Theo 3 test 1
When it comes to "absolute" principles in morality, we have to distinguish, claims Christian Smith. By "absolute," in a moral context, we might mean universally binding, pertaining to all people at all times. But it can also entail a general principle, which applies to all kinds of relevant situations. Which of the two does Christian Smith favor and why?
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Why, according to MacIntyre, are contemporary moral argument "interminable"?
According to MacIntyre, contemporary moral arguments are interminable in that they "apparently can find no terminus." MacIntyre says they are interminable because arguments are conceptually incommensurable, impersonal, and the wide variety of historical origins. Arguments are incommensurable in that the rival premises possess no rational way of weighing the claims of one against another. Arguments are impersonal in that the appeal is a type of consideration independent of the relationship between the speaker and hearer. Arguments are from a wide variety of historical origins in that different concepts came at different times and there comes about a complexity of the history and ancestral arguments. Arguments are incommensurable (no rational basis), impersonal (appeal to sense rather than relationship), and have historical origins (self explanatory).
What is so mystifying to Augustine about the pear tree incident?
Augustine admits that he stole the pears with his friends not because he was hungry or had any real need for them, but simply because they were there and no one was stopping them. This is an issue because Augustine had reached the age of reason and knew the difference between right and wrong, but he still stole the pears anyways.
Why, according to MacIntyre, did the Enlightenment project of justifying morality fail?
Because of discrepancies between the philosophers shared concepts of moral rules and precepts, as well as their conception of human nature. Morality was shared by their common Christian background, they had differing opinion on the human nature: some it was the passions, others rules of reason, others fundamental decision-making. Too many different arguments (house divided cannot stand).
Although all of these four people have very different views of the good life, Bellah describes them as "Different Voices in a Common Tradition." Why? What do all four share in common?
Bellah describes the four people as "Different Voices in a Common Tradition" because there is under the disagreements there is an underlying "consensus about the relationship between the individual and society, between private and public good." They want to be happy but have different ways of being happy. They all share a common moral vocabulary which is the "first language" of American individualism. They have trouble communicating their values. They tend to hold them opinion that the good life is individualistic -it is easier to think about how to get what they want than what exactly they should be wanting. Cannot justify the goals of a morally good life.
One of the arguments that emerging adults will sometimes use to defend their moral individualism is that there is a lot of disagreement among different people about morals. What sort of replies does Smith give to this argument?
Does NOT mean that there must not be an absolute answer. The arguments that emerging adults give are not sufficient enough. It is not that there is no right answer, it is the fact that we disagree about the answer doesn't necessarily mean that there is no right answer. When we disagree, it just simply means we disagree on something. It could be possible that there may not be a right answer, but yet we still look for the right answer. Just because there is disagreement, does not mean that there is no right answer. Disagreement is a result of varying opinions rather than concrete facts. (Ex: Cheating is wrong, lying is immoral, etc)
According to Christian Smith and his colleagues, are America's emerging adults concerned about "competitive consumption"? What kinds of responses do they generally give when the issue of their buying habits comes up? According to Smith and Juliet Schor, are there reasons that perhaps they should be more concerned?
Emerging adults are not concerned about "competitive consumerism." "A majority of emerging adults today thus appear quite positively disposed to materialism and consumerism, at least as far as surveys can measure that." Responses included "shopping and buying gave them a lot of pleasure" and "would be happier if they could afford to buy more things" and "things they own say a lot about how well they are doing in life." Makes them feel good about themselves, respected, confident, it's good for the economy. Should be more concerned: most Americans are in debt, they don't know the difference between their needs and wants. The don't know who they really are, and are shopping to try and gain an identity. Needs are influenced by social constructs most of the time. They cannot set limits because they are not taught how to think through meaningful ones.
How does our American tradition encourage us to think about justice? What is lacking, however, in this conception of justice?
Equality for everyone in terms of rights and freedom is the American tradition of justice. Equal opportunity for every individual to pursue whatever he/she understands to be happiness. Fair laws and political procedures applied in the same way for everyone. Lacking in this conception of justice is freedom of privilege (everyone gets same money, same car, same house, etc). It is lacking the vision of what this would actually look like. It is lacking a way to include the less fortunate into occupational and civic life. There is no common understanding of distributive justice.
Discuss the relationship between the gods, fate, free will, and obligations to others presupposed in the Aeneid. Compare these views with those of H.G. Wells as expressed in the movie Things to Come.
Fate rules over all, even the gods Actions of gods sometimes occur to change course of fate Man cannot escape his fate, is obligated to follow the path laid out for him
Explain the differences between having only a notion of freedom as freedom from external constraint as opposed to also adding the notion of freedom for excellence or for the good. What happens to love and commitment if we only have the first notion of freedom?
Freedom from external constraint - only working towards the individual, freeing self from confines of community, family, others This notion does not allow for love and commitment to develop because it cannot foster whole and complete relationships with others Would require obligations towards others
Early on in his life, Augustine had no words to be able to express his needs and desires. Soon, however, he was sent to school to learn reading and rhetoric. Discussion Augustine's judgment about his early education?
Grateful that he learned how to read/write/talk Knows it was essential Forced to go to school which made him very unhappy The goal of education according to teachers Wealth, power, success, status Augustine does not agree with these goals Would rather learn how to love God and neighbor and how to speak truth and morality School is teaching them rhetoric to convince people, not to speak the truth
When Augustine first read the Bible, did he find it inspiring? Explain.
He found it simple, the language wasn't as verbose as he was used to
Why is Augustine so unhappy with his youthful love of theatrical shows?
He was taking enjoyment from watching the pain of others. He thought he was being hypocritical because they
Why did Monica postpone Augustine's baptism? In making this decision for the reasons Augustine reports, what did she show she did not understand about baptism?
In childhood when Augustine suffered a life threatening illness, Monica planned to baptize him for his salvation. He recovered and Monica postponed his baptism, because she believed that if he was baptized as a child and continued to sin into adulthood, he would been more guilty in the eyes of God than if he had not been baptized at all and he would benefit from being baptized later as an adult. She did not know of original sin. Augustine wished that his mother did baptize him when she planned as it would have given him more direction against sin and put him in a community that would have disciplined his behaviors.
Is Augustine's Confessions an autobiography? If so, how does Augustine choose to write the story of his life?
It is an autobiography in a sense Talks more about how he learned from God instead of just recounting the events of his life Wants to talk more about how we can glorify God rather than a self-absorbed story
Christian Smith suggests that many emerging adults espouse a view he describes as "moral individualism." What is "moral individualism" and how does it differ from "moral relativism"? Has Christian Smith found that emerging adults have strong arguments to defend their moral individualism? Discuss and explain.
Moral Individualism is what Christian Smith found when conducting his research. That each individual when asked what is Morality, said it is relative to the person rather than a broad term. I might believe objective moral standards but I am not willing to impose those views on someone else. I should not judge someone else's moral judgements. Moral individualism is NOT moral relativism. Moral individualism is what I think is moral may not be what another person thinks is moral. I might believe in something but I am not willing to impose my beliefs on someone else. Also there is a notion that I should never judge someone else's moral judgements. When conducting an interview with emerging adults, Christian Smith noticed that they had a highly individualistic approach to morality. "They said that morality is a personal choice, entirely a matter of individual decision. Moral rights and moral wrongs are essentially matters of individual opinion." Moral Relativism is the view of moral judgements based on the culture or period of time. All moral judgements are morally relative or relative to the individuals. A moral relativist "oh you are not allowed to have that view because that is just the wrong view." However, a moral individualist would say "you can have whatever view since any view is fine by me because I am not suppose to judge anyone's way of thinking." Moral relativism is what people "make it for themselves or their culture, and that we can adjust our views of what is morally right and wrong to reflect those changes" No, they don't have strong arguments for that. Christian Smith found that it is not that emerging adults in this day and age are morally corrupt or even wrong, what he has found though is that there has been a lack in education. "They have had withheld from them something that every person deserves to have a chance to learn: how to think, speak, and act well on matters of good and bad, right and wrong." Emerging adults say you cannot judge people; therefore, they cannot critique a moral view. Christian Smith thinks that "all schools should be promoting the particular position that it is good to learn how to think clearly and coherently about important issues, including moral issues." Also, emerging adults do not have strong arguments for moral individualism because they don't window who and what they are an an individual.
Why do Americans have difficulty conceptualizing any different notion of justice, given these common views of "success" and "freedom"?
Moral traditions of today do not give many resources for thinking beyond procedural justice to SUBSTANTIAL justice, they do not consider distributive justice
When it comes to the sources of morality, many emerging adults said they simply didn't know. But there were others who ventured an opinion. Some seemed to think that morality was defined by what other people would think about you. Others thought that what was "good" was what functionally improved people's situations. Another group argued that the basis for morality was whether it hurts other people. Others suggested a social contract theory of morality. What are the reasons Smith finds each of these options wanting (that is to say, it fails)?
Morals based on what others would think of you is wrong because people have different opinions about different situations Overall all of these sources of morality lack distinction between the reason for the action and the effect Not all moral actions will cause a positive effect, but the reason for the action is still good in itself Oftentimes the right moral actions require costs and sacrifice Morality based on whether or not it hurts people is flawed because sometimes acting morally requires hurting others (ex. Disciplining a child, taking alcohol away from an alcoholic) Acting by this type of morality also contradicts moral relativism and individualism because it requires some moral standards and understanding of what is good or bad Social contract idea wrong because it deals with majority and minority votes/rules - fair to some unfair to others Does not explain human dignity or rights Not realistic because not everyone can agree on one thing so no morals will ever be objectively identified
What does Pope John Paul II say about the importance of the affirmation "Know Thyself"? Why is it important? Explain.
My way of thinking of Know Thyself is the understanding of your own gifts and strengths, but also your own weaknesses and limitations. We are not animals who do not know how to control ourselves. Pope John Paul II says, the admonition Know yourself was carved on the temple at Delphi, as a testimony to a basic truth to be adopted by those who seek to set themselves apart from the rest of creation as "human beings", that is as those who "know themselves." Knowing yourself is important because it is what gives you freedom, it is what makes you able to be a good human being, it helps you focus on fundamental questions that bring your life meaning. The passage states fundamental questions such as, "who am I? Where have I come from and where am I going? Etc," which determines the direction that we give to our lives. The answers you give to those fundamental questions shows how you will live your life; therefore, we want to think more consciously and become self aware. Understanding our talents and strengths, and our weaknesses and limitations. Knowing yourself is important because it is what gives you freedom to be better a person and answer the questions that bring your life meaning (who am I? Where have I come from and where am I going? Etc). This helps determine our purpose in life
In the first section of Habits of the Heart, Robert Bellah and his colleagues describe the lives of four different individuals: Brian Palmer, Joe Gorman, Margaret Oldham, and Wayne Bauer. Please describe each person's conception of the goals of a good life.
Palmer: devotion to family life, relationship based on mutual respect, admiration, affection, ability to give and receive freely, IMPORTANCE OF communication and honesty ACHIEVE PRIORITIES SET FOR SELF Gorman: achieving goals set by family and community, experience of togetherness, goals originate from tradition from family INTIMATE INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY Oldham: goals of good life based in being tolerant of others and being willing to learn from new experiences, independence and willingness to make the effort, self reliance LIBERATION FROM COMMUNITY AND FAMILY Bauer: political activism, individual rights and legal/political systems to implement justice PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL STRUGGLE TO CREATE MORE JUST SOCIETY
Bishop Robert Barron was asked to give a talk on Catholic morality. What did he prefer to talk about? Explain.
Robert Barron compared life to a play (we all know the lines to hamlet but the play is romeo and juliet) 5 acts (scenes) - from genesis, to fall, formation of israel, coming of messiah, church Church is for turning whole life into radical act of love Must know what play you're in to know who you are Cannot know how to act morally without knowing who you are first
In the final section of this chapter, Christian Smith proposes that "if these emerging adults are lost, it is because the larger culture and society into which they are being inducted is also lost." What, according to Smith, are the cultural factors that have left so many emerging adults "morally adrift," unable to think or reason clearly about moral questions?
Schools do not teach to address moral conflicts or hot button questions Students are taught to avoid , ignore and pretend the issues will go away Schools focus more on standardized tests, STEM programs Rise of internet and stories online - many true stories and articles mixed in with fake ones Competitive information that all claim the truth, moral relativism Young adults more willing to commit immoral acts indic lack of proper moral foundation Young adults unable to address or name certain moral dilemmas indic lack of understanding of what moral dilemmas are
When she saw that Augustine was interested in sex, why did Monica not insist that Augustine take a wife?
She believed that a wife would be a distraction from his studies and would impair his success later in life.
What topic fills the early sections of Book One of Augustine's Confessions?
Starts off with long praise to God Talks about how he didn't know what he was looking for Thought he was far from God but how can he be far if God is everywhere? Gives his thoughts on babies and infancy Not entirely innocent, very greedy Can't communicate which is essential for human beings Later talks about how he is grateful that school taught him this
How, according to Robert Bellah, do Americans tend to think about success? How do they tend to define it?
Success often defined by economic progress, moving up the hierarchy or corporate ladder
How does Alasdair MacIntyre describe the current state of our moral language?
The language of morality, Macintyre insists, was created many years ago and also underwent a great catastrophe prior to the beginnings of academic history. Thus, academic discourse on morality remains largely blind and lacking the language to describe moral order and disorder. The users of this language of morality are lost in vacant expressions.
What is the point of Walker Percy's self-examination questions? Explain.
The point of Percy's self-examination questions is to show people that they know a lot of things about the universe. But what do we not know a lot about, according to Percy?, Ourselves. Percy points out that we don't know ourselves, to know ourselves helps to know the world we live in. The point of Walker Percy's self-examination questions is to point out that we currently live in an age where we know so much about other things such as Astrology, Einstein's general theory of relativity but lack self knowledge. Percy wants us to realize that as humanity as a whole are struggling with an identity crisis. If we don't know ourselves, then we don't really know anything. The self-examination questions are to stimulate our own thoughts and ideas and truly contemplate our own purpose and meaning. The questions are so stimulating that you will be lost within your thoughts aka "lost in the cosmos".
How, then, do Americans tend to think of freedom? What is the central paradox that arises for Americans given their usual notion of freedom?
We have the freedom to say and do whatever we want. Freedom means freedom from external restraint for most Americans. Freedom from the demands of others. However, the central paradox that arises for Americans given their usual notion of freedom is not necessarily true since we can do anything I think reason/at our own risk (ex. Can't fly, breathe underwater, not supposed to lie, cheat, steal etc. The paradox is that there is confusion in the language: it is individualistic. If freedom is such, it makes it hard to have family, friends and work because ultimate freedom would include not having obligations to others.
According to Walker Percy, why are men and women subject to fashion?
We want to be the person (persona) with the cool car, nice person, hot girlfriend etc. Marketing schemes, subliminal messages in advertising. The fashion industry suggests that men and women are nothing without what is "new." Emerging adults don't know who they are and they are "told" the clothes(or the car) make the person. They are being sold a persona, not an item. Things they are buying make them appear a certain way to others, and everyone wants to be special, different, unique. They want what "defines" them. People subject to fashion because we are a void, a nothingness, that must be filled Trends fill the void until they are completely consumed then new trends are needed Fashion and external self are what people see - we want to stand out but also be part of the crowd
Something else emerging adults seem to feel strongly about is that, when it comes to moral matters, they don't want to "judge" anyone else. How does Christian Smith respond to this unwillingness to "judge" others?
Young adults do not want to judge others: response to this - sometimes judging is not meant to be condemning or belittling, judging should be done to assess, critique and evaluate other moral arguments
Aeneas has a very difficult and in many ways painful decision to make when he chooses to leave Carthage and his beloved Dido. Explain how each of the following would have advised Aeneas about what the "wise" choice to make would be. (Please include both their advice and why they would give the advice they give.)
a) the Stoic Epictetus b) Epicurus c) Aristophanes a.) The Stoic Epictetus would advise Aeneas to move on from Dido and do what he is obligated to do. They believe you should focus on what you can control and that you have an obligation to others. Stoics think that you need to put your passions or desires aside and focus on your obligations. Therefore, would advise to leave Dido and go to Rome. b.) Epicurus would have told Aeneas he should not have gotten attached in the first place and would have advised him to ultimately do what would ultimately cause him most pleasure and the least amount of pain. They believe in moderation while most evading pain. Epicurus, maximize pleasure and minimize pain, therefore would advice to stay with Dido or go fulfill your fate. Go wherever you will have the greatest amount happiness and least amount of pain. c.) Aristophanes would have advised Aeneas to stay if Dido were his soulmate and give in to his passions. Aristophanes believes the goal of life is to be with one's soulmate and giving oneself to passions and desires. One is to give oneself to love because that is one's obligation. Love is the most important thing.
