Assignment #4.

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1. SINCE PHILOSOPHY IS AN INQUIRY INTO THE ULTIMATE AND DEEPEST
MEANINGS OF ALL THINGS, HOW DOES ETHICS SQUARE WITH THIS
DEFINITION?

The relation is based upon the following factors:

1) Ethical ideals are founded in the moral order of the universe. Being a normative science,
ethics details ethical ideals. These ethical ideals are founded in the moral order of the
universe. Thus their study takes ethics into the field of philosophy.
2) Ethical ideals are based upon the nature of objects. Ethical judgments are categorical
imperatives. They are themselves based upon the nature of objects for which ethics has to go
to philosophy.
3) Philosophy expounds ethical assumptions. The three self-evident postulates of ethics arc God,
freedom of will and the immortality of the soul. The description of their nature and the
analysis of their validity is the subject of philosophy.
4) Philosophy details the relation of man to the world. Ethics treats man as a self-conscious
being, not a natural fact. Thus, for the discussion of the relation between man and God, world
and society, ethics has to turn to philosophy.
5) Philosophy systematizes both facts and values. Ethics being a science of values is related to
philosophy because the latter systematizes both facts and values.
6) Many philosophical problems come under ethics. Ethics has to explain many philosophical
1 problems. GE 8: Ethics (3rd Year)

The major ones are as follows:

(a) Nature of self: When the opinions concerning the nature of the self-change, the ethical
principles also change hedonism believes that the self is sensuous. Rationalism believes it to
be rational while perfectionism assimilates both passion and reason in the self.

(b) The Immortality of the soul: The immortality of the soul is a self-evident postulate in
ethics. If soul is mortal, then there is doubt in the achievement of ethical ideals.

(c) Faith in Rebirth: Ethical ideal is very high and human life is very limited. Hence the
complete attainment of the ethical ideal in one life is difficult. Thus ethicists imagine many
lives so that the ethical ideal may be attained. This is another major postulate of ethics. This
argument, for the necessity of rebirth in ethics, has been advanced by the German philosopher
Kant.

(d) Relation between individual and Society: What is the relation of man to society? Is man
a part of society or does he have an independent existence? The difference in opinion about
this relation has led to differences in ethical principles. Philosophy discusses this relation
between individual and society.
 (e) Relation between soul and world: Is the world governed ethically? Is there a chance of
ethical progress in it does it have some ethical aim? Ethics believes that the world is a field
for ethical improvement. It depends upon philosophy for the validity of this faith.

(f) Existence and unity of God: Ethics ponders over such philosophical problems as—
whether God is a treasure house of ethical qualities or is it beyond good and bad, whether
ethics can stand without him for a foundation, whether ethical ideal is subjective or objective.

It is due to the foregoing reasons that some philosophers or scholars believe it to be a part of
philosophy. As Mackenzie puts it— “It is indeed only a part of philosophy because it
considers the experience of life only from the point of view of will or activity. It does not,
except indirectly, and consider man as allowing or enjoying but as doing i.e., pursuing an end.
But it considers man’s whole significance of his activity in seeking it.’

Ethics is a normative science:

But even then ethics is a normative science, not a part of philosophy. There are the following
differences between the two:

1. Difference of Scope: The scope of philosophy is more comprehensive than that of ethics. It
is concerned with God, world and soul. But ethics is concerned solely with man’s character
and conduct. Philosophy seeks for the cause of the world and the universal good which may
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2 be the aim of the whole creation. On the other hand, ethics limits GE
its 8: Ethics
search to (3
the Year)
human
ideals or good.

2. Difference of Nature: Philosophy is purely a mental study while ethics, although a mental
study, effects practical life.

3. Difference of basis: The basis of philosophy is reason and logic. Ethics is centered on
man’s activities. It lays greater emphasis on the volition aspect than on the knowledge aspect.

2. EXPLAIN: “MORALITY IS THE ONLY WAY FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF MAN’S

SUPREME PURPOSE.”

For people who believe in the God who created humanity in His image and likeness, their supreme
purpose is to show forth God, by treating all other humans with that respect God endowed us all with,
and to have God as the one who, alone, directs their lives. That will be to God's glory, not for self-
aggrandizement, or selfish pleasure. Then, they hope to be with God forever in glory, after they die
physically.

Morality in Islam encompasses the concept of righteousness, good character, and the body of
moral qualities and virtues prescribed in Islamic religious texts. The principle and
fundamental purpose of Islamic morality is love: love for God and love for God's creatures.
 The religious conception is that mankind will behave morally and treat each other in the best
possible manner to please God.

Morality does not necessarily depend upon religion, though for some, this is "an almost
automatic assumption. According to The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Ethics, religion
and morality "are to be defined differently and have no definitional connections with each
other. Conceptually and in principle, morality and a religious value system are two distinct
kinds of value systems or action guides." In the views of others, the two can overlap.
According to one definition, morality is an active process which is, "at the very least, the
effort to guide one's conduct by reason, that is, doing what there are the best reasons for
doing, while giving equal consideration to the interests of all those affected by what one
does."

3 GE 8: Ethics (3rd Year)

 3. WHAT DOES THE END OF AN ACT MEAN?

We are dealing with human actions because it only through our actions or activities that we can live
well. Living well is not, in other words, a state of affairs; it involves a series or set of actions.
An “end” is something we seek for itself. It is a very general term and may apply to an object, an idea,
a state of affairs, or anything else for the sake of which we might act. We know from our experience
that every one of our actions is ordered to some “end.”
A “means” is something we seek for the sake of something else. Again, we know from our experience
how this general term operates in our activities. We all know we do some things for the sake of
something else. I earn money (a means) to put food on the table (an end).

The distinction between ends and means, however, is not an absolute distinction in the sense in which
we experience these in everyday life. It is probably more accurate to speak of some things as “pure”
means, that is, something we will only for the sake of other things, and “end-means,” something we
will for itself, but also for other things. Let’s consider one example of this.

We earn money (a means) to buy clothes (an end). We buy clothes (a means) to make a good
appearance (an end). We want to make a good appearance (a means) in order to get a better position
in the company we work for (an end). We want a better position in the company (a means) in order to
make more money (an end). And on it goes. Every “end” here can be used as a “means” to another
4 end. GE 8: Ethics (3rd Year)

Could we continue endlessly willing one thing as an end to another thing, this thing as an end to still
another thing, and so on? If we really mean “endlessly,” then it seems that we would not be able to
will any one thing as an end, that is, simply for itself alone. But unless we will at least one thing
simply for itself alone, we won’t be able to will anything else as a means toward it.
 4. EXPLAIN: “MAN NATURALLY SEEKS THE PERFECT GOOD.”

It is natural for us human to seek perfect good. Who doesn’t seek for something good, right? When
we say “good” in this context we meant something that a person desires or anything that appears
desirable to us. It is most likely that a person have a lot of desires in life. We as an individual has
unique desires that we like all longing to have or to experience.

It is said that the first principle we need to accept to make sense of human actions is that we all seek
the good. If we do not accept this principle, there is no use talking about living well or living the
“good” life. The full meaning of this basic principle will become apparent as we journey further into
the art of living well.

A more common objection to our first principle of human action is that we often desire what seems to
be evil for us rather than what is good. This causes a lot of people to be confused. We must realize,
however, that we are defining the word “good” in the broadest way possible and we are identifying
the word with the word “desirable.” We do desire what we desire and what we desire is good because
good and desirable are the same thing. We are stating no more than this.

Now whether what we desire is really “good” in the sense of “right” and “morally proper” is another
question. The point here is that we do not desire what is in fact evil except as it appears under the
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5 guise of being good. If a person desires to commit suicide, for example, heGE desires that (3
8: Ethics because
Year)he
perceives it as “good” or as “a good” for him. The moral ramifications do not enter into the situation
at this point. We will deal with them later.

What is important here is to recognize that the word “good” will be used with at least two distinctive
meanings and, in most cases, you will be able to figure out which use is appropriate from the context
of the discussion. For the moment, a “good” is anything we desire. Later we’ll see how the word
“good” applies to human actions as far as evaluating these acts as being “right” or “wrong” and
“appropriate” or “inappropriate.”
 5. CAN WE ATTAIN PERFECT HAPPINESS IN THIS WORLD? JUSTIFY YOUR
ANSWER.

Yes we can attain the perfect happiness, depends on the needs and situation we may have. I think we
can only attain perfect happiness if we are contented with what we already have or embrace the fact
that we are lucky to have this opportunity to live the life that we have right now, and the struggles we
may encounter along the way.

Personally, I am contented with what I have right now, may it be happiness or struggles. It's part of
being a human. It's normal to have some days when we feel down. But that doesn't mean we can't
attain happiness. Its part of the recipe in life, it wouldn't be colorful if we don't have negative things to
look at. We wouldn't have the thought of attaining happiness if in the first place "struggles" doesn't
exist, right? With struggling, we'd put up some work to gain and achieve our goals to be happy.
Struggling will always be part of the process in attaining perfect happiness. We all have our own
perspective on defining the "perfect happiness". Some may define it with virtuous living, loving
someone, being loved by someone, being healthy, being happy through material things etc.

If you’ve watched the Pursuit of Happiness, it is one of the best movie I’ve ever seen. Realization
slapped me in the face while watching this. Having the thought of being not so lucky in life just
because of what we lack of and not being thankful for what we already have is one of my biggest
mistake I’ve ever made in life. When you’re thankful for what you have, you are always rewarded
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6 with more. Try to stay positive and things will get better. Remember, being GE 8: Ethics
happy doesn’t(3mean
Year)
you
have it all, it simply means you’re thankful for all you have. Some people are happy with less than
what you have. We don’t need to find happiness, you create your own happiness.

* Minimum of 300 words or more each questions.

* After typing Press ENTER and Press MARK as Done.
* Using ATTACHMENT will do.
* Deadline on December 16,2020 until 12:00 midnight only.