Ethics Greek Essay

The greater the knowledge and freedom, the greater the voluntariness and the greater the voluntariness, the greater the good righteousness. Alfredo Panizo MODIFIERS OF HUMAN ACTS a) Ignorance b) Passions c) Fear d) Habit e) Violence A) IGNORANCE Absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess Ignorance of Law exempts no one implies that one who has make wrong may non simply and directly claim ignorance as defense or justification or to be freed from sanction attached to the Law that was violated implies that one should non motion in the state of ignorance but always seek to dispel it 1) Vincible Ignorance form of Ignorance which can be easily remedied by dint of ordinary diligence and reasonable efforts 1.a) moved(p) Ignorance a person possess this word form of Ignorance when a person employs positive efforts to be ignorant in order to be escape responsibility it is Vincible Ignorance explicitly wanted = studied ignorance 2) unconquerable Ignorance kind of I gnorance which a person possesses with come to the fore being aw atomic number 18 of it or lack the means to rectify it PRINCIPLES1) Invincible Ignorance renders an act involuntary a person is not liable or cannot be culpable if he is not aware of his ignorance or when there is nomeans of rectifying his ignorance 2) Vincible Ignorance does not destroy but lessens voluntariness and the corresponding answerableness over the act when a person becomes aware of ones ignorance, he/she has the moral obligation to rectify it- and to act with this is a form of imprudence 3) Affected Ignorance though it decreases voluntariness, increases theaccountability over the resultant act it interferes intellect decrease voluntariness it is willed to persist increases accountability refusing to rectify ignorance is malicious and malice is graver if ignorance is used as an warrant for not doing the right thingB) PASSION Either tendencies towards desirable objects (positive emotions like love, desire, delight, hope, bravery etc) or tendencies away from undesirable or harmful things (negative emotions like horror, sadness, hatred, despair, timidity, animosity etc) Passions psychic responses neither moral nor immoral however, man is bound to regulate his emotions and submit them to the control of reason 1) Antecedent Passions precedes the act predisposes a person to act 2) Consequent Passions those that are intentionally aroused and kept voluntary in cause the result of the will playing the strings of emotion PRINCIPLES 1) Antecedent Passions do not always destroy voluntariness but they diminish accountability for the resultant act they weaken the will power without obstructing freedom completely therefore, crimes of passion are always voluntary although accountability is diminished because it interferes with the freedom of the will2) Consequent Passions do not lessen voluntariness but may so far increase responsibility consequent passions are direct results of the will which fully consents to them instead of subordinating them to its control C) FEAR disturbance on the mind of the person being confronted by an impending danger or harm to himself, to his loved ones or to his property one is compelled to decide to perform an act so as to avoid curse of future or imminent injustice 1) Act done with fear certain consummations which by nature are dangerous or risky in theses cases, fear is a normal response to danger these actions are voluntary because the doer is in full control of his faculties and acts inspite of fear- fear here is an instinct for self-preservation (we even fear new experiences or situations) ex.Being left alone in a strange place, being asked to speak before a group of heap 2) Act out of fear or because of fear fear here becomes a positive force compelling a person to act without conscientious deliberation fear modifies the freedom of doing, inducing the person to act in a certain predetermined manner, even wi thout his full consent Ex. A baby bird studies/reads his books out of fear of his mother A man stops smoking fear of contracting cancer PRINCIPLES 1) Acts donewith fear are voluntary acting inspite of his fear and is in full control of himself 2) Acts done out of fear are simply voluntary although conditionally involuntary simply voluntary = person cadaver in control of his faculties conditionally involuntary = if it were not for the presence of something feared, the person would not act or would act in another way affright or threatening as person with horror is an unjust act Legally speaking, acts done out of fear in sensible acts Ex.Contract made out of fear voidable later be annulled 3) Acts done because of intense fear or panic are involuntary panic obscures the mind in this psychical state, the person is not expected to think sensibly D) HABIT permanent marks to act in a certain way lasting readiness and installation born of frequently repeated acts or for acting in a certain manner acquire the role of second nature moves a person to perform certain acts with relative ease Habit not easy to overcome or alter requires a strong-willed person to correct a habit Voluntary Habits those caused by the repetition of voluntary acts Involuntary Habits a habit becomes much(prenominal) if the will is resolved to remove it and there is a difference of opinion to overcome it PRINCIPLES 1) Actions done by force of habit are voluntary in cause, unless a reasonable effort is made to counteract the habitual inclination unfit Habits voluntary in cause because they are results of previously willed acts done repeatedly as enormous as the habits are not corrected, evil acts done by force of habit are voluntary and accountable can be not accountable if a person decides to fight his habit. For as long as the effort towards this purpose continues, actions resulting from such habit may be regarded as acts of man because the cause of such hab it is no longer expressly desired E) VIOLENCE any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for the purpose of compelling the verbalise person to act against his will Ex. Bodily torture, maltreatment, mutilation, etc PRINCIPLES 1) External actions or commanded actions performed by a person subjected to violence, to which reasonable resistance has been offered, are involuntary and are not accountable active resistance should always be offered to an unjust aggressor if resistance is impossible and there is a serious threat to ones life, a person confronted by violence cab offer intrinsic resistanceDETERMINANTS OF HUMAN ACT 1. ACT IN ITSELF nature of the act itself ( cheating is bad itself in its nature) 2. MOTIVE OF THE AGENT (intention/purpose) 3. CIRCUMSTANCES Who=Person What=Quantity or quality Where=Place How=Manner, Means or instrument When=Time why=Motive DETERMINING A dandy ACTION ACT MOTIVE/END salutary + good =GOOD Good + bad =BAD Bad + good =BAD Bad + b ad =VERY BAD ETHICAL THEORIES 1. Deontological 2. Teleological 3. Divine Command Ethics 4. Virtues EthicsDEONTOLOGY Deos what is binding, right and proper Duty-oriented appeals to obligations, laws, rules or orders 1. STOICISM Stoics nature is good Good surrendering/denying/ driveing nature or whatever happens Self-denial/simplicity/frugality Wrong- contradict nature Three moral convictions 1. Nature is innately good and man is part of nature 2. Man does good by following nature and evil by contradicting 3. Man ought to accept boththing that is happening to him w/o question in order to live a good and tranquil life EPICTETUS everything is governed by nature determinism things come as they do the essence of good and evil lies in that attitude of the will absolute obedience greatest virtue resignation and tranquility2. KANTS DEONTOLOGICAL supposition Immanuel Kant Morality is based on A PRIORI( pre knowledge) of the imperative of human acts Pure reason consistency of valid k nowledge of the mind Practical reason valid knowledge of the mind Basis FREEWILL moral duty IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL sanctions EXISTENCE OF GOD ultimategiver of sanctions Kant good without any qualification is based on GOOD WILL a person with good will acts with moral duty (businessman/politician) KANTS CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE Like golden rule command every human rational agent to cons istently abide with moral duties 1. Principle of Universality Act only on that maxim through which you can at the akin time will that it should become a universal law (evil if it cannot be universally willed. Sample killing) 2. Principle of End in Itself act in such a way that you will always treat humanity, whether in your own person or the person of any other, never simply as a means, but alwaysat the same time as an end.( self-preservation/selfrealization/charity)3. CONVENTIONALISM OR CONTRACTARIAN THEORY THOMAS HOBBES What is good is agreed by the society through social contract TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES Telos- end Consequence oriented theory Good is based on the result of the act 1. HEDONISM Hedos enjoyment eat and be merry for tomorrow you will die Good is personal experience of pleasure ARISTIPPUS The greatest pleasure/ pain is the greatest evil The only norm of determining what is good is the most intense sensual pleasure of the moment. Sexual act between lovers give one of the most intense sensual pleasure EPICURIUS Man is material and spiritual (death is disintegration) Man by nature seek pleasure good and evil consist in sensation but it should be directed by reason and virtue. Real pleasure moderation decided by the mind Prudence wisdom and capacity to control oneself Social injustices root of pain in human relation 2. UTILITARIANISM Greatest good for the greatest number of people JEREMY BENTHAM Good if it promotes greater good (generic law/ofw) Bad pitiful Quantitative utilitarianism Utility or usefulness of an actJOHN STUART MILL Qualitative ut ilitarianism Not the act and its end but more on the lordliness of the person but the dignity of the human agent. better to be dissatisfied than a pig satisfied Action is right if it promotes happiness/ bad-unhappiness VIRTUE ethical motive Virtue- moral practice or action in conformity to a standard of right Wisdom based on knowledge of what is good Good is the possession of moral examples or virtues Reason elevates and leads man to things true and good Aristotle good is based on function rational faculty of man achieves uprightness through exercise of virtue moral virtue is a result of habit ARETAIC ETHICS (ARETE excellence or virtue) focus on heart and character of the moral agent Virtue ethics- disposition/motivation or trait of being good self-actualization doing good as a part of being a rational animal Golden mean or moderation SOCRATES INTELLECTUALISM knowledge is virtue / virtue is knowledge know thyself unexamined lifeis not worth sprightliness PLATO PHILOS OPHICAL LIFE -contemplation of true and good is best for lifeDIVINE COMMAND THEORY Religious idea Rules and commandments provide moral guidance St. doubting Thomas Aquinas Natural lawETHICS OF CONSCIENCE Subjective norm of morality Based on natural law Voice of God / inward voice / other self Practical judgment of reason Types1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.Right conscience correct ethical evaluation good as good/ evil as evil Erroneous good as evil and evil as good Certain firm judgment of the validity and morality of an action Doubtful/dubious uncertain Lax bahala na / Scrupulous- sees evil or wrongness even though there is none