Another example might be the obligations one has to other members of one's professional group. It is important in this respect to think not just of the fact that a given relationship exists, but also about the nature and history of that relationship, and about the legitimate moral expectations that go along with it. 1.4 Moral Questions are not Distinct Moral problems are not limited to any particular kind of situation. Morality is not a separate, special domain which needs to be consulted only on rare occasions. Moral issues surround us all the time.
Moral theory seeks to introduce a degree of rationality and rigour into our moral deliberations.
Our moral sentiments on any given topic will be less convincing to others if they are based on poor reasoning or factual inaccuracies. Moral philosophers also attempt to single out moral beliefs which are either self-contradictory or mutually exclusive. This is not to say that all our moral beliefs must be strictly rational, but rather that our beliefs are better for being considered beliefs, rather than knee-jerk reactions to individual issues. There is also something to be said for the very process of theory-building. Sitting down to work out a coherent theory that explains our moral beliefs can illuminate existing contradictions, and can help us to find patterns of moral thought that are more stable and which will be easier to learn and teach.