Social values

As already mentioned, an individual becomes a personality in the course of socialization, i.e., the adoption of elements of his contemporary culture, incl. ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙshaping values ​​and norms of behavior. The range of social values ​​is quite diverse: moral and data values, ideological, political, religious, economic, aesthetic, etc. Values ​​are directly related to social ideals. Values ​​are not something that can be bought or sold, but something worth living for. We should not forget that the most important function of social values ​​is to act as criteria for choosing among alternative courses of action. The values ​​of any society interact with each other, being a fundamental substantive element of a given culture.

The relationship between culturally determined values ​​is characterized by two the following features. First of all, values, according to the degree of their social significance, form a certain hierarchical structure, being divided into values ​​of a higher and lower order, more preferred and less preferred. Secondly, the relationship between these values ​​can be either harmonious, mutually reinforcing, or neutral, even antagonistic, mutually exclusive. This relationship between social values, developing historically, fill the culture of this type with specific content.

The main function of social values- to be a measure of assessments - leads to the fact that in any value system one can distinguish:

• what is preferred in the most to a greater extent(acts of behavior approaching social ideal, - that which is admired) Do not forget that the most important element of the value system will be the zone of highest values, the meaning of which does not need any justification (that which is above all, that which is inviolable, sacred and cannot be violated under any circumstances );
• what is considered normal, correct (as is done in most cases);
• that which is not approved is condemned and - at the extreme pole of the value system - appears as an absolute, self-evident evil, not allowed under any circumstances.

The formed system of values ​​structures and organizes the picture of the world for the individual. We should not forget that an important feature of social values ​​is essentially that, due to their universal recognition, they are perceived by members of society as a matter of course; values ​​are spontaneously realized and reproduced in socially significant actions of people. With all the variety of substantive characteristics of social values, it is possible to identify certain objects that are inevitably associated with the formation of a value system. Among them:

• definition of human nature, ideal personality;
• picture of the world, the universe, perception and understanding of nature;
• the place of man, his role in the system of the universe, man’s relationship to nature;
• person to person relationship;
• the character of society, the ideal of social order.

Social norms

In a situation where a system of social values ​​is characterized by stability, reproducibility over time and prevalence within a given society, this system is formalized and concretized in the form of social norms. It is worth paying attention to the double definition of the concept “norm”. According to its first use norm - an abstractly formulated rule, prescription. It is known, however, that the concept of “norm” in relation to any series of phenomena, processes denotes that totality of phenomena or signs of a process, which serve as their primary characteristic, are constantly renewed, steadily manifesting themselves in a given series of phenomena (then they speak of a normal phenomenon, a normal process, about the presence of an objective (real) norm) B social life there are ordinary, recurring relationships between members of society. These relationships come under the concept objective(real) norms in human behavior. A set of acts of action characterized by high degree uniformity and repeatability, and there is objective social norm.

Objective social norm

This is a characteristic of existing phenomena or processes (or acts of command), therefore its presence and content can be established solely by analyzing social reality; the content of social norms is derived from the actual behavior of individuals and social groups. It is here that social norms are reproduced day after day, often manifesting their action spontaneously, not always being reflected in people’s consciousness. If in law the sphere of social obligation is expressed in the form of rationally conscious and logically formulated rules (prohibitions or commands), where means are subordinate to goals, and immediate goals are subordinate to distant ones, then social norms are not divided into goals and means in the public consciousness, they exist in in the form of stereotypes (standards of behavior), as something implied, are perceived as such and reproduced in command without their obligatory conscious evaluation.

Social norms, spontaneously regulating people’s behavior, regulate a wide variety of public relations, developing into a certain hierarchy of norms, distributed according to the degree of social significance. It is worth saying that political norms, directly related to the system of ideological values, influence norms of an economic nature, the latter - on technical norms, etc. Norms of everyday behavior, professional data, family relations and morality as a whole cover essentially the entire set of socially significant acts of behavior.

The social norm embodies a significant majority of the existing phenomena (acts of behavior). It can designate what is usually, naturally, typical in a given area of ​​social reality, which characterizes its basic social this moment. These are the majority of precisely homogeneous, more or less identical acts of behavior. Relative homogeneity makes it possible to summarize them and separate them from other acts of behavior that constitute deviations, exceptions, anomalies. The norm will be a synthetic generalization of the mass social practice of people. In social norms, i.e. stable, most typical types and methods of behavior in specific areas of social practice, there will be an effect of objective laws social development. Socially normal will be what is necessary, what naturally exists in a given structure of society.

A social norm in the sphere of human behavior in relation to specific acts can be characterized by two main series of quantitative indicators. This is, firstly, the relative number of acts of behavior of the given type and, secondly, an indicator of the degree of their ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙ to some average sample. The objective basis of the social norm will be that the functioning and development of social phenomena and processes occurs within certain qualitative and quantitative limits. The totality of actual acts of action that form social norms consists of homogeneous, but not identical elements. These acts of action inevitably differ from each other in the degree of ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙand the average pattern of the social norm. These actions, therefore, are located along a certain continuum: from complete conformity with the pattern through cases of partial deviation up to complete departure from the limits of the objective social norm. In qualitative certainty, in the content, meaning and significance of the qualitative characteristics of social norms, in actual behavior there will ultimately be a dominant system of social values.

The total number of homogeneous (i.e., more or less consistent with a certain characteristic) acts of behavior is the first quantitative indicator of a given set of acts. The difference between such homogeneous acts is due to the fact that the specified qualitative feature in each specific case can be expressed to varying degrees, that is, acts of behavior can have different frequency characteristics from the point of view of the manifestation of this feature in them. This is the second quantitative parameter of this population. Deviations from the average pattern of behavior to some level fit within the framework of what can be considered an objective social norm. Upon reaching a certain limit, the degree of deviation will be so high that such acts will be classified as anomalies, antisocial, dangerous, criminal acts.

Going beyond the limits of an objective social norm is possible in two directions: with a minus sign (negative value) and with a plus sign (positive value). Here again there will be an inextricable connection between social norms and the dominant value system. It is such a system that not only provides social norms with their qualitative characteristics, but also determines the polar meanings of cases of going beyond these norms. In this case, a significant pattern is: the higher the degree of ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙiation of a given act to the average example of the social norm, the more similar acts there are, and the lower the degree of this ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙiy, the smaller the relative number of similar acts.

It is worth saying - it is useful to resort to a schematic, graphic image϶ᴛᴏth relationship (see Fig. 2) It is worth saying that for this, vertically we will plot the number of certain, relatively homogeneous (but never identical) acts of action, and horizontally - the degree of their ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙiy to the average sample (as with a “plus” sign) , and with a minus sign)

On the given graph, in zones “c” and “c1” there are acts of action that fall within the limits of an objective social norm, that is, how people usually act. Zone “a1” - deviations that go beyond the limits of the objective social norm. These are actions that differ from the average norm, something that is condemned. Zone “a” contains actions that deviate even more from the framework of the social norm (maximum deviations), ϶ᴛᴏ actions condemned by the majority, assessed as unacceptable, criminal. Zone “c” contains actions that go beyond the average social norm towards social ideals, those actions that are admired (although rarely followed)

Figure No. 2. Graph of the relationship between social norms and deviations

The quantitative and qualitative characteristics of social norms are extremely indicative from the perspective of the level of dynamics social change and their content. A situation is possible when those acts of behavior that constituted a minority grow to such an extent that they begin to move from the category of deviations and exceptions to the stage of formation of a new model of social norm. Usually, ϶ᴛᴏ marks a radical transformation of the system of social values ​​of a given society

In order to exist in the social world, a person needs communication and cooperation with other people. But essential for the implementation of joint and purposeful action should be a situation in which people have a common idea of ​​​​how to act correctly, and how incorrectly, in what direction to make their efforts. In the absence of such representation, concerted action cannot be achieved. Thus, a person, as a social being, must create many generally accepted patterns of behavior in order to successfully exist in society, interacting with other individuals. Such patterns of behavior of people in society, regulating this behavior in a certain direction, are called social norms.

social norms - a set of requirements and expectations that a social community (group), organization, society places on its members in their relationships with each other, with social institutions in order to carry out activities (behavior) of the established pattern. These are universal, permanent regulations that require their practical implementation. They arise as a result of the need for a certain behavior. The most important characteristic norm is its universal recognition and universality.

A social norm is one of the complex forms of expression of social relations. It consists of many elements, each of which has various properties, capable of also changing within fairly wide limits. The social norm embodies the public will, a conscious social necessity. This is precisely why it differs from the so-called quasi-norms. The latter are most often of a rude, violent nature, fettering initiative and creativity.

A social norm performs the following functions. 1. Norms are designed to guide and 2. regulate people’s behavior in various situations. The regulatory effect is that the norm establishes boundaries, conditions, forms of behavior, the nature of relationships, goals and methods of achieving them. 3. socializes the personality; 4. evaluates behavior; 5. Prescribes models of proper behavior. 6. A means of ensuring order.

Main public purpose social norm can be formulated as the regulation of social relations and behavior of people. Regulating relationships through social norms ensures voluntary and conscious cooperation of people.

We can roughly highlight the following groups of norms: 1. By carriers: universal, norms O, group. 2. By field of activity: economic norms, political norms, cultural norms, legal norms. 3. There are formal and informal norms. 4. By scale of action: general and local. 5. According to the method of provision: based on internal beliefs, on public opinion, to coercion.

The main types of norms in order of increasing their social significance. 1. Customs are simply familiar, normal, most convenient and fairly widespread ways of group activity. New generations of people adopt these social ways of life partly through unconscious imitation and partly through conscious learning. At the same time, the new generation chooses from these methods what seems necessary for life. 2. Moral standards- ideas about right and wrong behavior that require certain actions and prohibit others. At the same time, members of the social community where such moral norms operate share the belief that their violation brings disaster to the entire society. Members of another social community may, of course, believe that at least some of the group's moral standards are unreasonable. Moral norms are passed on to subsequent generations not as a system of practical benefits, but as a system of unshakable “sacred” absolutes. As a result, moral standards are firmly established and carried out automatically. 3. Institutional norms– a set of specially developed norms and customs relating to important points activities of O, embodied in social institutions. 4. Laws- these are simply reinforced and formalized moral norms that require strict implementation

Violation of norms causes a specific and clear negative reaction from the organization, its institutional forms, aimed at overcoming behavior deviating from the norm. Types of sanctions - negative or positive, i.e. punishment or reward. However, normative systems are not fixed and forever data. Norms change, and attitudes towards them change. Deviation from the norm is as natural as following it. Conformism - complete acceptance of the norm; deviation is a deviation from it. Sharp deviations from the norm threaten the stability of O.

IN general outline The process of formation and functioning of social norms can be conventionally represented in the form of successively interconnected stages. First stage is the emergence and constant development of norms. Second– understanding and assimilation by the individual of the system of social norms of society, a social group, an individual, in other words, this is the stage of inclusion of a person in society, his socialization. Third stage– real acts, specific behavior of an individual. This stage is the central link in the mechanism of social-normative regulation. It is in practice that it is revealed how deeply social norms have entered the consciousness of an individual. Fourth The stage of the norm functioning process is the assessment and control of human behavior. At this stage, the degree of compliance or deviation from the norm is identified.

Values- beliefs shared in the community regarding the goals to which people should strive and the main means of achieving them. Social values– significant ideas, phenomena and objects of reality from the point of view of their compliance with the needs and interests of groups and individuals.

Value is a goal in itself, one strives for it for its own sake, because she's ideal. This is what is valued, what is significant for a person, what determines the life guidelines of his behavior and is recognized by society as such. The value content of phenomena encourages a person to act. Constantly being in the world of alternatives, a person is forced to choose, the criterion of which is values.

According to Parsons's "structural functionalism", social order depends on the existence of common values ​​shared by all people, which are considered legitimate and binding, serving as the standard by which the goals of action are selected. Connection between social system and the personality system is carried out through the internalization of values ​​in the process of socialization.

Values ​​change along with the development of society. They are formed based on needs and interests, but do not copy them. Values ​​are not a cast of needs and interests, but an ideal representation that does not always correspond to them.

Value orientations– a product of the socialization of individuals, i.e. mastering socio-political, moral, aesthetic ideals and immutable normative requirements imposed on them as members of social groups, communities and society as a whole. COs are internally determined, they are formed on the basis of correlation personal experience with existing cultural patterns in society and express their own idea of ​​what should be, and express life’s aspirations. Despite the ambiguous interpretation of the concept “ value orientations", all researchers agree that value orientations perform an important function as regulators social behavior individuals.

Within the framework of “structural functionalism” Parsons social order depends on the existence of common values ​​shared by all people, which are considered legitimate and binding, serving as the standard by which the goals of action are selected. The connection between the social system and the personality system is carried out through the internalization of values ​​in the process of socialization.

Frankl showed that values ​​not only govern actions, they serve as the meaning of life and constitute three classes: values ​​of creativity; c. experiences (love); c. relationship.

Classification of values. 1. Traditional (focused on preserving and reproducing established norms and goals of life) and modern (arising under the influence of changes in life). 2. Basic (characterize the basic orientations of people in life and main areas of activity. They are formed in the process of primary socialization, then remaining quite stable) and secondary. 3. Terminal (express the most important goals and ideals, meanings of life) and instrumental (means of achieving goals approved in this O). 4. A hierarchy from lower to higher values ​​is possible.

N. I. Lapin offers his own classification of values, based on the following grounds:

By subject content(spiritual and material, economic, social, political, etc.); By functional focus(integrating and differentiating, approved and denied); According to the needs of individuals(vital, interactionist, socialization, life meaning); By type of civilization(values ​​of societies traditional type, values ​​of societies such as modernity, universal human values).

Social values ​​and norms. 11th grade

Target: to form an idea of ​​social norms and values, of social control as a special mechanism for maintaining social order.

Lesson type : learning new material.

During the classes

Plan:

Social values ​​and norms.

Social sanctions.

Learning new material.

(reading the myth to the music “Sarah Brightman - Moment of Peace”)

When creating the human race, the gods took care of it with truly divine generosity: they gave it reason, speech, fire, abilities for skill and art. Everyone was endowed with some kind of talent. Builders, blacksmiths, healers, etc. appeared. Man began to get food, make beautiful things, and build houses. But the gods were unable to teach people to live in society. And when people gathered together for some big task - to build a road, a canal, fierce disputes broke out between them, and often the matter ended in general collapse. People were too selfish, too intolerant and cruel; everything was decided only by brute force...

And the threat of self-destruction loomed over the human race.

Then the father of the gods, Zeus, feeling his special responsibility, ordered to introduce shame and truth into people's lives.

The gods were delighted with the wisdom of their father. They asked him only one question: how to distribute shame and truth among people? After all, the gods bestow talents selectively: one will be given the abilities of a builder, another a musician, a third a healer, etc. But what to do with shame and truth?

Zeus replied that all people should have shame and truth. Otherwise, there will be no cities, no states, or people themselves on Earth...

- What is this myth about?

Today in the lesson we will talk about social values ​​and norms - regulators of human behavior.

1. Social values ​​and norms

We encounter values ​​at every step. But how often do we think about them? The saying “Look inside yourself” suggests that the basis of our morality should be internal dialogue, a person’s judgment over himself, in which he himself is both an accuser, a defender, and a judge. What determines the essence of this monologue? Of course, those values ​​that move a person. What are values ​​and norms?

The class is asked to assemble a whole concept from words.(worksheet)

All values ​​are interconnected, in unity and form a holistic inner world person - a pyramid of values.

Build your own value pyramid and explain your choices.

Do you think people can live without values? Give reasons for your opinion.

Values ​​are unshakable, intimate life orientations of a person. .

Without them, a person cannot exist. Another thing is that for some, the golden calf is the main reference point, and for others, friendship is the highest value.

And yet there are values ​​that are worshiped by the vast majority of the planet’s inhabitants. What values ​​am I talking about?

There are values ​​that are worshiped by the absolute majority of the planet's inhabitants. What values ​​am I talking about? About universal (eternal) values:

Nobility

Dignity

beauty

Conscience

Faith

Hope

True

Liberty

Love

Exercise 1 . Each group must make short story(5-6 sentences), using partially these words (values).

Working with the text by L.N. Stolovich about universal human values.

Speech on Biblical Values

The main human value is life. Monologue from “The Idiot” by Dostoevsky. Performed by EVGENY MIRONOV.

SLIDE No. 6-7 What role do these values ​​play in a person’s life? (slide show)

Consequently, any value is social in nature.

Under social value refers to a component of social life that is endowed with special meaning in the mind of the individual or in the public consciousness. Values ​​actively influence the consciousness and behavior of people.

Give examples of the impact of social values ​​on the consciousness and behavior of people.

Some of you will ask: don’t behavioral norms influence and determine people’s behavior? Let's try to draw parallels between value and norm.

Task 2 . Having studied the material § 6 “Social norms”, handout types of social norms -make a cluster of what social norms permeate our lives.

Slide No. 9

Regulation of human behavior by social norms is carried out in three ways:

permission - an indication of behavior options that are desirable, but not required;

prescription - an indication of the required action;

prohibition - an indication of actions that should not be performed.

Carefully study the data in the “Social Norms” table and indicate which of the presented norms are prohibited? Which ones are prescriptions? Which ones are permitted?

Social norms

Fastening:

Problems from the handout

2. Social sanctions – means of establishing social norms.

Sanctions exist in the form of rewards and punishments, which can be formal or informal.

Informal positive sanctions (H+) - public approval that does not come from official organizations: friendly praise, compliments, silent recognition, goodwill, applause, fame, honor, flattering reviews, recognition of leadership or expert qualities, smile.

Formal negative sanctions (F-) – punishments provided for by legal laws, government decrees, administrative instructions, regulations, orders: deprivation civil rights, imprisonment, arrest, dismissal, fine, confiscation of property, demotion, demotion, death penalty.

Informal negative sanctions (N-) – punishments not provided for by official authorities: censure, remarks, ridicule, mockery, cruel joke, unflattering nickname, refusal to maintain a relationship, spreading rumors, slander, unkind review, complaint, writing a feuilleton, revealing article.

II. Consolidation of what has been learned.

Answer the questions:

What's happenedsocial norm ?

What social norms exist in society? Explain their purpose.

What role do social sanctions play?

Homework: § 6, learn.

Worksheet for the lesson “Social values ​​and norms”

Introduction

The concept of social values ​​and norms first appeared in sociological science thanks to M. Weber. Analyzing the actions of individuals, Weber proceeded from the neo-Kantian premise, according to which every human act appears meaningful only in relation to values, in the light of which the norms of human behavior and their goals are determined. Weber traced this connection during sociological analysis religion.

The science of axiology studies values ​​(from the Greek “axia” - value and “logos” - word, concept, doctrine). It is included as a fundamentally important component in the structure of a number of philosophical and sociological concepts of neo-Kantian - Weberian, phenomenological - interactionist and positivist - scientistic orientations.

The emergence and functioning of social norms, their place in the socio-political organization of society are determined by the objective need to streamline social relations. The emergence of social norms (“general rules”) is based, first of all, on the needs of material production. Social norms are requirements, instructions, wishes and expectations of appropriate behavior.

social norm prescription behavior

Social values

Currently, a number of prominent sociologists (for example, G. Lasswell and A. Kaplan) believe that values ​​are the basis that gives social interactions certain coloring and content that makes them social relations. A value can be defined as a target desired event. That subject X values ​​object Y means that X acts in such a way as to achieve X's level or at least approach it. A person takes a position of evaluation in relation to all components of his environment. But she will carry out social actions in relation to someone only because of things that she values ​​and considers useful and desirable for herself, that is, for the sake of values. Values ​​in this case serve as an impetus, a necessary condition for any kind of interaction.

Analysis of social values ​​allows us to roughly divide them into two main groups:

Welfare values,

Other valuables.

Welfare values ​​refer to those values ​​that are a necessary condition for maintaining the physical and mental activity of individuals. This group of values ​​includes, first of all: skill (qualification), enlightenment, wealth, well-being.

Mastery (qualification) is acquired professionalism in some area of ​​practical activity.

Enlightenment is the knowledge and information potential of an individual, as well as his cultural connections.

Wealth refers mainly to services and various material goods.

Well-being means the health and safety of individuals.

Other social values ​​are expressed in the actions of both the individual and others. The most significant of them should be considered power, respect, moral values ​​and affectivity.

The most significant of them is power. This is the most universal and highest value, since its possession makes it possible to acquire any other values.

Respect is a value that includes status, prestige, fame and reputation. The desire to possess this value is rightfully considered one of the main human motivations.

Moral values ​​include kindness, generosity,

virtue, justice and other moral qualities.

Affectivity is values ​​that include, first of all, love and friendship.

Everyone knows the case when Alexander the Great, who had power, wealth and prestige, offered to use these values ​​to the philosopher Diogenes of Sinope. The king asked the philosopher to name a desire, to make any demand, which he would immediately fulfill. But Diogenes had no need for the proposed values ​​and expressed only wish: so that the king moves away and does not block the sun for him. The relationship of respect and gratitude that Macedonian had hoped for did not arise; Diogenes remained independent, as did the king.

Thus, the interaction of value needs reflects the content and meaning of social relations.

Due to the inequality that exists in society, social values ​​are distributed unevenly among members of society. In every social group, in every social stratum or class there is its own, different from others, distribution of values ​​between members of the social community. It is on the unequal distribution of values ​​that relations of power and subordination, all types of economic relations, relations of friendship, love, partnership, etc. are built.

A person or group that has advantages in the distribution of values ​​has a high value position, and a person or group that has fewer or no values ​​has a low value position. Value positions, and therefore value patterns, do not remain unchanged, since during the exchange of existing values ​​and interactions aimed at acquiring values, individuals and social groups constantly redistribute values ​​among themselves.

In their quest to achieve values, people enter into conflictual interactions if they consider the existing value pattern to be unfair, and actively try to change their own value positions. But they also use cooperative interactions if the value pattern suits them or if they need to enter into coalitions against other individuals or groups. And finally, people enter into interactions in the form of concessions if the value model is considered unfair, but some group members various reasons does not seek to change the existing situation.

Social values ​​are the basic initial concept when studying a phenomenon such as culture. According to the domestic sociologist N.I. Lapin “the system of values ​​forms the internal core of culture, the spiritual quintessence of the needs and interests of individuals and social communities. It, in turn, has a reverse impact on social interests and needs, acting as one of the most important motivators of social action and individual behavior. Thus, every value and value system has a dual basis: in the individual as an intrinsically valuable subject and in society as a sociocultural system.”

Analyzing social values ​​in context public consciousness and people’s behavior, one can get a fairly accurate idea of ​​the degree of development of an individual, the level of his assimilation of all wealth human history. That is why they can be correlated with one or another type of civilization in the depths of which a given value arose or to which it primarily relates: traditional values, focused on the preservation and reproduction of established goals and norms of life; modern values ​​that arose under the influence of changes in public life or in its main spheres. In this context, comparisons of the values ​​of the older and younger generations are very revealing, which makes it possible to understand the tension and causes of conflicts between them.

Social values ​​and norms mean the rules, patterns, and standards of human behavior established in society that regulate social life. They define the boundaries of acceptable behavior of people in relation to the specific conditions of their life.

Social norms can be divided into several types: moral norms, that is, those rules of behavior that express people’s ideas about good or bad, good and evil, etc.; their violation is met with condemnation in society;

legal norms, formally defined rules of behavior established or sanctioned by the state and supported by its coercive force; legal norms are necessarily expressed in official form: in laws or other normative legal acts; these are always written down norms; for other social regulators, recording is not necessary; in each specific society there is only one legal system; religious norms are rules of behavior formulated in the texts of sacred books or established religious organizations;

political norms are rules of behavior that govern political activity, relations between a citizen and the state, etc.; aesthetic norms reinforce ideas about the beautiful and the ugly, etc.

Morality is one of the types of social regulators, a set of special, spiritual rules governing human behavior, his attitude towards other people, towards himself, as well as towards environment. The content of morality is a set of principles and norms that can have a special, spiritual impact on people’s actions and serve as a model and ideal of humane behavior. These include, for example, the principle of humanism (humanity, justice, mercy) or such norms as “thou shalt not kill,” “thou shalt not steal,” “thou shalt not bear false witness,” “keep the promise,” “thou shalt not lie,” etc. .

Moral norms are a kind of “cells” of morality that make up the building of the moral system of society. Morality manifests itself in the form of certain rules of behavior, or norms, that are constantly reproduced in society. Moral norms differ not only in the content of the prescription, but also in their source. The sources of moral norms can be custom, tradition, ethical doctrine or authority (Buddha, Socrates, etc.), public opinion and, finally, the person himself (in Kant’s words, his “self-binding reason”). Genuinely moral norm becomes only when the requirement contained in it is recognized by the person himself as an internal command to himself, as a subjective necessity.

Moral standards are undoubtedly historically changeable and express the interests of certain groups of people. Each person chooses for himself those moral values ​​that he focuses on in his daily life. However, over its history, human society has formulated ideals that serve as moral guidelines for every person, help him feel like a worthy individual, give him confidence in the future, the feeling that he does not live in vain, that future generations will be able to remember him kind words. These are the norms that have passed the test of general validity, of universal, universal application. Such time-tested moral rules have become universal moral values. To the main moral values These include, first of all, conscience, dignity and honor, responsibility and duty, pity and mercy, love for one’s neighbor and selflessness.

Summarizing the above, we note that the difference between moral norms and other social regulators is as follows:

1) main goal moral norms is to encourage a person to perfection, to goodness in the broad sense of the word; 2) moral norms arise as a result of the free, volitional activity of a person; 3) moral norms outline the sphere of absolutely prohibited behavior, encourage a person to live together with other people according to the “golden rule of morality” ", which reads:

“Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you.”