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1. WHAT IS GOOD?

According to American philosopher John Rawls, good is something a person reasonably


wants considering his life circumstances. He added that it could be considered as good
if any individual would also want whatever it is that will benefit them in the same manner
as long as it is reasonable. (White, 2021) Moreover, Immanuel Kant, a German
philosopher, states that good is believed to be acting while keeping one's moral
convictions and considers moral concerns to be an adequate reason for his actions.
(Johnson & Cureton, 2004) Furthermore, Aristotle states that seeking out what good
really is, didn't mean that it is just simply because of curiosity. What's more, one can
achieve what he is trying to determine. if he had a deeper grasp or understanding of
what 'good' actually means. (Kraut, 2001) In addition, happiness, according to Aristotle,
is the ultimate human good. He claimed that how we conduct our life determines our
level of happiness and wellness. And that isn't done to pursue money success, prestige,
or power. It refers to lives lived and deeds committed to eudaimonia. (Psychologist,
MBA, 2019) On top of that, Thomas Aquinas believes that "good is to be done and
pursued and evil avoided", for he asserted that reason exposes certain natural laws that
people want, such as family, marriage, and the desire to know God. (Constitutional
Rights Foundation, 2006)
2. IS GOOD SUBJECTIVE?
‘Good’ is described as a kind of object of abstract contemplation. According to Plato,
good exists as an objective quality of the universe and is not created by people’s
choices or wishes. (“Good - Subjective Versus Objective Accounts,” n.d.) Moreover,
Immanuel Kant argued that even the intrinsic goods have flaws, since some of them
such as wealth and health to name a few, can be used in a wrong way which cannot be
beneficial. (Sullivan & Pecorino, 2002) Emmanuel Kant also claimed that various people
will have varied definition of what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’ for them. For example, a certain
situation may be ‘good’ for a person while “bad for the other one. Furthermore, he
added that happiness cannot be good without restriction since, if it were to happen to
someone who had no desire to uphold moral principles, it may very likely result in a
variety of immoral behaviors. (Kant, n.d.)
3. IS IT ALWAYS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL?
Emmanuel Kant argues that if the things that people considered as ‘good’ such as
power, honor, and wit to name a few, is to be possessed by someone who will abuse it,
and use it for wrongdoings, then these very traits would make the circumstances worse.
Even "health," which is sometimes described as a "good in and of itself," might render a
person oblivious to others' lack of health. (Kant, n.d.) According to Aquinas, the role of
the government is to contribute to the "common good" that benefits all. The common
good includes things like encouraging peace, maintaining the state, and safeguarding
life. The "good life" is what Aristotle would have termed this. (Constitutional Rights
Foundation, 2006) Moreover, Plato claimed that the Form of the Good is the source of
all existence. It is an immaterial thing that exists more completely than everything else
and is what gives the universe its goodness and reason. (Plato’s Form of the Good,
2018) On top of that, the common good is best understood as part of an encompassing
model for practical reasoning among the members of a political community. (Hussain,
2018)

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Magee, J. (2019, February 15). PHIL103: Joseph M. Magee’s “St. Thomas Aquinas on

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good/

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Number Have Any Merit? - Scientific American. Scientific American.

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Sullivan, S., & Pecorino, P. (2002). Moral Evaluation. Moral Evaluation.

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