Scenario: George noticed that his neighbor's home was infiltrated by a two men and he knew they were going to steal her belongings. At first, he calls the police for help and they told him to present the neighbor's home address. However, in mid conversation, he hears a scream from the woman inside the home and instinctively rushed to protect her from these malicious men. The next day, a news reporter interviews the man asking, " why did you place yourself in harms way?" George responded, " I couldn't bear of having the guilt or conscious of noticing a crime happen and just sit there and watch it happen--I was happy to save a life."
Happiness: Good for its own sake. Virtuous: Is led by reason.
Based on the viewpoint of Aristotle, was this a virtuous action or an action that would make him happy?
I think it can be both, giving a sense of happiness and an accomplishment of completing a virtuous act. He still saved the woman out of the kindness of his heart. I think when someone does good based on something so pure as happiness and kindness then the act of doing so remains virtuous. He acted on the spot because he heard her scream not because he thought he would have some reward in the end. He acted on instinct therefore it is a virtuous act.
ReplyDeleteThe response of George was based off altruism.Which basically means the act of sacrificing oneself for another. In this case, George is sacrificing his safety or even his life for his neighbor. Aristotle states that happiness is "good for own sake" and Virtuous "is led by reason." I'm going to lean more towards a "virtuous action," only based on the story George decides to directly intervene in this situation because he couldn't bare the thought of anything possibly happening to her when he could have helped. So in this scenario the reason is guilt. George was led by guilt so he made the conscious decision to help and or protect her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Erica in that it can be both. It satisfies the criteria discussed in class of what defines a virtuous act in terms of Aristotle. The man knew that what he was doing was virtuous, and he decided to perform it because it was virtuous. The fact that doing a good deed makes him happy should have nothing to do with whether it is virtuous or not. He is happy because the woman is safe, and this fact would make any morally upright person happy.
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ReplyDeleteIt Can Definitely Be Both. Happiness Comes From Doing Good Things For People/Virtuous Actions.
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