The Basic Requirements of Practical Reasonableness Practical Reasonableness is one of the basic forms of good and therefore it is considered

to be one of the seven basic values. Since life is too short, it is not possible to participate in all these basic values as much as we would like to. This implies that somehow one has to plan and planning in itself suggests the use of reasonableness in a practical way. In itself, Practical Reasonableness: Enables us to participate in other basic goods Guides us in our commitments Guides us in our selection of projects and helps us in carrying the out

According to Aristotle, what is right and morally good is simply seen by the man who is right minded, morally good and is a person of good habits. To fail to live up to these requirements is irrational, whilst the person who lives up to these requirements can be referred to as Aristotles spoudaious (mature man). Aquinas says that these requirements of practical reasonableness are requirements not only of reason and of goodness but also of human nature. As with each of the basic forms of good, each of these requirements is fundamental and hence is capable, when focused upon of seeming the most important. The requirements of Practical Reasonableness may be summed up into: 1. a coherent plan of life 2. no arbitrary preference among values 3. no arbitrary preference among persons 4. detachment 5. commitment 6. efficiency within reason 7. respect for every basic value in every act 8. common good 9. following ones conscience Finnis Chapter 5 13

1. A Coherent Plan of Life Consciously or unconsciously, all persons have a form and plan of life. In fact, Johan Rawls describes the first requirement of practical reasonableness as a rational plan of life. It is unreasonable to live from moment to moment, following immediate carvings or just drifting. However, it is also irrational to just devote ones attention exclusively to specific projects. Therefore in our coherent plan of life there must be no arbitrary preference. In fact, as Rawls says, this first requirement is that we should see our life as one whole, the activities of one rational subject spread out in time. In order to carry out a coherent plan of life it is important to be rigorous. In fact, to be rigorous is vital for any success in life. Hence one must be strong and not fall into other temptations or let himself be deviated from his plan.

2. No arbitrary preference among values Any commitment to a coherent plan of life involves some degree of concentration on one or some of the basic forms of good, at the same expense, temporarily or permanently of the other forms of good. But if the commitment is on the basis of ones assessment of ones capabilities, circumstances or even ones tastes, then the commitment is rational. On the other hand, if the commitment is on the basis of human excellence, instrumental goods as wealth or opportunity, reputation or pleasure, the commitment is unreasonable. Consequently at one time or another in ones life, all the basic values will be participated in and if focused upon would seem the most important.

3. No arbitrary preference amongst persons The basic goods are human goods and any human being can realize and participate in

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them. There should be fundamental fairness among humans who are or may be partakers of those goods. The justification of self concern is not because I am I and not someone else, but because only in this way will I have the opportunity to participate in the basic values. Do to others what you would have them do for you. One must put himself in his neighbors shoes and not condemn others for what he is willing to do himself. These are requirements of reason, and to ignore them is to be arbitrary between individuals. So one must respect other peoples plan of life, as this is part of practical reasonableness which is a fundamental good.

4. Detachment In order to be participated in, all the basic forms of good in all the changing circumstances of a lifetime, one must have a certain detachment from all the projects which one undertakes. Therefore, if one meaningfully participates by trying to do something simple and worthwhile, if this project fails one should not despair. We are all different in our capabilities and capacities and therefore we should not despair when someone is better than us in doing something.

5. Commitment This is closely linked to the requirement of detachment. In fact, in everybodys life, one should strike a balance between commitment and detachment. The requirement of commitment is simply that having made ones general commitments, one must not abandon the lightly. However, in being committed, one must not abandon them lightly. However, in being committed, one must be reasonably committed to that line of life yet not in a fanatical way. Fanaticism is beyond what Aristotle would call the Golden Mean. Finnis Chapter 5 15

6. Efficiency within reason When one picks on a coherent plan of life one has to be efficient and aiming for something good. However one should not only bring about good in his life, but also in that of others around him. One must not waste ones opportunities by inefficient methods. Ones actions should be judged by their effectiveness, by their fitness for their purpose and by their utility. Where a choice is to be made it is reasonable to prefer human good to the good of animals. Also where a choice is to be made it is reasonable to prefer basic human goods (e.g. life) to merely instrumental goods (property). The way to participate in the basic goods is universalisation of the goods. The sixth requirement can be outlined in this way: 1. to be efficient when pursuing our goals which we adopt for ourselves 2. to avoid harm which we choose to regard as unacceptable This requirement has many applications in the moral sphere of thinking. But its sphere of proper application has limits and every attempt to make it exclusive, supreme or central principle of practical thinking is irrational and hence immoral.

7. Respect for every basic value in every act Practical Reasonableness suggests that in our behavior we have to make sure that no act goes against one of the basic values. In every act, the basic values must be respected and adhered to. This requirement deals with consequences of ones acts. The good or bad consequences of an act cannot be measured. E.g. when one person is killed in order to set some hostages free, this is not right and the consequences cannot be said to be good. However, had that one person not been killed, everybody might have been killed. Finnis Chapter 5 16

Another example is when one kills someone when lost at sea on a boat, in order to save himself and some others, the other people are given a better chance of survival. However, it does not follow the value of life. It is not practical reasonableness to say that someones life is more important than someone elses Therefore there is no way to measure these values since they are all fundamental. In all the problems we are faced with we have to bear in mind a clear distinction between sentiments, feelings, emotions and generosity and the only way to understand is an appeal to reason. In conclusion one can say that everything that is morally required to be done is required by natural law and everything that is morally required not to be done is contrary to natural law. The seventh requirement of practical reasonableness is no more and no less a natural law principle than any of the other requirements

8. The requirements of common good There is a common good for human beings, in as much as life, knowledge, play, aesthetic experience, friendship, religion and freedom in practical reasonableness are good for every and any person. Each of these human values is itself a common good inasmuch as it can be participated in by an inexhaustible number of persons in a variety of ways and occasions. In fact most of our concrete moral obligations, responsibilities and duties have their basis in the common good. This requirement favors the common good of ones community.

9. Following ones conscience This last requirement may be interpreted as a summary of all the other requirements. This requirement is that one must act in accordance with ones conscience. The first theorist to Finnis Chapter 5 17

form this requirement was Thomas Aquinas who said that if one does what one judges to be unreasonable or fails to do what one judges to be required by reason, then ones choice is wrongful, however faulty ones judgment of conscience may be. This dignity of the mistaken conscience is what is expressed in the ninth requirement. It flows from the fact that practical reasonableness is not simply a mechanism for producing correct judgments, but an aspect of personal full-being to be respected in every act as well as over-all - whatever the consequences.

To conclude one may say that each of these requirements can be thought of as a mode of moral obligation or responsibility. The products of these requirements s morality.

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