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ethical issues in teaching
morality theory research paper
ethical issues in teaching
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Philosophical musings on the nature of morality are often expressed by thinkers who focus on human nature. Among the factors which determine human behaviour, a moral analysis of the concepts of right and wrong is often prominent. In investigating human behaviour through the relationship between reflection and action, this morality is often observed. Therefore, in the course currently entitled Human Sciences 101: Reflection and Action, both phiolosophy and morality are key themes. However, the calendar description for the course is as follows, “What is the relationship between thinking and action? Do they pull us in different directions? Can they be integrated? This course investigates how our own dialogue with core texts, from antiquity (e.g., Homer, Plato, Christian Scriptures) to the present (e.g., Joyce, Arendt), offers ways of understanding the dilemmas and issues raised by these texts and present in our culture” (Waterloo 2013). The description lacks a mention of the philosophical concepts of morality within the course's content. One of the core texts of the course where morality can be seen is Saint Augustine's Confessions, where Augustine explores a theological philosophy. The theme of morality is also seen in René Descartes' Discourse on Method and Related Writings, where Descartes proposes a scientific moral philosophy. Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem also explores morality through a philosophical examination of the relationship between thinking and committing evil. Therefore, the writings of Augustine, Descartes and Arendt each exhibit a philosophical perspective on morality which can be tied to the course's central theme of reflection and action. [END OF INTRODUCTION]
[AUGUSTINE START] In Confessions, Saint Augus...
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... this by also stipulating that acting reasonably leads to becoming as morally good as one's potential allows, by gaining all virtues one is capable of attaining. Therefore, it can be said that the ultimate purpose for reason in Descartes' moral philosophy is achieving virtue. Leading up to virtue, the process of judgement requires reflection, while the will requires action. This is due to the fact that judgement includes internal reflection on facts and concepts in order to form a judgement on them. The will, while formed by the judgement, in itself is usually connected to action because it is controls it. Thus, according to Descartes' moral philosophy, a scientific method can be seen where one thing follows another. Reflection is needed in order to form a judgement, which in turn influences the will, which prescribes whether or not to an action is to be carried out.
A disturbing thought about man’s ethical barometer is that most of the theories, categories and principles emanate from the point of man’s reason. There is a cause to shudder at the thought of man as the absolute authority of what is right and wrong; what is ethical and what is not. Born into a sinful nature, man will ultimately make decisions that will lead to a moral philosophy that is shaky at best. Even philosophers with the best of intentions fall short to God’s model for the order, organization, and meting out of ethical actions. Because of man’s finite vision of what should be done to improve the present situation, mankind will always be found lacking in making the best ethical decisions; not being able to see the long term outcome and the impact those decisions and actions would have on others in the world.
Vaughn, Lewis. Doing Ethics: Moral Reasoning and Contemporary Issues 3rd Edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. Print.
Humanity is taught to be moral, to do good and avoid evil. However those lessons become foolish when we ask what is morality, the thing that we are told to achieve. For many morality is doing what is good and doing good is moral. This roundabout answer may be satisfactory to some that only look at the surface of the issue, however once the digging begins the grad question of morality comes into question. While this question has been looked an infinite number of times without being universally solved certain patterns have been made in the conclusions great thinkers and scholars come to regarding morality. One of these particular ideas involves a rationalist perspective that rationality defines morality or that moral failings imply rational failings. This concept is supported by Shafer-Landau and Korsgaard while thinkers like Williams and Foot disagree with such a claim. It should be understood that morality and rationality are intertwined were a moral failing correlates with a rational failing.
The book entitled Meditations on First Philosophy is a philosophical treatise of Rene Descartes. It is first published in 1641 in Latin. Then, it is translated to several languages such as French in the latter years.
Thiroux, Jacques P., and Keith W. Krasemann. Ethics: Theory and Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.
This treatise is a contribution towards the understanding of why humankind cannot agree on the foundation of morality and why moral pluralism is the logical constitution of moral reality. The synergistic-reflective-equilibrium model is the model that will describe how persons can make moral decisions as pluralistic agents. If this model is correct, then it will not be a new discovery, rather, it will be a new description of how pluralistic agents do in fact make moral decisions. This synergistic-reflective-equilibrium description should then be useful not only in giving a fuller understanding of how moral decisions ought to be made, but also how moral philosophy can be united into a pluralistic collective whole.
* Rachels, James. “The Elements of Moral Philosophy,” Fourth Edition. McGraw Hill, New York, 2003.
"BBC - Ethics - Introduction to ethics: Subjectivism." BBC - Homepage. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
Descartes’ method is ultimately about finding the truth within yourself. He says that there are two types of people that would not benefit from his method: those who think they know more than they do and who lack the patience for such careful work, and those who are modest enough to think that they are more capable of finding out the truth if they follow a teacher. Descartes also creates a three to four maxim moral code to guide his behavior while he experiences his period...
Rosenstand, Nina. The Moral of the Story: An Introduction to Ethics, 6th Edition. McGraw-Hill Higher Education/CourseSmart, 2008. 241. Online book.
In René Descartes autobiographical book, Discourse on Method, he discusses an exceptionally insightful method in regards to reasoning he maliciously thought of during his life and how it has made great discoveries in the fields of math and sciences. After finishing the book, one passage in particular stuck out to me among all the others. In Part Three of his book, he conceives a four maxim moral code he uses as a model for his behavior. The second maxim was the one that sparked the most intrigue in me, it is about how he “was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I could” (Descartes, 14). The reason I found this passage to be interesting is because he wishes to always be very sure about each choice he makes because it eliminates the delay and doubt that our conscience produces while making decisions.
We need a critique of moral values, the value of these values should itself, for once, be examined?. [What if] morality itself were to blame if man, as a species, never reached his highest potential power and splendour? [GM P 6]
Harman, G. (2000). Is there a single true morality?. Explaining value and other essays in moral philosophy (pp. 77-99). Oxford: Clarendon Press ;.
Arthur, John, and Scalet, Steven, eds. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social, and Political Philosophy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Eighth Edition, 2009.
When considering morality, worthy to note first is that similar to Christian ethics, morality also embodies a specifically Christian distinction. Studying a master theologian such as St. Thomas Aquinas and gathering modern perspectives from James Keenan, S. J. and David Cloutier serve to build a foundation of the high goal of Christian morality. Morality is a primary goal of the faith community, because it is the vehicle for reaching human fulfillment and happiness. Therefore, great value can be placed on foundations of Christian morality such as the breakdown of law from Aquinas, the cultivation of virtues, the role of conscience in achieving morality, and the subject of sin described by Keenan.