Philosophy Prospectus: Why Should We Be Moral? Coursework

My Chosen Problem

My problem for this exercise is this question: “Why Should We Be Moral?” The question or problem of morality arises from ethical principles. Human belief is the foundation of morality. This explains why different philosophers have presented critical ideas in order to address this question of morality. Immanuel Kant uses the term Moral Law to explain why human beings should act in a universal manner. Kant expects “human beings to treat one another as an end” (Feinberg and Shafer-Landau 38). Morality explains why people should make their actions a maxim (Rachels and Rachels 58). This explains why morality is a norm. Human beings experience this norm naturally. Every child should also be encouraged to act in an ethical manner. Some people act morally when they want to benefit from their actions. Such individuals might act immorally when dealing with other people. This explains why philosophers have presented some arguments to justify morality.

Annotated bibliography

I have selected the resources below to develop my final essay.

1. Rachels, James and Stuart Rachels. Problems from Philosophy. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. Print.
   This book offers a spectacular introduction to philosophy. It examines the lives and ideas of great philosophers. The book analyzes some philosophical problems such as human morality and freedom in an attempt to define human relationship.
2. Wood, Allen. Kant’s Ethical Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.
   This book offers a critical analysis of Immanuel Kant’s ethics. The author explains why Immanuel Kant presents some of the best ideas towards human ethics and moral principles. The text also supports the formula of humanity. This formula also supports Kant’s categorical imperative.
3. Pojman, Louis and James Fieser. Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
   This text explores the major fields of philosophy. The authors explore the theories of knowledge and moral philosophy in details. The authors use different arguments by great philosophers such as Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and John Locke to reexamine the question of human ethics.
4. Feinberg, Joel and Russ Shafer-Landau. Reason and Responsibility: Readings in Some Basic Problems of Philosophy. Cengage: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
   This book presents a wide range of philosophical topics such as philosophy of mind, epistemology, and ethics. It examines the question of morality from a philosophical perspective. The book helps the reader understand every issue about moral philosophy and meaning of human existence.
5. Beckwith, Francis. Do the Right Thing: Readings in Applied Ethics and Social Philosophy. Cengage: Cengage Learning, 2001. Print.
   The author of this book begins by highlighting the ethical issues and theories in our modern world. The book also presents meaningful cases and examples to examine human behavior. This presents the best ideas and concepts towards understanding the importance of morality and social philosophy in our society.

My Position

My overall position is that every person should abide by common moral guidelines. This practice serves “the best interests and expectations of the global population” (Beckwith 38). According to Aristotle, rational activity compels human beings to act ethically and identify the meaning of life. Every person should also have moral understanding in order to promote happiness. People should act morally because the practice is rational. This is necessary because every person should understand why our personal interests are relevant to every person (Beckwith 64).

An Objection to My Position

My position is that human beings should be moral because the practice results in happiness. Philosophers also argue that happiness is something personal. It does not consider the thoughts of other people. This explains why a person who wants to maximize his or her happiness will only do what appears right (Beckwith 75). This takes place irrespective of other people’s ideas or expectations.

Expanding on the Objection

Pojman and Fieser (48) argue that every “moral action results in happiness as the end”. This statement is refutable because happiness means something different to every person. This explains why some people might be immoral and still attain happiness. According to Wood (65), everyone is careful to seek what appears serviceable. Every human being will act in a proper manner in an attempt to achieve his or her goals. Human beings are always “responsible for the information they have” (Wood 74). This fact explains why morality is not a compulsory condition for human happiness. Morality is one of those factors contributing to happiness.

References

Beckwith, Francis. Do the Right Thing: Readings in Applied Ethics and Social Philosophy. Cengage: Cengage Learning, 2001. Print.

Feinberg, Joel and Russ Shafer-Landau. Reason and Responsibility: Readings in Some Basic Problems of Philosophy. Cengage: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

Pojman, Louis and James Fieser. Introduction to Philosophy: Classical and Contemporary Readings. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.

Rachels, James and Stuart Rachels. Problems from Philosophy. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. Print.

Wood, Allen. Kant’s Ethical Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.