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These actions and beliefs, together with our genetic predispositions, help define who we are and what we want from our lives. The philosophical impact of classroom discussions on ethics is an excellent way to shape and encourage an ideal and unregretable life. The roll of a structured analysis of morality, one that is unlikely to be undertaken otherwise, should greatly influence future decisions of ethical bearing. They, however, are not the primary motivational forces in life, and while they are valuable resource, they are overshadowed by other influences and desires. Aristotle once said “Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements, but in virtuous activities.” For me, life’s circumstances have given me a strong desire to fulfill my potential and to affect society in a positive manner. This, desire, however, sometimes runs contrary to a need for happiness and enjoyment of every day life. To excel is one thing, but over-ambition is a vice. It is important, to me to be well rounded and without too many regrets. This balance, for me, is the basis of good and happy living. My personal ideas and values have been shaped and changed quite often in my life, but there foundation has always been set in my close bonds to my friends and family. These bonds are the basis for the majority of my decisions and desires. My Friends and family are all hard working and extremely caring, and are an example of the limitlessness of the human spirit. Many of the class discussions caused me to reflect on my relatives and companions, and to better appreciate their contributions. My parents had very little money when I was young, but, through hard work, they have changed that. My father worked seventy plus hours a week and went to school full time, while my mother took care of my sister and me. Eventually, my mother attended, and graduated, college at night, and together my parents would now be considered upper middle class. Yet, even when we had no money, there was always love in the house. My friends are equally hard working and caring. Together, their inspiration gives me a desire to help my friends and family, but my rationale makes me wish to extend help beyond that. Friends are chosen, but only in a limited geographic environment, and parents are not chosen at all. Assisting only friends and family would be based on an arbitrary view that is irrational at the least. As I look at my classmates, I begin to recognize the many similarities between people in general, and their societal connection to me. So, while my friends and family show me the goodness of the world, they also inspire to contribute to society as a whole. When I come to define my core ethical beliefs and motivations, I find that I now rely on a mixture of duty and virtue. Duty is not meant in the militaristic or authoritarian sense. It is not something someone is told to do. Rather, it is an ideal, based on a self-evident and rational view, of what should be done in a given situation. Imannual Kant once defined duty ethics in his Universal Law Formulation: “act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law of nature.” This is not a complete definition, but it gives a good example of what duty ethics entails. It is also based more on intent than on action. Virtue ethics are, on the other hand, more concerned with the intent behind the action. It is difficult to completely define virtue, but one of the handouts I received in class puts it best, “Virtue is the firm desire to do good for its own sake”. This is one of the better definitions that I have come across. Aristotle’s assessment of the virtue lying amidst the balance of extremes is a little more specific, but a little less sure-fitting. I feel that neither of the two philosophies is complete in itself, or even when blended together. I sometimes try to use a bit of utilitarian ethics. That is, ethics based on the idea that the action that results in the greatest happiness is the greatest good. The goal of this amalgamation of ethical ideas is to form a complete and all encompassing view of moral decisions. This, I feel, gives me the greatest chance of discerning the right from the wrong. The divergent opinions of many of my classmates have led me to believe that the greatest affront to making a morally sound decision depends upon the enormity of the choice. The greater immoral transgressions seem to be committed out of ignorance for what is right or wrong. The lesser, more usual immoralities, such as apathy and gluttony are, pardon the pun, easier to stomach. They are much more likely to be perpetrated without excuse. One of the greatest benefits of disagreement is self-examination. The conclusions that I have formed from ethical reviews shall reverberate in my future behavior and disposition. I will be sure to make more contemplative decisions on larger ethical issues, and try to be more stern and willful in my avoidance of smaller lapses. Bibliography: Word Count: 946
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