Philosophy 2306
Final Paper In The Elements of Moral Philosophy, James and Stuart Rachels discuss the ideas of ethics that a novice should challenge. This book consists of thirteen chapters. First, the author begins with the minimum conception of morality; the following three chapters cover cultural relativism and the connection between morality and religion; the middle chapters, five to twelve, focus on essential ethical theories; and the last chapter describes the author’s perspective of what a satisfactory moral theory should be like. This paper will first reflect what I learned, next, describe the Theory of Natural Law; its impact on my thinking, then, discuss the story of Adam and Molly Nash and my position on it, and lastly, explain how my thinking has changed.
To begin with, the following paragraphs highlights what I …show more content…
Aristotle asked (Rachels 159). According to Rachels, a moral virtue is a trait of character, manifested in habitual action, that it is good to have (161). Rachels points out each virtue has its own distinctive features and raise its own problems. According to Aristotle, “A virtue is the mean by reference to two vices: one of excess and the other of deficiency” (Rachels 162). Another key point, virtues differ as per person. Rachels believes some virtues will be needed by all people at all time: courage, generosity, benevolence, self-discipline, and loyalty. As Aristotle, virtues are valuable in that the virtuous person will fare better in life. Virtue Ethics is incomplete so we regard it as part of our total theory of ethics. Lastly, in chapter thirteen, Rachels presents her idea of what a satisfactory moral theory would be like. It should be sensitive to how human beings fit in the grand scheme of things and must include: the virtues, the motives, and a strategy about when to consider making
Final Paper In The Elements of Moral Philosophy, James and Stuart Rachels discuss the ideas of ethics that a novice should challenge. This book consists of thirteen chapters. First, the author begins with the minimum conception of morality; the following three chapters cover cultural relativism and the connection between morality and religion; the middle chapters, five to twelve, focus on essential ethical theories; and the last chapter describes the author’s perspective of what a satisfactory moral theory should be like. This paper will first reflect what I learned, next, describe the Theory of Natural Law; its impact on my thinking, then, discuss the story of Adam and Molly Nash and my position on it, and lastly, explain how my thinking has changed.
To begin with, the following paragraphs highlights what I …show more content…
Aristotle asked (Rachels 159). According to Rachels, a moral virtue is a trait of character, manifested in habitual action, that it is good to have (161). Rachels points out each virtue has its own distinctive features and raise its own problems. According to Aristotle, “A virtue is the mean by reference to two vices: one of excess and the other of deficiency” (Rachels 162). Another key point, virtues differ as per person. Rachels believes some virtues will be needed by all people at all time: courage, generosity, benevolence, self-discipline, and loyalty. As Aristotle, virtues are valuable in that the virtuous person will fare better in life. Virtue Ethics is incomplete so we regard it as part of our total theory of ethics. Lastly, in chapter thirteen, Rachels presents her idea of what a satisfactory moral theory would be like. It should be sensitive to how human beings fit in the grand scheme of things and must include: the virtues, the motives, and a strategy about when to consider making