philosophical ethics

A detailed Summary of philosophical ethics

Aristotle's' Doctrine of the Mean states that there are three kinds of dispositions, two of them vices, involving excess and deficiency and one virtue which is the intermediate or mean. Aristotle considers the act of courage to be a mean concerning fear and confidence. With the deficiency of courage being cowardice and the excess being rashness. In his Nicomachean Ethics, he goes into detail about what courage is and what qualifies a person as being courageous. Aristotle states "The man, then, who faces and who fears the right things with the right aim, in the right way and at the right time, and who feels confidence under the corresponding conditions, is brave; for the brave man feels and acts according to the merits of the case and in whatever way reason directs" (Aristotle, Book 111, chp. 7). He is essentially saying that a brave man is a noble man as well.

Aristotle also indicates that the brave man is fearless of most things and is concerned with only the greatest of things. A brave man then, is one who stands his ground in the face of death since death is the end and it the most terrible of all things, however, not all instances of death are great enough to make a brave man quiver. Deaths inv

In the third and final case, Aristotle would count this action as to be the most courageous and bravest. The action in discussion is that of the Japanese pilot whom in the time of war volunteered to fly his plan into a warship, knowing he would lose his life. The reason Aristotle would count this action as being courageous and not stupid is that it takes place in the time of war and battle. He feels that deaths that occur in battle are the noblest for that take place in the greatest and noblest danger. Aristotle says that a person who is fearless in the face of a noble death is brave and has great courage. This kamikaze pilot is only twenty-two years old and volunteers for the mission knowing he will die in battle. This is exactly what Aristotle says in courage, a person acting fearless in the face of a noble death. In addition, this is the highest degree of a courageous and noble death a person can obtain in the mind of Aristotle.

However, in the case of the thirty year-old Indian woman who kills herself after her husband dies, Aristotle would clearly and openly view that as an action of cowardice. Taking ones life is not an act of courage but rather an act of cowardice for they are not strong enough to withstand pain and choose the easy way out. Aristotle states that is softness to fly from what is troublesome and that it is harder to face what is painful than to abstain from what is pleasant. I as well do not believe in the Hindu act of suttee for it is indeed acting in a cowardly manner. Death of a loved one is the hardest thing to endure, but it is a part of life and something that makes one stronger mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Aristotle would consider this woman courageous if she had not done what she had done. This woman w

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