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Lesson 13 Additional Readings Ethics

Moral courage is the ability to act on one's moral principles despite fear or potential consequences, requiring self-mastery and moral imagination. It emphasizes the importance of will in making moral decisions, as illustrated by Aristotle's philosophy on the relationship between intellect and action. Developing will through practice is essential for achieving moral integrity and self-esteem.

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4 views2 pages

Lesson 13 Additional Readings Ethics

Moral courage is the ability to act on one's moral principles despite fear or potential consequences, requiring self-mastery and moral imagination. It emphasizes the importance of will in making moral decisions, as illustrated by Aristotle's philosophy on the relationship between intellect and action. Developing will through practice is essential for achieving moral integrity and self-esteem.

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grentleellay
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Lesson 13: Moral Courage

Lesson Content

Moral courage is the courage to put your moral principles into action
even though you may be in doubt, are afraid, or face adverse consequences.
Moral courage involves careful deliberation and mastery of the self. Moral
courage is essential not for only a virtuous life, but also a happy one because
integrity is essential to self-esteem.

However, according to philosopher Mark Johnson, acting morally often


requires more than just strength of character (Drumwright and Murphy,
2004). Johnson added it is important to have “an ability to imaginatively
discern various possibilities for acting within a given situation to envision the
potential help and harm are likely to result from a given action (Johnson,
1994).” This ability is called moral imagination.

Moral imagination is “ability in particular circumstances to discover


and evaluate possibilities not merely determined by that circumstance, or
limited by its operative mental mode or merely framed by a set of rules or
rule-governed concerns (Werhane, 1999).” Although it is necessary
component, moral imagination is not sufficient alone for moral decision-
making. Moral reasoning still needed.

How can one practice moral courage? This is where the “will” comes
into play. It takes determination and willpower to act on and stand by your
moral principles.

What is will?

Generally, “will” is the mental capacity to act decisively on one’s


desire. It is the faculty of the mind to initiate action after coming to a
resolution following careful deliberation (Joachim, 1952). Within ethics, “Will
is an important topic along with reason because of its role in enabling a
person to act deliberately.

On the concept of “will” in classical Philosophy, Aristotle said: “the soul


in the living creatures is distinguished by two functions, the judging capacity
which is a function of the intellect and of sensation combined, and the
capacity for exciting movement in space” (Hett, 1964).

Why is the “Will” as important as reason?


Aristotle believed that “will “is the product of intellect and sensation;
and that “will” gave the person the capacity for “exciting movement in
space”. For example, Riza is torn between buying a new smart phone or
save up a trip outside the country. On one hand, she can afford the smart
phone now. On the other hand, she would be nowhere near her target travel
date because her savings is still far from enough. Riza weighed the pros and
cons between buying a new phone and saving up for her trip. Eventually, she
decided to walk away from the store and go to the bank to deposit her
money. It was Riza’s will that enabled her to walk out of the store without
buying the phone she liked.

Developing the “Will”

Aristotle discussed the difference between what people decide to do


and what they actually do. In Aristotle’s philosophy, using the intellect to
decide is just one part of the moral decision. The resolve to put the decision
into action is the role of the “will”. He said since vice and virtues are up to
us, “we become just by the practice of just actions; self-control by exercising
self-control; and courageous by practicing acts of courage (as translated by
Baird, 2016).

Self-mastery therefore is the product of the “will” that is achieved by


actually putting rational, moral choice into action.

Learning Activity of Lesson 11

Directions: answer the question below, 10 points. Submit your answer on or


before Tuesday (June 8,) through email ([email protected]) or
messenger (Kenn Mark Josh Edulan II).

1. How important is moral courage for a person to be moral?

Ps. highly suggested to use MS-Word (encoded) for easy downloading


in my part. And don’t forget to write your name in the file and above your
answer

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