SERJ

Sequel Education and Research Journal

Moral Values and Ethics in Contemporary Society

Atiya Kousar

Lecturer in Education, Government PU college, Malebennur, Karnataka

Keywords: Ethics, Moral Pluralism, Secularism, Digital Ethics, Social Responsibility, Bioethics, Globalization

Abstract

This research paper studies the deep change in ethical systems in the modern time, looking at how we moved from old, “commandment-based” rules to more flexible, “consent-based” ideas. As we all know, with globalization and digital growth, common moral agreement is slowly reducing, so this study looks into the rise of “ethical relativism” and how it affects social unity. By using a mixed-method approach—taking numerical data from the World Values Survey and also studying real-life ethical situations—the research shows a clear shift towards morality based on empathy. The study further explains how technology, especially anonymity, creates an “empathy gap,” and at the same time builds digital echo chambers, which we commonly see among people today, leading to strong moral divisions. The main findings say that even though modern society gives more personal freedom, it is also facing an “ethical lag,” where fast growth in AI and biotechnology is going ahead of proper moral rules. In our country and worldwide, the paper points out “Sustainability,” “Inclusivity,” and “Autonomy” as the key pillars shaping today’s ethical thinking. In the end, the study strongly suggests the need for a “Minimum Global Ethic” and better ethical education. This shared value system is seen as very important for humanity to handle global problems and to ensure long-term survival in this increasingly divided world.

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