Ethics Outline

2nd Semester 2008

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Ethics Nature

ANIMAL

Culture Point where history began

3 Theories of Existence >Creation Theory >Theory of Evolution >Genetic-Engineering Theory

RATIONAL -human behavior, language, drama, arts

Aristotle: Zoon Logon Echon (Man is a rational animal) >LIVED EXPERIENCE-human intellect alone -conscious of one’s existence “THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE”—from: e.g

a. ignorance”knowledge is power” b. Poverty c. Injustice “Life, Liberty & the pursuit of happiness”

Sources of: 1. Religion- myth, theocentric, literature 2. Philosophy- in between (Bertrand Russell: Philosophy is the bridge that spans the gap…) -coined by Pythagoras in 800 B.C 3. Science- changes. E.g: 8 planets: Pluto is not a planet since it did not undergo a process of evolution unlike the others. -based not on principles, but on theories -“The world is a phallus-centered reality” HIStory Pythagoras- “Homo Mensura” -Man is the measured of all things -TRUTH is not universal -Intellectual Masturbation ETHICS-is a system to have knowledge - Philosophical study of human action to determine whether it is bad or good. SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE 1. Human acts 2. Language- meaningful sound; Sophists-words can not describe everything -experience is composed of extra-linguistic elements. 3. Arts

SUBJECT-balance; harmony ARISTOTLE- (Organon) “All knowledge must start with sense perception” (Ethics) Value Judgment- Mental Assertion (Affirmation) –that there are some things other than the subject itself!

>principle of contradiction >principle of identity -“Do not doubt what is obvious” PHILOSOPHY- love of wisdom… Lover has intense passion. Wisdom- ability to render good judgment Questions Knowledge: who when what where how why Philosophy- underlying principle of being (scholastic) a. Thales- “water” THEOCENTRIC GOD- God is the center b. Heraclitus- “fire” -Pre-Socratic- anthropomorphic conception c. Anaximander- “aer” - “root cause” d. Pythagoras- “The One” e. 100 B.C SOPHISTS- “can we know?” a. Reality- change b. Language- can not capture reality Socrates—taken as—Socratic-Plato. “An unexamined life is not worth living” “WHAT IS HUMAN NATURE?” Academy: Plato-Soul is intelligent Lyceum: Aristotle-Philosophy as a systematic study. “WHO AM I?”- Theory of the Divided Line – Allegory of the Cave Organon-first book in logic >Narratives- drama- speeches -Myth- Yaweh, Bible, Word of God - Brahma- Buddha - Allah

SUBJECT- w/ lived experience, i.e. conscious of his/her existence “The first premise of all [human] history is the existence of a living subject which is conscious” “Regardless of our will, we enter a social relationship” Absolute

Alienates/estranged- No conscious exp: Socrates= “Who am I?” FULL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT- meaningful sound True Good Beautiful - knowledge, justice NATURE OF HUMAN

REASON HUMAN ACTION-good or evil Acts of human HUMAN ACTS (vs. acts of man)

LANGUAGE ART

-voluntary -done w/ knowledge -proper to man as man because he alone has knowledge and freedom of will -we are conscious, under control -which man is master. Wherein he has the power of doing & not doing as one pleases.