We were taught in our philosophy class that above all else, humans value self-preservation. The majority of human actions stem from the need to protect and/or better oneself. Sometimes our bodies will even take such action without us making a conscious decision; the body will shut down (aka faint) if it is not getting enough oxygen, rest, or sustenance in an attempt to conserve and preserve life.
There are been some cases where people do things to stay alive that they would not normally do. There are true stories of people who have been stranded in groups and have resort to cannibalism to survive. Why not? If you are stuck in the frigid, icy mountains with no immediate way to safety and no food supply except your dead friend, human nature would dictate that you use your friend as a food supply. Food is the most basic human need, and in desperate times the body will settle for almost anything to fulfill that need as long as it preserves life.
Despite the fact that your brain and body demand that one eats his friend to survive, many people still will not resort to such a thing. No matter how desperate they are, they will not do something as repulsive and corrupt as consuming another human’s flesh. They would rather die than commit such an atrocity. Their moral belief that it is wrong is too overpowering
My question, therefore, is, Do you believe it is possible that too much emphasis is put on morality? Why or why not?
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