My Ethical Philosophy

Aliena Messina
Intro to Ethics
Oakland University
April 2012

Throughout the semester as we studied the ethical philosophies of influential philosophers

(Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Kant, and Bentham), I began to see my own views come together, piece by
piece, as a combination of the five philosophies. My philosophy may seem a bit idealistic and
unattainable; however, it is rooted in the traditions which helped to shape our country that we have
unfortunately driven far away from.
Looking back to the humble beginnings of our country, I find it hard to believe that anything as
awful as Hobbes state of nature ever existed or will ever exist; its simply illogical. People, while flawed,
are fundamentally good and it is simply unreasonable to assume that each and every person simply is
self-interested. Everyday complete strangers help one another in ways that while seemingly
insignificant, add up to much more than self-interested motives. Therefore my philosophy agrees with
Lockes state of nature where God given rights and duties add moral order even in an ungoverned
society. I also agree that the social contract the citizens enter into is one where the officials they give
authority to are also under the law and are there to simply enforce the laws of nature, not to impose
their personal opinions on the citizens. Finally, it only makes sense that if the government violates the
aforementioned contract, the people being the ones who gave the power to begin with should then be
able to take it away if corruption exists within it.
As far as personal moral knowledge goes, it is clear that while some moral duties are a bit
ambiguous and hard to explain, most of the fundamental moral knowledge needed to be a good citizen
is held within us from birth. This type of knowledge is a priori and is not gained through empirical
observation or experiences. In this respect my theory agrees with those of Kant as well as Locke; a view
with which Hobbes and Bentham disagree, believing that there are no knowable moral truths and that
one can only gain these through empirical observation and experiences.

When speaking of ones purpose in life, I believe that each and every person was put upon the
Earth for some reason or other. If each of us didnt have a purpose or end goal what reason would we
have to adhere to any ethical principles? It is much more logical that each of us has a purpose in life and
eventually in death. I believe that even in the shortest lives there is a purpose beyond our own
knowledge that God has set out for us. We must be virtuous and follow the natural laws that He made
so that we may discern what our purpose is. In this respect my theory is teleological as was the theory of
Aristotle, who believed that we all have one ultimate purpose in life. Hobbes wholeheartedly disagreed
however, teaching that we are all simply here to satisfy each of our desires as they arise over time, a
hedonistic theory in many respects.
In terms of the role of government in society my views are quite far from those of Hobbes and
incorporate the views of a few philosophers. I agree with Aristotle who taught that the government is in
place to help make the citizens better and therefore any laws our government makes should be only
that which would shape better people and not take away rights that are not theirs to control. I also
believe as John Locke did, that government is a helpful institution; however it is not in place to make
moral laws. People know right from wrong on their own and the government is simply put in place to
add order to society and help us to fairly enforce the natural laws that God has given us to follow.
Therefore, I disagree with Hobbes views that government is in complete control of the citizens and is
above even the law itself. Government is meant to set an example for its people and enforce the natural
moral laws; people are more likely to follow the laws of their government if those in charge lead by
example.
Finally, I firmly believe that each and every person on Earth has a purpose and is important.
Therefore, I agree with Locke who teaches that we are all given life by God and it is our duty to care for
the life that He has given us. We are all able to discern what Gods purpose for us is and in the same way

we can also discern right from wrong as He would expect us to live. It also follows that we must each be
essentially our on masters and not allow for another to own us in any way; for we all have our own
purpose.
In conclusion my ethical philosophy agrees most easily with the theories of Aristotle and Locke,
the most conservative of the philosophers we studied. I believe that if any state of nature were to exist
it would be like that which Locke described and not at all like that in Hobbes theory; and each of us
while flawed, is fundamentally good and not completely self-interested. Moral knowledge is universal
and is a priori where no prior experience is needed; so all rational people are capable of discerning right
from wrong as God set out for us. The role of government is to make the citizens better and therefore
society as a whole more virtuous and those in charge are not above the law and must lead by example.
Finally, we are all given life by God and it is our duty to take care of the life given to us and to be our
own masters armed with a priori moral knowledge.