Reasoning and Morals
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REASONING AND MORALS
When one is asked what relation does reason have to morals, we are also asking when we judge something to be good or right, is this based on reason? Do we argue these reasons out and if so are they what philosophers would call empirical argument or a priori argument? I believe we first must know what is meant by empirical and A priori. Is our judgment really a judgment?
In Kants Critique of Pure Reason, he chooses to show the difference between the two arguments. A priori is said to be based on pure reason alone, independent of experience. Empirical argument or also known as A posteriori is taken from experiences, that this would include even our own self-knowledge. With these two reasons of Kants being defined by how one might foresee it, now we can take a further look into how we may think regarding reasoning to morals.
Each person has been put in a position to judge whether they believe something is good/right or if what they call right or good is the same as what others would also say. What each person believes is right depends solely on what their morals/virtues are at that given time and place. With that being said I also believe that we as humans have an inner belief system that truly knows what is good and right. As we saw in our first reading in class with Euthyphro, Platos main goal was to teach us that knowledge only comes when we are able to justify and account for our true beliefs. Socrates was trying to make a point that just because there is a “LAW” that one person/persons has put into place, does not mean that it is truly what is GOOD or RIGHT. We are to continue to search out for our own self the right answers that given true meaning to morals and our virtues. With that being said then, would that not mean then that to teach is not to just give the right answer but the teacher would need to be able to guide the students in the direction of the correct answers, making sure that the students themselves can fully understand the material they have learned. In this writing also, Socrates makes a point regarding true-knowledge, what he tries to explain is that this base of knowledge of a concept can only come when it is properly defined. Even when we look on into The Apology, I see more evidence that wisdom and virtue are closely connected. If that were the case then, if we were to be wise, then none of society would do wrong and our self-knowledge would lead to a more fulfilling life. This does not mean that I believe that we as a society have a right to break the LAWS that have been placed to protect us from harm, but that I choose to agree with the point that Plato was trying to make. I understand that there are other philosophers that will argue against what the true meaning of “GOOD” is. Good is based on reason due to our true beliefs and how beliefs, wisdom and virtue play apart together but we also must look at how we argue on behalf