Views of Various Philosophers

Aristotle discusses aspects of ethical behavior and a moral sense and addresses the issue squarely in Book X of the Nicomachean Ethics as he considers whether it matters if human behavior derives from nature or nurture, an age-old question as to whether man's goodness is inherent, a natural disposition, or involves the acquisition of certain habits taught by society. There may even be two levels of goodness, one derived from nature as a gift that does not depend on ourselves, and another goodness taught by society and requiring our active participation to develop. The majority of people are swayed by force rather than argument, but the person living the good life does so by reason. To the degree that one uses reason to create character, reason can be said to be practical.

Kant identifies practical reason with the will. Kant does not believe we will our good automatically, and instead he believes we act for and because of reason. The will can thus ignore claims made upon it by emotions and the senses. Instead, the will responds to demands made by reason itself, and the consequences are expressed as rational imperatives. Kant and Aristotle agree that the individual can fall prey to impulses and desires and so be drawn astray. Aristotle sees the use of reason as sometimes an unconscious action inherent in the way nurture has developed a moral sense, while Kant emphasizes the consciousness of the will and states that we prove we are free by choosing actions because of

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ing its minority citizens. Another concern is that under utilitarianism, the liberty of the individual is given secondary importance in the face of the interests of the majority. Rawls sets out to propose a new theory, which he does by formulating two principles. The first principle concerns individual liberty and holds that each individual has a right to the most extensive basic liberty possible compatible with giving the same liberty to others. Such liberty can be see as in accordance with Kant's view of duty so that one is most free when living according to duty. Mill would answer that Kant is wrong to say the orality of an act should not require paying attention to its consequences, and the Utilitarian principle indeed does pay attention to consequences as purposive ends. 6. Autonomy is the supreme condition of morality. It is more than the ability to govern one's own conduct and is instead the ability to govern one's own conduct by laws one has created for oneself. Kant in discussing the Categorical Imperative states that we should act to treat humanity not as a means but always as an end. This is because rational beings exist as ends in themselves, and this is why they are called "persons." This means that the

Category: Philosophy - V