This work aimed at elucidating the moral implications of poverty in decision making. Poverty has been a persistent challenge worldwide. Primarily, it is a reality that depicts lack of food, clothes, education and other basic amenities. The deprivation of these basic resources often leads to denial of choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity, and of course lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in the society. This subject has been a major socio-political and economical issue in the world and that has brought suffering and crippling effects on over millions of people experiencing it. The focus on this subject overtime has been mainly on the socio-political and socio-economic effects on the society without paying much attention to the moral dimension of the problem. This work analyzed the concept of poverty from a holistic point of view and narrowed down to the moral perspective on the moral choices made by individuals living in poverty. The paper adopted the exposition and critical analysis method in its discussion of the subject. The paper discovered that in whatever form poverty is present in human life has the tendency to not just influence opportunities and choices but constitutes a fundamental predicament to moral decisions. The paper concluded that we have a collective responsibility to keep society safe by deliberately and intentionally minimizing the impact of poverty in the society because of its devastating impact on moral decisions and consequently, on the moral health of the society.
Written By
Prof. Idorenyin F. Esikot
idorenyinesikot@uniuyo.edu.ng
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts
University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
Edidiong F. Itokem
osomeblessing@gmail.com
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts
University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
