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Why Be Moral

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Submitted By clotta424
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Carlotta Island
Phil 305
Ryan Taylor
Why Be Moral?
Ethics is a division of philosophy that deals with human behaviors. There are many different theories that have existed throughout history. An ethical theory must consider and take into account what makes the “right” decisions different from the “wrong” decision. A lot of different people and organization of the history of the world have defined ethical behavior, but still some actions are argued as to whether or not they are ethical or even moral.
Plato’s view of ethics was that it had to do with the arrangement of the human soul. Plato contended that justice is the quality of soul, in virtue of which men set aside the irrational desire to taste every pleasure and to get a selfish satisfaction out of every object and accommodated them to the discharge of a single function for the general benefit. Thrasymachus, on the other hand believed that justice was not based on any moral premise but is defined by those in power or by the authority of the state.
Religions such as Christianity have come up with theories about ethics also. Christians have theorized, “Human souls desire the good, found only in God.” This good is supposed to be “unchanging, permanent, and always satisfying. The goods of this world, such as food, drink or wealth, are only partially satisfying, since these are always changing and human physiology always demands them. God, however, as the final end of all things, is the end of human souls as well. The soul that "rests" in God is the soul that wants nothing other than God. Therefore human action is to manifest the spiritual life in the choices the individual makes.” (Johnson, 2007)
The approach to ethics is different depending on the person and the situation. Most people according to O’Toole, 2006, use four different approaches to making ethical decisions. These are principle, consequences,

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