(1) Question:
Do human beings have the natural tendency to good, a natural tendency to evil, or some combination of tendencies? What are the implications of the answer for ethics?
(2) Conceptual Clarifications:
Natural Tendency - means to approach or direction with no other factors affecting
Good - favorable conduct
Evil - bad conduct
(3) Answer:
Human beings don't have an extreme of a tendency to be evil, only good. Everyone is all raised to do the righteous act of good. However, others might confuse the act or were raised in an evil system of some sort. Everyone has a good tendency to either help themselves or others with no intention on harming or affecting others. An evil tendency is knowing that the decision was unethical and knowing that the decision would only harm and/or affect others in a negative manner. In any kind of dilemma, we go through a mental process to weigh our consequences, ideals, obligations in order to make a more educated decision. When you do weigh the consequences everyone normally doesn't approve the consequences regarding getting penalized. Also no one doesn't have any intention on destroying there own ideals they grew up to learn and live by. Some might ruin obligations but normally don't because it might have a factor on their own dignity. So human beings at first glance of a dilemma have a tendency of good, unless being acted upon by another factor might make them make a more evil tendency. Aristotle's ethics states, "The good of human beings cannot be answered with the exactitude of a mathematical problem since mathematics starts with general principles and argues to conclusions"(Aristotle). This might sound like it contradicts my issue, but if the natural tendency has no factors or additional problems(arguing) then all that is left is just the good for human beings.
(4) Example:
A man is leaving a local Wal-Mart store, you've seen him around before, so you know hes a local of the area. Upon checking out he leaves a whole bag of expensive electronic items; mp3 players, video games, and accessories for phones. He most likely has bought these items for his children who are around your age, and you have an interest in all he had just purchased. You notice he leaves the bag by accident but the cashier is too busy to notice. Your immediate ethical dilemma is whether you should take the bag and keep it for yourself, or return the bag to the rightful owner. In your mind you quickly weigh your consequences, obligations and ideals. Being caught and accused of stealing is the last thing you would want, and that would be your good conscience shining right away before your bad conscience does. Your good conscience represents your good tendency and bad conscience represents your evil tendency. However if another factor was to come into play, your decision might be different. Lets say it is near Christmas, and you are in poverty and cannot get another for your family and friends. Seeing the bag full of merchandise might be a lot more appealing to take rather than weighing the consequences. So with a change in the scenario the tendencies change, but naturally really just depends on the position and scenario of the problem or dilemma. So the natural tendency with no other factors involved would be the intention of a good tendency.
(5) Word Count:
534
(6) Image:
Ying Yang represents the good and evil of decisions.
(7) References:
Ruggiero. (2008). Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. McGraw Hill.
Kraut, Richard. "Aristotle's Ethics". Philosophy 302. 20 April 2009 http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/aristotle1.html.
Do human beings have the natural tendency to good, a natural tendency to evil, or some combination of tendencies? What are the implications of the answer for ethics?
(2) Conceptual Clarifications:
Natural Tendency - means to approach or direction with no other factors affecting
Good - favorable conduct
Evil - bad conduct
(3) Answer:
Human beings don't have an extreme of a tendency to be evil, only good. Everyone is all raised to do the righteous act of good. However, others might confuse the act or were raised in an evil system of some sort. Everyone has a good tendency to either help themselves or others with no intention on harming or affecting others. An evil tendency is knowing that the decision was unethical and knowing that the decision would only harm and/or affect others in a negative manner. In any kind of dilemma, we go through a mental process to weigh our consequences, ideals, obligations in order to make a more educated decision. When you do weigh the consequences everyone normally doesn't approve the consequences regarding getting penalized. Also no one doesn't have any intention on destroying there own ideals they grew up to learn and live by. Some might ruin obligations but normally don't because it might have a factor on their own dignity. So human beings at first glance of a dilemma have a tendency of good, unless being acted upon by another factor might make them make a more evil tendency. Aristotle's ethics states, "The good of human beings cannot be answered with the exactitude of a mathematical problem since mathematics starts with general principles and argues to conclusions"(Aristotle). This might sound like it contradicts my issue, but if the natural tendency has no factors or additional problems(arguing) then all that is left is just the good for human beings.
(4) Example:
A man is leaving a local Wal-Mart store, you've seen him around before, so you know hes a local of the area. Upon checking out he leaves a whole bag of expensive electronic items; mp3 players, video games, and accessories for phones. He most likely has bought these items for his children who are around your age, and you have an interest in all he had just purchased. You notice he leaves the bag by accident but the cashier is too busy to notice. Your immediate ethical dilemma is whether you should take the bag and keep it for yourself, or return the bag to the rightful owner. In your mind you quickly weigh your consequences, obligations and ideals. Being caught and accused of stealing is the last thing you would want, and that would be your good conscience shining right away before your bad conscience does. Your good conscience represents your good tendency and bad conscience represents your evil tendency. However if another factor was to come into play, your decision might be different. Lets say it is near Christmas, and you are in poverty and cannot get another for your family and friends. Seeing the bag full of merchandise might be a lot more appealing to take rather than weighing the consequences. So with a change in the scenario the tendencies change, but naturally really just depends on the position and scenario of the problem or dilemma. So the natural tendency with no other factors involved would be the intention of a good tendency.
(5) Word Count:
534
(6) Image:
Ying Yang represents the good and evil of decisions.
(7) References:
Ruggiero. (2008). Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. McGraw Hill.
Kraut, Richard. "Aristotle's Ethics". Philosophy 302. 20 April 2009 http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/aristotle1.html.
