Ethics and Morality in Society
Ethics and Morality: The Science of Custom
Ethics
Ethics is the theoretical reflection on behaviors, norms, and values that shape morality.
Morality
Morality is a set of behaviors, norms, and values that govern a society at a given moment. It also encompasses an individual’s subjective set of behaviors, norms, and values. Objective (societal) and subjective (individual) morality may agree or disagree. If different, the individual may face societal criticism.
Morality concerns the set of rules, beliefs,
Read MoreMan, Morality, and the City of God: Augustine’s Philosophy
Man and the Moral Problem of Evil: Freedom
The human being is conceived as a Platonic-style soul inhabiting a body, which serves as a temporary dwelling. Created by God from the souls of the parents, the soul is superior to the body, simple, and immortal. The true self should aspire to unite with God to achieve true happiness and participate in the highest good. This union requires virtue and love for absolute truth. However, due to the consequences of original sin, man has a natural inclination
Read MoreTheology and Reason: Aquinas on Human Salvation
St. Thomas Aquinas on Theology and Reason
Location and Subject
St. Thomas Aquinas’s work belongs to the thirteenth century, the period of Medieval Philosophy. It represents the apogee of scholasticism, marking the second great synthesis of Christian philosophy attempting to reconcile faith with Aristotelian philosophy. This text explores the necessity of theology, or divine revelation, alongside reason, for human salvation.
Key Ideas
- Human salvation requires not only reason (philosophy) but also theology,
Scientific Methods and the Vienna Circle
Methods of Science
Method means “road,” and scientific method means “the road from experience to the formulation of a law or theory.”
Induction
Induction is the inference that we can go from specific cases to all cases. This generalization is unreliable, weak, and risky because a single case that doesn’t fit the theory can debunk it. Induction relies on metaphysical assumptions that are not empirically provable. While widespread, induction is irrelevant for formulating relevant scientific knowledge;
Read MoreAugustine of Hippo’s Philosophy: Journey of Self and Truth
Augustine of Hippo’s Philosophy
The Inner Journey and the Highest Reality
Augustine’s philosophy is a continuous exploration of the innermost self and the highest reality, encapsulated in his statement: “I want to know God and the soul.” This pursuit aligns with Neoplatonic thought, resulting in a synthesis of Christianity and Neoplatonism.
The Search for Truth
The quest for truth must begin with self-evident truths, countering the skepticism of the New Academy. Self-consciousness provides an irrefutable
Read MorePhilosophy: Learning vs. Philosophizing, Universe Origins, Meaning
1. Philosophy: Learning vs. Philosophizing
Learning philosophy involves understanding fundamental questions and historical responses. Philosophizing is reflecting on these questions, a defining characteristic of philosophy.
2. Distinguishing Learning from Philosophizing
Learning philosophy focuses on key historical questions. Philosophizing emphasizes thinking independently and engaging in philosophical dialogue.
3. Classifying Philosophical Questions
Questions are categorized into theoretical (e.g.,
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