Unit 3 Test Review

Chapters 7 & 8

     Who compared the good to the sun?

He believed the closest we come to the good is in contemplation.

He believed that philosophers were closest to the good.

In his work The Republic he taught that the ideal city-state would be ruled by philosopher-kings.

Struggled against the teachings of sophism: it argued that there is no truth, moral values were relative.

Plato

   ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Believed that philosophers were most likely to succeed in search for happiness and the good.

Thought his teacher’s view of the good was too abstract.

Taught: ◦ Absolute good can only be found in God.

◦ Good is inscribed by God into the nature of all things.

To find the good: find its purpose.

Good found in the middle ground, not in extremes Highest form of happiness to live an ethical life.

To engage ethically is to engage our capacity to reason.

Aristotle

     Made extensive use of Aristotle’s teachings.

Agreed with Aristotle: the ethical comes from the end inscribed in all creatures.

God is the highest good.

Believed in a fuller happiness called “Blessedness” found only in a loving vision of God.

People live the good life by using intelligence & senses, desires,

St. Thomas Aquinas

Name the Cardinal Virtue (wait for the description!)

    How to act well in relation to others ◦ Justice How to balance one’s exercise of the emotions.

◦ Temperance ◦ (Moderation) How to reason well in moral decision making ◦ Prudence How to face life’s difficulties, the mean between being foolhardy and cowardly ◦ Courage ◦ Fortitude

 The infinite Good, who is God, is a the heart of ethics  The other calls one to the highest good.

Emmanuel Levinas

     Good is only good if done out of duty An act is not moral if you enjoy doing it.

Reason dictates what is good.

The only good is a good will.

Never use a person as a means

Immanuel Kant

Whose ethics was deontological?



Immanuel Kant

Who taught a teleological ethics?

 Aristotle  St. Thomas Aquinas

Catholicism’s 3 ways of pursuing the good?

 Teleological ◦ Natural ethics  Deontological ◦ Obligation & duty  Follow the teachings of the Gospel.

  There are no recipes since we’re all unique These people provide standards of excellence that we can follow in our own lives.

The communion of the saints

        Firm attitudes Stable dispositions Habitual perfections Govern our actions Order our passions Guide our actions according to reason & faith Make possible ease & self-mastery in leading a good life Are acquired by human effort

Virtues

    Connected to taking proper care of oneself Touches on the basic appetites and passions Part of one’s desire for self preservation Is a love that is life-giving & selfless

Temperance

   Shows: ◦ Respect ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Reverence Patience Selflessness Maturity The integration of one’s sexuality, an apprenticeship in self-mastery Reflects the classic rule about sexuality ◦ Unitive & procreative

Chastity

 Anxious concern for the other  Arises out of a regard for the other

Solicitude

     Stable sets or systems of meanings, beliefs & values that promote our search for the good.

Give structure to our societal expectations The backbone of the common good Spaces for acting together, where justice & equality are central E.g., ◦ Family ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ The state Health Care Churches Market economy

Institutions

  The highest expression of a norm of action.

Requires ◦ One (or more) to make it ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ A specific directive of action Consideration for the common good Being intended for a specific group obligation

LAW

 Interpretation of Divine or God’s Law  Guides practice and teaching of the Church

Canon Law (Ecclesiastical Law)

 Focuses on the general well-being of all in society  Seeks to meet the needs of all people  Protects the freedom of all

The Common Good

Apply generally in all circumstances

 E.g., ◦ You shall not murder ◦ Always be just ◦ The Golden Rule  Absolute Rules

 Apply in all circumstances unless another compelling rule is in conflict

Generally Binding Rules

Nuggets of wisdom?



Maxims



Proverbs

   “Written & engraved on the soul” Written within our capacity to reason “is the light of understanding placed in us by God.”

Natural Law



The principle of synderesis



Do good and avoid evil.

1 st law principle of natural

Name the Theological Virtues

 Faith  Hope  Love ◦ Caritas or charity

 Based on reason  Promulgated  By legitimate authority  For the common good

Good Law (characteristics of)