I+Believe+Essay

I Believe How does man learn what is right, or morals? As I thought over this question I focused on how it relates to what we are learning in this world literature class and my other classes. I found the teaching of morals to be connected with what we learned about the Bhagavad Gita and my Child Development class. In world literature, we learned that the Bhagavad Gita is the revered Hindu scripture that teaches man morals and history through learning from one another. In my Child Development class, we learned that humans learn what is right and wrong through three stages: Premoral stage, Conventional or heteronomous stage and the Autonomous stage. The connection I made with the Bhagavad Gita is more spiritual and religious while the connection I made with my Child Development class is more scientific and structured. I believe that man learns their morals through scripture and spiritual teachings. Although I am not an intense religious person, I support the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and the teachings that Krishna gives. In my Child Development class, we were taught that the stages, Premoral stage, conventional stage and the autonomous stage, were the three phases in which mans morality develops. At the premoral stage, the child's age is estimated to be 0 to 4 years old. The child lies without feeling guilt and he feels no obligation to rules. The parents are constantly explaining them what is right and what is wrong but the child still does not grasp the concept. At the conventional or heteronomous stage, the child's estimated to be 4 to 7 years old. The child obeys rules literally and they begin to listen to the adult's opinions. The child starts to respect their elders. At the autonomous stage, the child's age is estimated to be 7 to 12 years old. The child considers the consequences of doing wrong versus right and they understand the values and morals they should have. So to answer the question, how does man learn what is right or morals, man learns through stages in their life. It is a process where as one grows older, one becomes wiser. This is the scientific theory to how man acquires knowledge. In our World Literature class, the novel that is read to us each day, the //Mahabharata//, contains the scriptures, the //Bhaghavad Gita//, teachings in it. Krishna, the teacher, is a famed god-like-figure and is idolized by the Hindus as "the Divine One". In the story, Krishna teaches Aruba (and also the reader) the Hindu philosophy and religion. Krishna emphasizes the importance of selflessness and putting others before yourself. When Arjuna needs guidance in finding the right answer on whether he should fight his cousins in the Kurukshetra war and the consequences of it, he confides in the Divine One. "Krishna tells of the human traits of the divine and the demonic natures. He counsels that to attain the supreme destination one must give up lust, anger and greed, discern between right and wrong action by evidence from scripture and thus act rightly." Krishna advises Arjuna to release his mind and "simply surrender unto him. He describes this as the ultimate perfection of life." So to answer the question, how does man learn what is right or morals, man learns what is right from wrong by releasing his anger, lust and greed. In leading a life that is selfless and spiritual man learns his morals.