Morality For centuries questions about justice, honor, and morality have been pondered and debated to discover if there is indeed an absolute standard of truth. From the historical time periods of Socrates and Plato to modern day philosophers, the question of morality is still a mystery. Is there a moral standard that all humans are subject to abide? This question fuels many opinions about what one’s code of ethics should be and if these judgments are universal truths, or relative to one’s culture and opinions. The following examines two philosophers’ notions about justice and the correlation it has to being moral, as well as, two more causes in which morality should be something society should strive to abide in. One of the debates of
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Thrasymachus’ opinion of justice was that whoever possessed the most power over another was just “Justice is merely the advantage of interest among the stronger” (Clark and Poortenga, 2003 p 9). Conversely, Plato, a philosopher and student of Socrates, creates an elaborate picture of justice, which supports the views of morality and an absolute truth. Plato stated that being just was a fulfillment that people strive for to become righteous and moral. He breaks his response into two sections, the first is stated that a just person receives rewards while an unjust person will be eventually punished either on earth or in the afterlife “everyone is judged according to his or her deeds; the righteous go upward into heaven and the wicked drop down into Hades” (Clark and Poortenga, 2003: p 14) This provides a reason for people to pursue justice due to the potential consequences they may …show more content…
He believed that morality was an innate part of human’s good will. Since a human can will they ought and must strive to achieve an absolute standard of morality “It is because of our ability to give ourselves the moral law, being literally autonomous, that humans have an absolute value and must never be used solely as a means to other ends, neither by themselves nor by their fellow humans (Rolf, 2012: p 599). From this perspective a person should never use relative means to an end because they have the power to produce good will. If society has the power of autonomy one should always orient themselves towards the good of all. Instead of morality leading to happiness, striving to have good will brings the fulfillment of one’s
Thrasymachus’ opinion of justice was that whoever possessed the most power over another was just “Justice is merely the advantage of interest among the stronger” (Clark and Poortenga, 2003 p 9). Conversely, Plato, a philosopher and student of Socrates, creates an elaborate picture of justice, which supports the views of morality and an absolute truth. Plato stated that being just was a fulfillment that people strive for to become righteous and moral. He breaks his response into two sections, the first is stated that a just person receives rewards while an unjust person will be eventually punished either on earth or in the afterlife “everyone is judged according to his or her deeds; the righteous go upward into heaven and the wicked drop down into Hades” (Clark and Poortenga, 2003: p 14) This provides a reason for people to pursue justice due to the potential consequences they may …show more content…
He believed that morality was an innate part of human’s good will. Since a human can will they ought and must strive to achieve an absolute standard of morality “It is because of our ability to give ourselves the moral law, being literally autonomous, that humans have an absolute value and must never be used solely as a means to other ends, neither by themselves nor by their fellow humans (Rolf, 2012: p 599). From this perspective a person should never use relative means to an end because they have the power to produce good will. If society has the power of autonomy one should always orient themselves towards the good of all. Instead of morality leading to happiness, striving to have good will brings the fulfillment of one’s