Sean Faria

Chapter 10 Discussion Questions

07/16/2010

1. I guess there is only one thing that all morally good things have in common a sense that you

know you did something good.

2. This is not necessarily true what is right does not always agree with me and does not have to. If

someone believes that gravity does not exist, does that mean I can fall off a cliff and be okay?

No that person will either be dead or in the hospital and will be labeled suicidal.

3. True happiness, according to Plato, is found only in the performance of one's own duty, which is

determined individually by the degree of evolution achieved, and politically by the position one

occupies in the State. The man who lacks virtue desires to have it, and through love can come to

know virtue in its true form.

4. Plato’s moral philosophy is often regarded as complete ethical theory because it; identifies an

ultimate source of all value, Sets forth a metaphysical justification for accepting this source as

ultimate ( the theory of forms), Stipulates a fundamental moral principle “ be governed by a

reason”, Provides a rationale for accepting the principle as universally binding (the idea that

Good is the source of all that is real),Holds that obedience to the moral principle is the

motivated for being governed by a reason. Lastly specifies how knowledge of the supreme

intrinsic good is obtained only through reasoning.

5. Aesara of Lucania was introspecting about the nature and structure of the human soul, and

then we can identify a standard of personal and public morality. In other words if we could

understand the nature of the human soul and its structure we can all agree on a fact of morality.
6. For Aristotle, happiness is that activity of the soul which functions in accord with excellence.

Aristotle says that living well and faring well is being happy. But happiness, or eudemonia, is

more than just a state of being for Aristotle. The mind discerns the virtues as lying between the

mean of two or more extreme possibilities. Some virtues are not means between two extremes.

A flourishing life; a happy life; is one which consists of numerous requirements having been

fulfilled to some degree. Additionally, certain intellectual and moral needs ought to be met as

well.

7. According to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, you can see how our actions slowly sculpt our

character. With each act, we become more virtuous or more vicious; more a follower of

practical reason or more a follower of our appetites. So, habit is tremendously important,

because it forms our moral character. Now, if we are to aim at the common good in politics, we

would have to have a good moral character where the rational element in us is in charge. If not

we would not know the best course, and even if we did, we wouldn't have the courage or

strength to pursue it, at least in hardship. This moral character leads back to correct actions in

which we habituate ourselves.

8. The Stoics developed an ethical and social theory which accorded well with their general

philosophy described above. Recognizing the prevalence of particular evil, they taught that men

should be tolerant and forgiving in their attitudes toward one another. They denied racial

exclusiveness and held that all men are brothers under the fatherhood of one God. Unlike their

contemporaries, the Cynics, they did not recommend that man should withdraw from society but

urged participation in public affairs as a duty for the citizen of rational mind. If the atoms were

capable only of mechanical motion, then man, who is made up of atoms, would be reduced to the

status of an automaton; and fatalism would be the law of the universe. The ethical philosophy of

the Epicureans was based upon the doctrine that the highest good for man is pleasure. The

highest of all pleasures, however, consists in serenity of soul, in the complete absence of both

mental and physical pain. Men obey these rules solely because it is to their advantage to do so.
 Generally speaking, Epicurus held no high regard for either political or social life. He considered

the state as a mere convenience and taught that the wise man should take no active part in public

life.

9. No it is not a sound policy to reduce all wants to a minimum and to achieve utter self reliance by

avoiding all the comforts of society. This cannot be because this goes against the reason why so

many people come to live to America. This mean that everyone whose hopes and dreams is

coming to America for a better life is wrong and just have no self reliance.

10. Yes I can control my attitude if I cannot control my fate because it is just as my Granny always

says to me if you have nothing good to say don’t say it at all. I can walk away from a fight and

still get arrested for being involved in the bar fight.