Morality and Personality: Conceptualization of Interaction in the Classical and Contemporary Sociological Approaches

Abstract

In this article author deals with logic of morality phenomenon research in the context of basic theoretical and methodological approaches. Attention is paid to the change of morality status in society functioning, peculiarities of its reproduction and actualization due to classical and modern sociological theories. Correspondingly the transformation of position of individual is pointed out with respect to morality as social phenomenon. On the basis of examined science information the author comes to the conclusion that morality is reconfigured from the concept of the main method of social control, central notion in integration of social system in classic time to the element of individual choice of subject, one of construction practices of his identity in modernity. The reformation of role of individual is underlined from the passive possessor of socially given moral qualities, a simple representative of definite class or group, who reproduced demanded rules mechanically to active ‘selector’ of different moral features with the purpose of continual self-transformation.