Editing Émile Durkheim (section)

=== Morality ===
{{Quote frame |quote=How many times, indeed, it [crime] is only an anticipation of future morality - a step toward what will be! |author=Émile Durkheim |source=''[[The Division of Labour in Society#DivisionofLabourinSociety|''Division of Labour in Society'']]''<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jones|first1=T. Anthony|title=Durkheim, Deviance and Development: Opportunities Lost and Regained|journal=Social Forces|date=June 1981|volume=59|issue=Special Issue|pages=1009–1024|doi=10.2307/2577978|jstor=2577978}}</ref>|align=right|1|width=240px}}

Durkheim defines morality as "a system of rules for conduct".<ref>Durkheim, Émile. 2004. ''Sociologie et Philosophie''. Paris: [[Presses Universitaires de France]]. {{p.|50}}.</ref> His analysis of morality is influenced by [[Immanuel Kant]] and his notion of duty. While Durkheim was influenced by Kant, he was critical of aspects of the latter's moral theory and developed his own positions.

Durkheim agrees with Kant that within morality, there is an element of obligation, "a moral authority which, by manifesting itself in certain precepts particularly important to it, confers upon [moral rules] an obligatory character."<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|38}} Morality tells us how to act from a position of superiority. There exists a certain, pre-established moral norm to which we must conform. It is through this view that Durkheim makes a first critique of Kant in saying that moral duties originate in society, and are not to be found in some universal moral concept such as the [[categorical imperative]]. Durkheim also argues that morality is characterized not just by this obligation, but is also something that is desired by the individual. The individual believes that by adhering to morality, they are serving the common [[Summum bonum|Good]], and for this reason, the individual submits voluntarily to the moral commandment.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|54}}

However, in order to accomplish its aims, morality must be legitimate in the eyes of those to whom it speaks. As Durkheim argues, this moral authority is primarily to be located in religion, which is why in any religion one finds a code of morality. For Durkheim, it is only society that has the resources, the respect, and the power to cultivate within an individual both the obligatory and the desirous aspects of morality.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|73}}