Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop a more effective understanding of how Nature's harmony is manifest in humanity, and how nature may serve as a metaphor for human developmental processes. The emphasis is on that of moral growth. Differing from an understanding of morality that emphasizes human behavior in simplified categories of right and wrong, and where such an understanding does not fairly account for the human tendency to make poor choices, the Natural Moral Process Theory regards all tendencies as relevant to the developmental dynamism consisting in human potential. Conceptually, natural moral processes involve the creative cultivation of natural human tendency and potential. Humanity is subject to the developmental and progressive principles of Nature which must become manifest in attitudes such as inclusiveness, compassion, and cooperation. Ideally, one's actions harmonize with the whole and integrated way of Nature. The theoretical position herein emerges from various respected philosophical ideals from ancient China supported by selected contemporary psychological conceptions. The resultant model synthesizes this material with personal observation and experience with human developmental processes. The outcome illuminates fundamental aspects common to all humanity and suggests that the present-day understanding of morality may, in fact, be untimely and limited. As direct communication and relationship between all the world's people is now commonplace, the individual is in a responsible position of transcending exclusive and limiting, personal and cultural views about humanity and Nature. New morality consists in the scope of a world community