Murdoch’s Example Involving “M”: Significance of Love in Morality

Name
Institution
Course
Instructor
Date
Significance Of Love in Morality
Love can be compelled by impression or perception, and it can make a person atrocious or selfless. According to Murdoch, love is an individual's perception, and it is exceedingly difficult to recognize that something besides a personal view is real. She describes the theory of love as involving knowledge, discovery or perception of a person and reality. Murdoch illustrates this with the 'M' example in which a mother-in-law, 'M,' expresses hatred towards the daughter-in-law, 'D.' M finds D fairly a kindhearted girl but lacking nobility and polishing. She finds her lively, cheeky, indelicate, juvenile, and unmannerly (Murdoch). Over time M settles with a fixed sense of objection and resentment towards D. Nevertheless, after self-criticism, reproaches and just attention, she sees herself bias and illiberal. She contemplates and reflects on her judgment of D until her perception is changed slowly. Eventually, she sees D as being just a simple and delightful girl.
Murdoch describes M's transformation as 'lovingly.' Her transformation illustrates moral transition by showing how M's moral standing improves, and her views of D's otherwise biased traits become better. This case of M attempts to demonstrate the moral importance of understanding others more openly and positively through renewed attention. She also tries to demonstrate that an individual's attitude can affect their judgments and make one biased or loving towards another person. Murdoch uses this story to show how moral transition can be inner change and not facilitated by an...