Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution
This article contributes to the reimagining of Roman Catholic ethics in the twenty-first century, building on the research of Sweeny Block, who argues that the unconscious dimensions of the moral life play a decisive role in moral agency. By taking account of the work of researchers in moral psychol...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/279 |
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| author | Anna Kasafi Perkins |
| author_facet | Anna Kasafi Perkins |
| author_sort | Anna Kasafi Perkins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article contributes to the reimagining of Roman Catholic ethics in the twenty-first century, building on the research of Sweeny Block, who argues that the unconscious dimensions of the moral life play a decisive role in moral agency. By taking account of the work of researchers in moral psychology, the traditional boundaries of moral theology can be reimagined to give a more accurate accounting of moral agency, leading to improved work in moral formation. This interdisciplinary approach engages the experiences of Catholic thinkers from the Global South, whose experiences are not usually countenanced in theorising on the nature of morality. The discussion presents a Caribbean refinement of Bandura’s eight mechanisms of moral disengagement, which are amplified and distilled into culturally relevant attitudes captured in the everyday language or speech events of the Jamaican people. Roman Catholic ethics have not treated with the concept of moral disengagement in any meaningful fashion. The amplification of the mechanisms of moral disengagement points to and reinforces the inadequacy of models of moral agency that disregard unconscious dimensions while centring rationality and free will in the face of human fallibility and social contexts that are distorting and deforming. It points to storytelling, an important part of the Caribbean culture, as one way to improve our moral agency by expanding the moral imagination to better form our moral vision. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ccfb65277cf149038cd09cbbf8434463 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-ccfb65277cf149038cd09cbbf84344632025-08-20T03:43:40ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-02-0116327910.3390/rel16030279Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic ContributionAnna Kasafi Perkins0Quality Assurance Unit, Office of the Board for Undergraduate Studies, University of the West Indies, Regional Headquarters, Mona Road, Kingston 7, JamaicaThis article contributes to the reimagining of Roman Catholic ethics in the twenty-first century, building on the research of Sweeny Block, who argues that the unconscious dimensions of the moral life play a decisive role in moral agency. By taking account of the work of researchers in moral psychology, the traditional boundaries of moral theology can be reimagined to give a more accurate accounting of moral agency, leading to improved work in moral formation. This interdisciplinary approach engages the experiences of Catholic thinkers from the Global South, whose experiences are not usually countenanced in theorising on the nature of morality. The discussion presents a Caribbean refinement of Bandura’s eight mechanisms of moral disengagement, which are amplified and distilled into culturally relevant attitudes captured in the everyday language or speech events of the Jamaican people. Roman Catholic ethics have not treated with the concept of moral disengagement in any meaningful fashion. The amplification of the mechanisms of moral disengagement points to and reinforces the inadequacy of models of moral agency that disregard unconscious dimensions while centring rationality and free will in the face of human fallibility and social contexts that are distorting and deforming. It points to storytelling, an important part of the Caribbean culture, as one way to improve our moral agency by expanding the moral imagination to better form our moral vision.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/279Catholic ethicsmoral disengagementJamaicastorytellingmoral agencyAnansi |
| spellingShingle | Anna Kasafi Perkins Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution Religions Catholic ethics moral disengagement Jamaica storytelling moral agency Anansi |
| title | Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution |
| title_full | Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution |
| title_fullStr | Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution |
| title_short | Confronting the Hidden Dimensions of the Moral Life: A Caribbean Catholic Contribution |
| title_sort | confronting the hidden dimensions of the moral life a caribbean catholic contribution |
| topic | Catholic ethics moral disengagement Jamaica storytelling moral agency Anansi |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/279 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annakasafiperkins confrontingthehiddendimensionsofthemorallifeacaribbeancatholiccontribution |