students to approach clinical problems with a research-oriented perspective. Moreover, engaging in research cultivates a sense of ethics and professionalism, which are essential qualities for any medical practitioner. The author advocates for the integration of medical research into the medical education curriculum. This integration can be achieved through various means, such as practical sessions, involvement in scientific projects, participation in conferences, and opportunities for publication. Practical sessions provide hands-on experience, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. Scientific projects, whether individual or collaborative, encourage in-depth exploration of specific medical issues, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Conferences serve as platforms for students to present their research findings, engage with peers and experts, and receive constructive feedback. This interaction not only broadens their knowledge but also enhances their communication and presentation skills. Publications, on the other hand, offer students the opportunity to contribute to the body of medical knowledge, gaining recognition for their work and encouraging a culture of continuous learning and inquiry. The integration of research into the educational process is not just about acquiring knowledge; it is about shaping a new generation of physicians who are well-equipped to utilize scientific advancements in their practice. By embedding research into the curriculum, medical schools can prepare students to become highly qualified doctors who are adept at applying research findings to improve patient health outcomes.