The main question posed for this section is, "are you responsible for your fellow human being?" In Biblical terms "Am I my brothers keeper?" (Genesis 4.1-9) In chapter one, we explored three ethical theories. (Aristotle, Kant and Levinas) Levinas claimed that we acknowledge the face of the other and in that recognition, we are in service for the other. Levinas would say that we are our brothers keeper and that we are responsible for their well being. In this way, we are relational beings.
Our relationships and interactions with others define our moral and ethical stance. We can never escape our interconnectedness with others. Our actions are always influencing others.
In popular culture, this concept is contradictary to Levinas' claim. Our culture treasures independence and self reliance. We have established a system that rewards individual success. It is relational in so far as individauls are used as a means to achieve a goal. This concept has also been present throughout time. The Greek story of Narcissus highlights our egotistical ways. We are self absorbed.
Hence the search for the good is relational and involves others. As a result, individuals have to be aware of their influence of others. More importantly, you are a self for and through others.
“Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Ch. 3 Conscience
The chapter will continue our exploration of a Catholic ethical and moral theory from a philosophical perspective. Chapter 2 explored the conditions of human action while chapter 3 will take us one step further. We will explore how we become moral agents. One critical component for this chapter will be the exploration of conscience. In addition, we will explore six aspects of the human person that are important to ethics. The six aspects are:
1) The importance of others.
2) The importance of having a direction in life.
3) The importance of communication and language.
4) The importance of character and one's body.
5) The importance of conscience
6) The importance of the development of one's conscience.
These six aspects of our lives make us moral agents.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Ghandi
“There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.”
Ghandi
1) The importance of others.
2) The importance of having a direction in life.
3) The importance of communication and language.
4) The importance of character and one's body.
5) The importance of conscience
6) The importance of the development of one's conscience.
These six aspects of our lives make us moral agents.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Ghandi
“There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.”
Ghandi
Social Determinism
Proponents of Social determinism, like Naturalism, claim that freedom is an illusion. Human behaviour can be explained through our social interactions. Our experiences mold our character and influence our decision making process. For example: if your culture promotes drinking alcohol, then it is more likely that you will drink. In this case, our social reality determines our "actions".
Freud has contributed numerous writings that attempt to explain this theoretical approach. He stated that humans operate on three distinct levels, the id, the ego, and the super ego. Each level moves from an unconscious to conscious state of mind.
The Id refers to our basic instincts. It is primarily based on the 'pleasure principle'. For example; if a baby is hungry it cries. An adult responds to the cry and the baby is feed. The baby quickly realizes that the cry initiates a reaction that will bring him food. (Pleasure) At this point in time the baby does not care about anything else. It may be two in the morning and you are exhausted yet the baby will demand food despite your tiredness.
The Ego, on the other hand, begins to recognize these social interactions and begins to understand that other people have feelings. The stage is referred to as the "Reality Principle". At this point the child begins to realize that demanding food at three in the morning is not the best thing to do and you respect the other person.
The Superego is the moral part of ourselves that develops because of the influence of our caregivers. If we advocate non violence, then it is more likely that t he child will develop an non violence approach to resolving conflicts.
In the end, our environment, culture, social circle, will determine who you are and what you will become.
Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.
Freud
Freud has contributed numerous writings that attempt to explain this theoretical approach. He stated that humans operate on three distinct levels, the id, the ego, and the super ego. Each level moves from an unconscious to conscious state of mind.
The Id refers to our basic instincts. It is primarily based on the 'pleasure principle'. For example; if a baby is hungry it cries. An adult responds to the cry and the baby is feed. The baby quickly realizes that the cry initiates a reaction that will bring him food. (Pleasure) At this point in time the baby does not care about anything else. It may be two in the morning and you are exhausted yet the baby will demand food despite your tiredness.
The Ego, on the other hand, begins to recognize these social interactions and begins to understand that other people have feelings. The stage is referred to as the "Reality Principle". At this point the child begins to realize that demanding food at three in the morning is not the best thing to do and you respect the other person.
The Superego is the moral part of ourselves that develops because of the influence of our caregivers. If we advocate non violence, then it is more likely that t he child will develop an non violence approach to resolving conflicts.
In the end, our environment, culture, social circle, will determine who you are and what you will become.
Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.
Freud
Religious Determinism
Historically, the church denied human freedom. This was based on the assumption that God's knowledge and awareness has predetermined everyones destiny. Indeed, everyone's "actions" have already been predetermined through God's knowledge.
Currently, Christians maintain that humans are free to choose. Our choices, "actions", occur because of our own free will. God may be aware of those choices but that does not preclude that we are predestined because of God's awareness.
"It is certain that we will when we will; but He (God) brings it about that we act, but that without His help we neither will anything good nor do it."
St. Augustine
In the end, we, as human beings, make choices and these choices shape who we become!!
Currently, Christians maintain that humans are free to choose. Our choices, "actions", occur because of our own free will. God may be aware of those choices but that does not preclude that we are predestined because of God's awareness.
"It is certain that we will when we will; but He (God) brings it about that we act, but that without His help we neither will anything good nor do it."
St. Augustine
In the end, we, as human beings, make choices and these choices shape who we become!!
Naturalism
If you view the world from Naturalism you look at reality as a unified whole. Everything is shaped through physical, biological, psychological, social and environmental processes. Everything in this world is interconnected. It is one great chain connected by cause and effect. In Naturalism, everything can and will be explained through science. If something is to be held as true it must be scrutinized and verified through scientific experimentation.In this world science reigns supreme.
The theory of naturalism denounces human freedom. In this theory your genes are the supreme rulers of who you are. Your genes determine your reality!! As a result all choices you will make have been genetically predetermined and freedom is a delusion. Your emotions, feelings of love, loyalty, etc can be best explained as a neural state. If you do bad things you can blame it on your "genetic code". Our "Actions" occur because of our Brain processes. In the end, Naturalism denies the possibility of ethics and morality.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed as branch of Naturalism. Philosophers have argued that the two disciplines have much in common. Both areas look at and examine the human brain and its neural networks. AI researchers try to imitate brain neural networks in order to achieve greater results in computer development. It is the researchers hope to replicate human cognitive states thus achieving true AI. In either case, "actions" can be explained as an algorithm or a genetic code. Once again, the essence of freedom is being questioned!
"The second advantage claimed for naturalism is that it is equivalent to rationality, because it assumes a model of reality in which all events are in principle accessible to scientific investigation."
Phillip E. Johnson
No, our science is no illusion. But an illusion it would be to suppose that what science cannot give us we can get elsewhere.
Frued
The theory of naturalism denounces human freedom. In this theory your genes are the supreme rulers of who you are. Your genes determine your reality!! As a result all choices you will make have been genetically predetermined and freedom is a delusion. Your emotions, feelings of love, loyalty, etc can be best explained as a neural state. If you do bad things you can blame it on your "genetic code". Our "Actions" occur because of our Brain processes. In the end, Naturalism denies the possibility of ethics and morality.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed as branch of Naturalism. Philosophers have argued that the two disciplines have much in common. Both areas look at and examine the human brain and its neural networks. AI researchers try to imitate brain neural networks in order to achieve greater results in computer development. It is the researchers hope to replicate human cognitive states thus achieving true AI. In either case, "actions" can be explained as an algorithm or a genetic code. Once again, the essence of freedom is being questioned!
"The second advantage claimed for naturalism is that it is equivalent to rationality, because it assumes a model of reality in which all events are in principle accessible to scientific investigation."
Phillip E. Johnson
No, our science is no illusion. But an illusion it would be to suppose that what science cannot give us we can get elsewhere.
Frued
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Conceptual Framework of Action
Human actions are often difficult to articulate. The conceptual framework of action allows us to examine human action in a logical manner. The conceptual framework consists of 7 critical questions. These questions allow us to evaluate whether or not an action is good. The 7 questions are
Who?: Who is the "agent" and what have they done?
What?: What was the "action" that the "agent" performed??
Why?: Why did the "agent" perform that "action".
What was the motive for that action???
How?: How did the "agent" carry out his/her "actions"?
Under what circumstances?:
The circumstances of a situation may also have an impact on your "action."
With or against whom?:
Every "action" is an interaction. We always interact with others.
Our "actions" will always affect others.
Some of our "actions" will involve numerous individuals.
As a result, it is important to be aware of our "actions."
With what outcome?:
With every "action" there is an inevitable outcome.
You are responsible for your "actions".
The outcome of your actions-intended or not-affects the self for good or for
bad.
“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.”
Josiah Charles Stamp
Who?: Who is the "agent" and what have they done?
What?: What was the "action" that the "agent" performed??
Why?: Why did the "agent" perform that "action".
What was the motive for that action???
How?: How did the "agent" carry out his/her "actions"?
Under what circumstances?:
The circumstances of a situation may also have an impact on your "action."
With or against whom?:
Every "action" is an interaction. We always interact with others.
Our "actions" will always affect others.
Some of our "actions" will involve numerous individuals.
As a result, it is important to be aware of our "actions."
With what outcome?:
With every "action" there is an inevitable outcome.
You are responsible for your "actions".
The outcome of your actions-intended or not-affects the self for good or for
bad.
“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.”
Josiah Charles Stamp
Chapter 2
In this chapter will explore and examine the ethical and moral person as well as ethical and moral actions. Human actions are difficult to understand at the best of times. Numerous influences affect our decisions in everyday life. The chapter will identify and analyze several influences on human behaviour.
Freedom is a concept that is often misunderstood. Some individuals claim that freemom does not exist while others say that we have control over our lives. This chapter will also explore the concept of human freedom from various perspectives.
Throughout time, humans have tried to analyze and understand human action. This chapter will also explore a framework from which to analze human action.
"Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others."
The Dalai Lama
Freedom is a concept that is often misunderstood. Some individuals claim that freemom does not exist while others say that we have control over our lives. This chapter will also explore the concept of human freedom from various perspectives.
Throughout time, humans have tried to analyze and understand human action. This chapter will also explore a framework from which to analze human action.
"Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others."
The Dalai Lama
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)