In society today, people conduct themselves differently according to situations they may face or even in their daily interactions. The principle that may be used to govern these behaviors in every field of study is called ethics. This branch of science contains various philosophers such as Aristotle and Kant who have researched on how people conduct themselves in various situations. This essay will analyze various moral principles given by different philosophers such as Aristotle and Kant.
Aristotle Doctrine
According to Aristotle, when one is stuck in a situation he/she has an idea of how to handle the situation without making a judgment on any general principle. He explains that good moral conduct is the actions done without awareness and that good living is life without having forethought routine ( Aristotle, 2002). This good living is accompanied by the virtue which he explains it to be the habit of taking no action and that something can hold itself actively. He further explains that these virtues are evident insight especially when an action is done and if this action is held in a balanced state in a person, these actions build character since one performs the actions considering all relevant facts.
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In addition to Aristotle's understanding of virtue, he also states that these actions may be mean. He clarifies the term mean by saying that means is a situation where one has two weaknesses in character where one is more dominant than the other which affects a person when judging this makes the soul active when performing actions ( Aristotle, 2002). Through mean, Aristotle explains that for one to have a good character the soul must be fully satisfied and all hindrances are solved. He summarizes his view on moral conduct by stating that virtues are useful to performing right actions and that whatever a person with good character is interested in and has desires on it has to see it as beautiful so that it will give the right reasoning.
Kant Moral Theory
Kant, another philosopher states that a person acting willingly is a moral duty and it does not depend on whether the action is right or wrong. He explains that this moral responsibility plays a major role when one is acting and refers to this duty as the categorical imperative. In his explanation about categorical imperative, he states that people have to follow the moral duty despite the desires and the contradictions one may face while acting. Kant justifies this principle by stating that all morally accepted values are covered by the CI and that the immoral actions are nonsensical and that they violate this principle ( Surprenant, 2014). Despite other philosophers disagreeing with Kant's principle by arguing that moral requirements would be based on the measure of a person on his/her capability to reason, he later agreed that the analysis of this reasoning should depend on the requirements that influence capable reasoning ( Louden, 1986). These requirements should adhere to the instrumental principles which expects one to do anything possible as long the set goals are achieved and the objectives are satisfied.
All reasons considered, Kant's principle CI has been the essential principle when moral actions are being conducted making his philosophy on morality becoming more practical and actions have gone well ( Surprenant, 2014). Kant thought on the reason of self-governing and has offered grounds for one to choose his views as equally worth and respected
Discussion
Aristotle and Kant are the most considered to have the same properties of interest on human good and moral codes. The challenge is that there is no reconciliation between the ethics of Kant that are more dominant and those of Aristotle that dictates that full happiness is a combination of the external and undetermined factors of ethics.
Aristotle explains how a person of good actions has his interests and considerations put in his way of thinking. The person may take pleasures in the actions or may also decline from taking the action. Through this, this person is respected since his soul can weigh between interests and deliberations to satisfy his soul. However, according to Kant, being virtuous involves doing the right actions following the moral duty instead of following one's passion when acting ( Louden, 1986). While trying to understand describe what being virtuous means, first, Aristotle explains that a person's happiness and the satisfaction of his passion may describe the success of having good character and can influence a character that one may show when all his wants are fulfilled. Before Aristotle, Kant describes virtue based on the character that deserves moral duty and hence there exists a lot of satisfaction to a person's passion.
Since Kant fails to understand the importance of considering one's interest the conflict of these ideas remain because Aristotle cannot also agree with Kant when he says that consistency of character is due to aligning with moral duty and what can be hoped for. One can prefer the Kant description of virtue since one is guided by moral codes when taking actions which will reduce wrong actions in society ( Surprenant, 2014). Kant has clearly explained that consideration of moral codes will bring consistency and the best character will be achieved
Summary
Considering all facts given by the philosophers, Aristotle who explains that actions one takes do not need any principle or rule when been taken and that they need not be justified, he does not consider what the moral codes dictate ( Louden, 1986). His approach gives a chance to people conducting wrong actions since they will argue that they did the actions concerning the satisfaction of their passions and deliberations. Despite Kant considering the moral codes as part of factors that influence good actions, he does not ensure that one's objective while acting is met.
In my opinion, Kant has tried to make sure that good morals have been upheld since the moral codes majorly outline on good behavior principles. Through the moral codes, it easy to come up with laws to govern the bad behaviors where one is to be responsible for their actions. Making one responsible for their actions will improve morality in society and also bring harmony since everyone will be virtuous.
References
Aristotle. (2002). Nicomachean Ethics . (J. Sachs, Trans.). Newbury, MA: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins. (Original work published 384–322 b.c.).
Louden, R. B. (1986). Kant's Virtue Ethics. Philosophy 61, 473-489. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/16E2D3190B42A5CFFB9E0FC6C930F6B5/S0031819100061246a.pdf/kants_virtue_ethics.pdf
Surprenant, W. C. (2014). Kant and the Cultivation of Virtue (Routledge Studies in Eighteenth-Century Philosophy) (1 st ed)). New York: Routledge.
