The Greatest Good For A Man - 840 Words

â€Å"The greatest good for a man [is] to discuss virtue everyday, for the unexamined life,† solemnly declared Socrates â€Å"is not worth living† (38a). In perhaps his most iconic and profound statement, Socrates establishes himself as an early proponent of eudemonism, presents the foundation for his philosophical ideologies, and debases any life that does not actively pursue knowledge and virtue. Through his persistent introspection and questioning of societal values, Socrates exemplifies key characteristics of the examined life. And although perpetual contemplation presents significant internal and external challenges, the benefits of living an examined life substantially outweigh its disadvantages as illustrated by Socrates in Plato’s various texts. But what exactly is the examined life and what are its components? In The Apology, Socrates conveys the importance of relinquishing material possessions or bodily pursuits, and instead seeking the â€Å"best possible state of your soul† (30a). According to Socrates, in order to live a truly satisfying life, one must stop concerning themselves with wealth or their physical complexion, and instead care for their soul by living a life of excellence. Thus, to live an examined life is to care for one’s soul by being virtuous and constantly seeking wisdom. Socrates embodies both of these ideals through his actions and personality. His virtuosity is best represented in Crito. When Socrates’s friend, Crito, attempts to break him out of prisonShow MoreRelatedUtilitarianism : The Greatest Happiness Principle1176 Words   |  5 PagesMill describes utilitarianism, also known as â€Å"The greatest happiness principle†, as a philosophical theory of morality. This theory is focused on the end result (a consequential theory) rather than the motive behind it. It argues that the morality of the action is solely dependent on the action’s results. The action is morally ethical as long as it produces the greatest happiness for the majority of people involved. Mill mentions, â€Å"†¦ the greatest happiness principle holds that actions are rightRead MoreDr. Ethos, The Chief Resident Of A Hospital1591 Words   |  7 Pages Dr. Ethos, the chief resident of a hospital is faced with a dilemma. He needs to figure out what to do in the following scenario. A mean, cranky old man walks into the hospital. The old man is complaining about a painful toothache and through his relentless complaining, he is seen by Dr. Ethos. In the middle of the old man’s examination, the doctor is immediately paged to different room. In that room, there are ten young men and woman, between the ages of 15 and 35; they desperately need differentRead MoreEssay about Utilitarianism785 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is Utilitarianism? Utilitarianism is a philosophical concept that holds an action to be held right if it tends to promote happiness for the greatest number of people. Utilitarians define the morally right actions as those actions that maximize some non-moral good or happiness and minimize some non-moral evil. Pleasure is an example of a non-moral good and pain is an example of a non- moral evil. A utilitarian will fous on the consequences of an act rather than on the intristic nature of the actRead MoreTrue Happiness Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, happiness is the ultimate end of humanity, as everything humans do is done in order to obtain it, and it is gained via the achievement of full excellence of the soul. Happiness is the greatest of all human good, because, as an end, it is an end unto itself, meaning that humans do not use it as a means to any other end. It is not conditional happiness that Aristotle lauds, but rather something that is more akin to the modern definition of joy. The practiceRead MoreEthical Virtue and Nobility Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pagesof courage. This virtue aims at what is noble, namely the common good, and this noble end is reached through courageous acts done by a brave man. There is a direct relationship between becoming good and loving what is noble. In order to become a good person, one must be conditioned to love what is noble and hate what is ignoble. This person will develop the proper character and be able to perform virtuous acts. One cannot become good without reverence for nobility. Furthermore, there also is a directRead MoreThe Trolley Problem, By Philippa Foot917 Words   |  4 Pagesas they tend to promote happiness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Stuart Mill 575), in other words, if there is a situation where there can be more than one solution, the most right or the most good action would be the one that creates happiness for the greatest amount of people. In the case of the Trolley Problem, the right solution should be to save the greatest number of people, even if it is at the cost of an innocent life, as this would create more happiness than if you saved only one person. Five lives are more valuableRead MoreExamples Of Utilitarianism And The Trolley Problem1208 Words   |  5 PagesUtilitarianism and The Trolley Problem Utilitarianism is an ethical principle that states that everyone should act in the way that will bring out the most good for the majority. If this were true then most people would make the decision to save five people even if it required murder or one. The Trolley Problem dives right into this core issue by describing a decision making scenario. Utilitarianism is damaged as an ethical theory because it oversimplifies this decision, and other decisions likeRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Mill Utilitarianism1004 Words   |  5 Pagesanism: Bentham VS. Mill Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that holds the morally right course of action in any given situation is the course of which yields the greatest balance of benefits over harms. More specifically, utilitarianism’s core idea is that the effects of an action determine whether actions are morally right or wrong. Created with the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), Utilitarianism began in England in the 19th Century. BenthamRead MoreImmanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill948 Words   |  4 Pagespeople’s lives? Would you do it? Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill would give you strongly contrasting opinions. A person should not kill another to benefit five others. It would be a wrong thing to do, but Mill would disagree. Kant believed that good intentions count and that the morality of an action is determined by the intentions behind it rather than its consequences. Kant says that the consequences are irrelevan t to assessments of moral worth, which contrasts sharply with Mill’s utilitarianismRead MoreKant elucidate the meaning of human good by talking about three qualities: power, pleasure and600 Words   |  3 Pagesmeaning of human good by talking about three qualities: power, pleasure and dignity. By reading each of the philosopher’s text individually, the reader is able to recognize which quality is most imperative to each philosopher. Additionally, each philosopher illuminates the importance of that certain good and provides a feasible reason for their choosing by presenting general ideas that enables the reader to gain a meticulous understanding of their subjective meaning of each good and its importance