Kristine Mae L.

Sinoy October 30, 2021

BSBA- Marketing Management

How does one achieve moral excellence?

Moral excellence entails choosing the right course of action for the sake of doing so.
Morally excellent people have a character made up of good virtues. They are, for example,
truthful, respectful, brave, forgiving, and kind. They do the right thing and do not act on
impulses, urges, or desires, but rather on values and principles. Moral excellence can be attained
through learning and practice. People have a natural capacity for good character, which can be
developed with practice. A capability is not born; rather, it is honed through practice. Practicing
moral excellence enables us to realize our full potential and live a more purposeful, better life.
According to philosopher Aristotle, a person's character can be improved by practicing self-
discipline, whereas a good character can be corrupted by repeated self-indulgence. Aristotle
explains, "Excellences are obtained by first exercising them," which is also true in the case of the
arts. We learn by doing for the things we need to learn before we can do them. Just as the ability
to run a marathon requires extensive training and practice, so does our capacity to be fair,
courageous, or compassionate.

  Moral excellence is a habit. Excellence, then, is a habit rather than an act. A person who
has developed the virtue of courage, for example, is often referred to as a courageous person
because he or she is courageous in all circumstances. Furthermore, someone who has developed
virtues is predisposed to act in ways that are consistent with moral principles. According to
Aristotle, habits are the primary determinant of character. The power of habit stems from its
susceptibility to practice and development, just like any other sport, art, or skill. This means that
we can improve our moral character and, as a result, have every reason to cultivate an
Aristotelian growth mindset.
Pick and discuss two threats to ethics as outlined by Blackburn.

According to Blackburn, one of the threats to ethics is egoism and relativism. Ethical
egoism is frequently associated with selfishness, the disregard for the interests of others in favor
of one's own. However, ethical egoism cannot be coherently equated with selfishness because it
is frequently in one's self-interest to help others or avoid harming them. Selfishness is frequently
regarded as a vice, and selfish actions are frequently regarded as wrong. But there are times
when we should do what is best for ourselves: in a sense, we should be selfish. It is difficult to
argue that man acts solely in his own self-interest. There are instances of general egoism, but
there are also instances where one person sacrifices his own interests for the sake of another.
According to the ethical theory known as ethical egoism, we are always morally required to do
what is in our own self-interest. The viewpoint is not that we are selfish, this is psychological
egoism but that we should be.

According to Simon Blackburn, relativism is a major threat to ethics. Relativism is

nonjudgmental and pluralistic. Each culture or group has its own set of morals.  Ethical
relativism is the belief that there are no moral absolutes, that there are no moral right and wrong.
Instead, what is right and wrong is determined by social norms. This could be the case with
"situational ethics," a subset of ethical relativism. In any case, ethical relativism implies that our
morals have evolved and changed over time, and that they are no longer absolute. One advantage
of ethical relativism is that it accommodates a wide range of cultures and practices. It also
enables people to ethically adapt as society's culture, knowledge, and technology change.  Truth,
right and wrong are all relative, which is a disadvantage of ethical relativism.

From your own understanding of Aristotle’s ideas, why should we still act morally and
ethnically?

Moral character traits must be developed because they are an essential component of a
virtuous person. We are highly dependent on others, both physically and mentally, as humans.
We are highly dependent on others, both physically and mentally, as humans. Because it is the
only way to have a chance at self-esteem. We can only have self-respect if we respect who we
are as opposed to some false image of ourselves. Being good allows you to see what truly
matters in the world. Being good necessitates that good people understand what is and is not
good in the world. Good people have good values, while bad people have bad values. A moral
person provides tranquility, mental stability, peace, and, most importantly, peace among people.
We should be moral because there are absolute laws to which everyone must adhere. Having a
good values means valuing what deserves to be valued and not valuing what does not.
 We must be ethical because it defines us as individuals and as a society. These are
behavioral norms that everyone should adhere to. Ethical values (such as honesty, kindness,
trustworthiness, and responsibility) help us navigate a path that allows us to deal with ethical
quandaries more effectively by eliminating behaviors that do not conform to our sense of right
and wrong–our best rational interests–without sacrificing others. If we accept that each of us can
choose what the right thing to do is, our society may devolve into chaos. Some people may lie;
others may not follow through on their promises; and still others may act irresponsibly and
engage in harmful behavior. Because of our responsibility to a civil society, an ethical person
must be willing – at least occasionally–to put the interests of others ahead of their own. This is
the ethical standpoint.