An Essay on Ethics
Chapter One
The Object of study of ethics
The ultimate reason in learning ethics is not as it is in other inquiries, the attainment of theoretical knowledge; we are not conducting this inquiry in order to know what virtue is, but in order to become good, else there would be no important in learning it. ARISTOTLE, Nicomachean Ethics, Bk. 2, Ch. 2 Ethics is a lot like air: It is pretty much invisible. In fact, for many centuries, people did not know that such a substance as air even existed. So the same we always fail to know the existence of ethics or morality until someone fails to heed it. The term ethics has many meanings. It is always used to refer to a set of standards of right and wrong established via a particular group and imposed on members of that group as a ways of regulating and setting limits on their conducts. This uses of the word ethics reflects its etymology, which goes back to the Greek word ethos, meaning “way of living or habit.” The word moral is getting from the Latin word moralist, which also means “custom.” Although some philosophers differentiate between the terms ethical and moral, others, including the author of this text, use the two terms interchangeably. The identification of ethics and morality with cultural norms or customs reflects the fact that most adults tend to know morality with cultural customs. Philosophical ethics, also known as moral philosophy, goes beyond this small concept of right and wrong. Ethics, as a philosophical discipline, includes the study of the values and guidelines by which we live and the justification for these values and guidelines.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Fundamental ethical values
Ethics is the learn of how people ought to live as informed by the Bible and Christian convictions. So wrote Stanley Grenz in his book The Moral Quest. This is the Christian view. Both the Christian and the secularist draw on the ideas of the Greek philosophers in knowing ethics. Western thinking on the subject has been significantly influenced by Plato and Aristotle. Their teaching centered mainly on virtuous living. Traditional philosophy of ethics is based on reason. The secular foundation of ethics goes no further than reason. The highest good is found in the self. Ethics is known on what a man seems to be beneficial to himself or his society. That is, if a well ordered society can be maintained and it does no harm to anybody, the act in question is moral. In questions of morality, it is not inappropriate to consider the impacts of our words and deeds on ourselves or others. But, for the Christian, reason is only a tool we use to further our ethical accomplishment. Reason helps us in the application of ethics, not in the beginning knowledge of what is ethical. We appeal to something beyond our ken, beyond ourselves, beyond our society, even beyond our world. We appeal to the God as the author and judge of all ethics. Ethics is founded on God’s nature, on his character. Man can only be truly ethical when he reflects the attitude of God. We learn of his nature via him revealing himself” revealed in nature, revealed in conscience, and most importantly revealed in the Holy Scriptures and in the person of Jesus Christ.
The Moral Act
A human act. One performed with idea and free will. It is called a moral act because it is always either morally good or evil. Every consciously deliberate action is therefore a moral act. The moral act is a massive association of thinking and acting. One can think morally without doing anything about it. One might act in a manner that is later judged to be moral without giving it any thought. Modern physics awareness that light can be thought of as a wave or as a particle. Different conditions at the initiate of an experiment can make light seem to be one way or another. Somewhat analogous, the moral act can be sees in many different ways. These are not mutually exclusive but give different appearances that provide us additional information. We will start with a very modern concept.
Justice
Justice is a massive ethical principle, with meanings that range from the fair treatment of people to the equitable allocation of healthcare and resources. Justice is concerned with the equitable sharing of benefits and burdens to people in social institutions, and how the rights of many individuals are realized.
CHAPTER THREE
Conclusion
The discussions of subject’s matter may have some relevance for societies that do not emphasize the privacy of individuals. Where possible I have avoided taking a side in philosophical controversies about ethical concepts. A few of these controversies along with other fine points are briefly discussed
References
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- Kidder, Rushworth (2003). How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living. New York: Harper Collins. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-688-17590-0.
- Paul, Richard; Elder, Linda (2006). The Miniature Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning. United States: Foundation for Critical Thinking Free Press. p. NP. ISBN 978-0-944583-17-3.
- John Deigh in Robert Audi (ed), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, 1995.
- Paul, Richard; Elder, Linda (2006). The Miniature Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning. United States: Foundation for Critical Thinking Free Press. p. np. ISBN 978-0-944583-17-3.
- “Definition of ethic by Merriam Webster”. Merriam Webster. Retrieved October 4, 2015
- Williams, Bernard. Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. p. 2
- Williams, Bernard. Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. p. 1.”Are We Professionals? A Critical Look at the Social Role of Bioethicists”. Daedalus. 1999. pp. 253–274.
