In the telenovela “Maging Sino Ka Man..”, on which the three
main characters face struggles, there were these problems arise regarding
ethics that tackles about the small risk from the past. Edward who graduated
from a prestigious university along with John and Elizabeth is a heart throb
architect. On the other side, Elizabeth graduated as an academic scholar and
currently working as a call center agent and John is a friend of both Edward
and Elizabeth but what’s more interesting is that John is not only a batch mate
of Edward but also a best friend.
Here’s
how the complication encountered by them started as time goes by. Edward had several sexual relationships with
both men and women. When he was about twenty-five, the AIDS crisis occurred.
Eventually he stopped but when he learnt about the safe sex, he began once
again to have sex with men only. Unfortunately, Edward met Elizabeth and soon
realized that he was gradually falling in love with her. Then, they began to
see a lot of each other. Because of her changing him, Edward stopped having
sexual relationship with men. In the midst of this decision, Edward saw a
problem. When the time came for them to
make love, Edward is confused, undecided, undetermined and thoughtless. Have he
got the guts telling Elizabeth about his past relationship? Would this end their
relationship?
I will
begin by reflecting this particular situation by saying, ‘Good actions are
defined in terms of what a good person would do’. On the first place, with all
respect, Edward is not a total good person. Therefore, we will never expect a
good outcome and a good did. Since from the very beginning, we acknowledged him
being not a good guy; it doesn’t mean to say that because he was not a good guy
we will conclude that he is a bad guy. Given the argument, it will take for a
while in order for Edward to become aware that something isn’t right inside
him. Take note: from the very first instance.
It follows that in Aristotle’s Virtue ethics,
being a good person is about doing right actions, not about knowing something. Also,
the broad implication of what it means to be ‘virtuous’ and how we will acquire
these kind of virtues emphasize that we have to promote good—admirable
qualities through possessing what makes a person good and what will form this
kind of actions. According to Aristotle, a good person has the characteristics
like honesty, bravery, generosity, courage, chastity etc. But in our present
time chastity was disclaim as part of this ethical theory for some reason. One,
society’s effect and for two, the context of changing time within changing
circumstances—no permanent. Therefore, in Edward’s case, he is not a person who
doesn’t know what the right thing to do and is not doing it but instead he is
an evil person who is simply ignorant or mistaken about what the right thing to
do. Ignorance is a mere reason of evil people or evil things. On the other way
around, the avoidance of existing vices is unpredictable. We can’t withhold
these things. Vices as we all know are practices or outsets that are immoral.
For example, a jealousy is a vice while patience is a virtue. Quite big difference
as you will notice.
Consequently,
Elizabeth who is unwittingly innocent on what’s going on has the right aspect
to know about Edward’s past relationship. On the slightest sense, I figure out
by virtue of ethical theory that we always do have a ‘feeling’ for right and
wrong. Thus, this only implies that only we really feels when we experience the
right value of our lives—that’s when we receive the concept of what we so
–called the ultimate happiness. When nothing seems inconvenient and unsuitable,
when everything we undergo please us. In
fact, Edward loves Elizabeth and so Elizabeth does. On that account, it is
properly the right way to do so. In fact, it was described in Aristotelian
Virtue Ethics, every single entity must be in accordance with balance. It
means, we should not meet excessive or deficient manners in any way possible
because this theory shows us that we must avoid it. Initially, virtue is a
midpoint between excess and deficiency. A mean over the extreme. We must learn
so that it could happen. It reminds me of Aristotle’s quote: Those that know,
do. Those that understand, teach. Somehow, there’s a part of it that says we
should start in engaging or practicing the skills in our own virtue. Aristotle
stated that ethical concerns don’t give a formula for right actions. It doesn’t
give us an easy way to know what the right thing to do. It would say, the right
thing is what a virtuous person supposed would do.
Before
I’d say what is wrong with the second argument I am going to present to you, I
want first to elaborate the essence of virtue in improving our lives and
contributing to our overall well-being—the good life. This will help you
understand more about my point in proving my statements as we go on. All men by
nature desire knowledge. But what commonly happens are these: people resist on
their own selves the good attitudes and characteristics they acquire in them.
In reality, this usually happens. What’s funnier is that they will find out
later on that it gets complicated as time flies.
Let’s
take for an example Edward developed his virtues though constant practice and
his qualities of mind enhanced through habitual instruction. Hence in moral
facet, Edward then will be as courageous as he might be, meaning he works
without fear but not as much as rash. He is appropriately afraid as well as
appropriately brave. He is now courageous it is only because he slowly overcome
his fears. Therefore, I say, Virtue Ethics talks about ‘characteristics not
actions’. Thus, I assent to Aristotle’s approach—a kind of a person you should
be. Now, it is morally acceptable for Edward to withhold the information
considering the new Edward with good virtues. Otherwise, it is not. While in
intellect facet, seeing the mere fact that whatever the decision Edward will
come up with as long as it will lead to happiness, still, it is good to
withhold the information. To clear things up, this is in relation only for the
sake of individual benefit—Edward’s.
Straightaway,
If Edward was tested HIV positive, and then his moral duties may not differ and
change from time to time. The utter basis that we decided in as much as Edward achieved
already his habitual state or disposition where the doing of his virtuous act
has become a kind of second nature on the part of the human person is our main
point. Yet, the arena of ethical activity has disadvantages also. It is relativistic.
On the contrary, its advantages still took over. First, a virtuous person
thinks differently. Second, he/she looks upon the world in a different way by
thinking through virtue ethics. Next, he/she tries to understand how a virtuous
person sees a situation. Hence, I affirmed that Edward will manage to handle
the situation although for instance that problem may arise. Thus, his moral
duty is to avoid having sexual affairs from this time on because he is a good
person. He should remain good.
Moreover,
John has a moral right and duty to tell Elizabeth that entire he knows about
Edward. In consequence of the fact that Eudaimonia which refers to happiness or
rather excellence based on Aristotle’s findings, the triads we need to deal
with are the golden men or the just middle—friendship, modesty, courage,
ambition, self-control, honesty, liberality, and god humor. These works best to
the best result. These only suggest that John having one of those
personalities, no matter what action he may act is good. Being a human who dominates ‘good qualities’
and a power of thought add the reason why should he tell to Elizabeth what
actual scenario is happening. Fortunately, John is an acquaintance of both
Elizabeth and Edward. There’s no guarantee hiding; therefore, John not only
wants the happiness of Elizabeth but also John helping Edward in making the
situation lighter as possible it could be. On this case, it is good unlocking
the definite and unequivocal truth and John is absolutely good. He harms no
one.
While
on the case of Edward on the other hand having a moral right and duty to
privacy concerning his sexual life is quite connected to personal convictions.
Yet, it is not held by society but rather held by individuals alone. Believe
me, Edward is self-sufficient. Once Edward has it, it is good to have. I will
now defend this claim in a gentle initiation focusing the argument not in a
broader process. We judge people in terms of something that are done in a right
way. Yes, we should. And not just telling the truth that matters. Since Edward
have already this nature of habitual sex engagement, we mold his character
through ages by doing things habitually so that he will become as an individual
with a character development. Likewise, Edward is attainable. He is real and
accessible. Again, Aristotle stated in
his virtue ethics that his theory ‘doesn’t tell you what to do and doesn’t tell
you what actions you should take’. In order for one to acquire these virtues,
you must be willing to learn and then put what you learn into practice. That’s
what matters the most. Using cardinality, virtues work together and cannot
exist on their own—temperance, courage, wisdom and justice being the most
prestigious virtue of them all, as it is only achieved after years of learning.
Besides, it passes through us in the right time, right person, right place,
right manner etc. Until then, helping Edward would be charitable and
benevolent. This entails and agrees
without doubt in Aristotle’s ethics.
Given
that a virtue is such a multi-track disposition, it would obviously be reckless
to attribute one to an agent on the basis of a single observed action or even a
series of similar actions, especially if you don't know the agent's reasons for
doing as Edward did (Sreenivasan 2002). Moreover, to possess, fully, such a
disposition is to possess full or perfect virtue, which is rare, and there are
a number of ways of falling short of this ideal (Athanassoulis 2000).
Possessing a virtue is matters of degree, for most people who can be truly
described as fairly virtuous, and certainly markedly better than those who can
be truly described as dishonest, self-centered and greedy, still have their
blind spots—little areas where they do not act for the reasons one would
expect. So someone honest or kind in most situations, and notably so in
demanding ones may nevertheless be trivially tainted by snobbery, inclined to
be disingenuous about their forebears and less than kind to strangers with the
wrong accent. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 18th July 2003)
Further,
it is not easy to get one's emotions in harmony with one's rational recognition
of certain reasons for action. John may be honest enough to recognize that He
must own up to a mistake because it would be dishonest not to do so without
Edward’s acceptance being so
wholehearted that He can own up easily, with no inner conflict. Following (and
adapting) Aristotle, virtue ethicists draw a distinction between full or
perfect virtue and “continence” or strength of will. The fully virtuous do what
they should without a struggle against contrary desires; the continent have to
control a desire or temptation to do otherwise.
Clear
judgment, self-control, symmetry of desire and artistry of means—the concepts
that might describe a man possessing these masculine sort of excellence further
supports the claim that comes from practical or moral wisdom. Since, John’s
knowledge of Edward’s homosexual relationships came through shared confidence
between close friends. To end, it is not a violation to disclose the
information taken the place of every character on this telenovela. Henceforth,
their characters will be the guiding path—‘respect and right’ that will lead us
on a very accurate conclusion.
Describing
the continent as “falling short” of perfect virtue appears to go against the
intuition that there is something particularly admirable about people who
manage to act well when it is especially hard for them to do so, but the
plausibility of this depends on exactly what “makes it hard” (Foot 1978,
11–14). If it is the circumstances in which the agent acts—say Edward confess
the real scenario and his unacceptable and imprudent behavior —then indeed it
is particularly admirable of her to restore the relationship or give Edward
another chance when it is hard for her to do so. But if what makes it hard is
an imperfection in her character—the temptation to keep what is not hers, or a
callous indifference to the suffering of others—then it is not.
Bear in
our minds that virtuous act is that which proceeds from the right
intentions—the action is desired solely for its own sake. There are no reason
justifying virtues. Every human person aims for happiness. Our experience of
actions in life brought up in fine habits to become good. For a person to
become virtuous, he/she can’t simply study what virtue is, but most actually do
virtuous things. What you are bringing to life sprang from good
behavior/characters. A flourishing experience of actions in life on which we
refer the ‘Aristotelian Virtue Ethics’.
The
claim that this is, straightforwardly, a mistaken conception, reveals the point
that eudaimonia is, avowedly, a
moralized, or “value-laden” concept of happiness, something like “true” or
“real” happiness or “the sort of happiness worth seeking or having.” It is
thereby the sort of concept about which there can be substantial disagreement
between people with different views about human life that cannot be resolved by
appeal to some external standard on which, despite their different views, the
parties to the disagreement concur.
