CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER

BEED

PLATO
Plato was the son of Ariston, his father and Perictione, her
mother. He was born in 428/427 BCE in Athens.
Moreover, he was a student of the great
Socrates, that paved the way for the
ultimate understanding of humanity. He
also founded the Academy, where he
formally taught people who wanted
to strive for knowledge. In addition,
he was one of history's most
influential philosophers.
Furthermore, he had contributions to
Ethics, Theology, Philosophy,
Cosmology, Aesthetics, and etc. His
family belonged to a prominent and
wealthy society and was part of the politics during
their age. Sadly, he died in 348/347 BCE.

Plato played an important role in shaping our ethics. He was a virtue ethicist,
according to him, the actions or things humans do would be considered as good if
and only done by a virtuous man. In relation to this, when Plato spoke about what
is good, it pertains to the ideal or pleasing characteristics of a human being.
Furthermore, he believed that ethics is connected to two significant words; the
eudaimonia and arete. When it comes to eudaimonia, it is the well-being or state of
happiness of a person, which is a virtue that we should strive for. In addition, it is
what an ideal person is. But, this state of happiness or eudaimonia cannot be
achieve without the second word stated above the arete or excellence in English
version. This arete are the qualities traits and characteristics of a human person that
will allow him to have an eudaimonic life. However when he reached his older
age, he hanged his point of view and told that the true eudainomia cannot really be
attained in this world. He added that,the greatest good comes from knowing the
measure of one’s own knowledge.

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

JEREMY BENTHAM

Let us move on to another valuable personality, Jeremy Bentham. He was an

English philosopher, economist, theoretical jurist, and the chief founder of
utilitarianism. Moreover, he was born on February 15, 1748 in London England. In
addition, he was a son of an attorney At the age of 4, he began
studying Latin. He won a reputation for writing
Greek and Latin verses at Westminster School.
He went t Queen’ College Oxford and took
up his degree. He had various works like
the “Fragment Government Sadly, his
fruitful journey ended when he
passed on June6, 1832 at the age
of eighty four in London
England.

He crafted that ethics is the art of

directing men’ action to the
production of the greatest possible
quality of happenings. In my own
understanding, he meaningfully defined ethics
which is the channel or path toward the happiness. On
the other hand, he proposed the concept of utilitarianism a moral theory that
actions of humans should be judged right or wrong to the extent that they increase
or decrease human state of happiness. Also, he explained that if the consequences
or result of our action is bad then our act is immoral. Furthermore, he also come up
with this idea that we humans at our nature desire the pleasurable and avoid pains
which I believed in. He has also this hedonic calculus used to measure how painful
and pleasurable our actions will be.

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

JOHN STUART MILL

An English philosopher, economist, and a supporter of utilitarianism, no other than

the great John Stuart Mill. He was also a logician and ethical theorist born on May
20, 1806 at London England. He was the eldest son of the British historian,
economist, and philosopher James Mill. He was educated by his strict
disciplinarian father. At the age of eight, he was able to read the original Greek
Aesop’s fable, xenophon’s anabasis. He can was also
excellent in geometry and algebra, truly he is an
exceptional human during his era. His
childhood was somewhat happy, although he
lacked from a natural or unforced
development like the ordinary children
that can play outside. Unlike him,
disciplined by his parent to study and
study. His life ended on May 8, 1873 in
Avignon France.

He spoke and firmly hold on to his idea that pleasure

is the only thing that contributes to our state of happiness, nothing less and
nothing more. Likewise, the pain is the only thing that makes us unhappy. He
defined happiness as freedom from any pains. Moreover, he shared his theory of
well-being or hedonism. Additionally, he argued that happiness vary in quality and
quantity. Based on my limited understanding, it explained that our happiness has
different levels, from not so impactful to impactful. Moreover, our source of
happiness vary in numbers. As humans we desire nothing but happiness.
Furthermore, as a believer of utilitarianism, the greatest happiness principle states
that we must do actions that produce greatest amount of happiness. This idea of
utilitarianism focuses on the general good or welfare of the world, as it may be
applied to our government in doing such decisions that involve the people.

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

THOMAS AQUINAS

Let’s dive in to the perspective of theology, St Thomas Aquinas, an Italian

also addressed as San Tommaso d’ Aquino or Doctor Angelicus. He is a Christian
Theologian and philosopher born in the year of 1224 in Roccasecca Kingdom of
Sicily, now Italy. He was dubbed as the excellent Medieval
Scholastic. Moreover, he was placed in the
Monastery of Monte Cassino as a
monk. After that, he was brought
to the University of Naples to
study. He joined the university
of Paris faculty as regent
master in theology. Upon
completion of his regency in
Paris he returned to Italy and in
the year 1274 he was summoned
by Pope Gregory X to fix issues in
Catholic Church. Sadly, he got
involved to an accident while travelling, he got
illed and passed away on March 7, 1274

Thomas Aquinas stated that all of our actions that we do flow towards a
particular purpose, that is happiness. He affirmed that happiness is not tantamount
to pleasure, materials, or anything, but it is equal to activities in accordance with
virtue. He added also added that a person needs moral characters nurtured and
strengthened by habits of choice to achieve the real and authentic happiness.
Furthermore, he reiterated that genuine happiness cannot be achieve in this
temporal world the Earth, but can only be achieved when we die and the soul of
those blessed will live eternally with the Almighty God in the paradise where there
is no pain, sufferings, rancors, uncertainties, and fear. But an endless life with
undying happiness, contentment, and peace. Doc Angelicus believed that
understanding ethics comes through virtue, and that virtue is a skill that must be
developed. Furthermore, he explained that we learn ethical through our reason, by
rationally reflecting on what is in accordance with the law of nature. We should
familiarize ourselves as Catholics and as a Christian it is included in our scripture

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

that the sin prevent us from understanding the ethical principles, if and only we
allow the bad or evil spirits live within us.

EMANNUEL KANT

A philosopher who redefined the course of ethics, moral philosophy, metaphysics,

and aesthetics. He was Emmanuel Kant born in 1724 in Konigsberg, East Prussia,
a part of Russia now. He was sent to Prestist School for his early education.
Moreover, he also enrolled in University of
Konigberg where he fell inlove with
philosphy. Finally, he graduated but
sadly, due to financial
problems he was not able to
pursue his ultimate dreams.
However, he worked as a
tutor to pursue his ultimate
dream. Moreover, he teach
as a college lecturer at a
university unpaid. He led a
life of strict self-discipline.
This self-discipline allowed him
focus all of his energies on
developing his thought. Furthermore, people
who knew him as a sparkling conversationalist
as well as captivating lecturer. He published his major work Critique of Pure
reason that pave the way to establish his reputation, sadly he left this world on
February 12, 1804.

He proposed this deontology which judges action according to whether they

adhere to a valid rule than the outcome of the action. For an instance, if you follow
honesty a valid moral rule which each individual must do this. Even though, your
honesty ended up hurting or harmed the people, it is still the right thing. Moreover,
Kant conceived virtue as a strength or will to fulfill one’s duty despite internal or
external obstacles. He certainly believe that to be full virtuous we have to have
good will that will combat and overcome temptations. For him, the highest good
consists both of perfect virtue and well deserved happiness.

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

ARISTOTLE

Let go back to the Ancient times, during the great

Aristotle was still alive. He was born on 384 BCE
in Stagira in Northern Greece. Both of her
parents were member of traditional medical
families. Moreover, his father Nicomachus
serve as physician to King Amyntus III of
Macedonia. His parents died when he was
young. When he turned 17 he was sent to
Athens to enrol in Plato’s academy.
Aristotle excelled in biology, botany,
chemistry, ethics, history, logic,
metaphysics, rhetoric, philosophy,
psychology, zoology, and etc.

Aristole crafted the virtue ethics. According to him, virtue means the
excellence of a thing to perform its proper function. Allow me to give my own
example, if the light bulb, when turned on did not light, it means it is
malfunctioning or simply it did not fulfill its function. He has this quotation “
Virtue is reason and reason is virtue. Virtuous person is a person who lives in
reason. A person who lives in reason is happy”. We as humans are rational beings,
it means that we have the capacity and capability to reason out, It is our function to
reason or think logically. If we want to have a virtuous life let us all exercise our
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ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
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reasoning properly as a habit and surely it will bring us to a virtuous way of living
that conforms to the idea of ethics.

DR. RAMON CASTILLO REYES

As a Filipino, I proudly present to you our very own Filipino Philosopher

born in 1935 in our great motherland, the
Philippines, Dr. Ramon Castillo
Reyes. He did finish his college at
the Ateneo de Manila
University with the degree
Bachelor of Arts in the year
1956. Moreover, he did also
finish his Doctor of
Philosophy from the
University Catholique de
Louvain in Belgium, in the year
1965. He became a teacher of Ethics,
Modern Philosophy, and Contemporary
Philosophy to his dearest Alma Mater the Ateneo de Manila University. Dr.
Ramon C. Reyes, chair of the Department of Philosophy from 1968 to 1981, a
member of the Board of Trustees, president of the Philippine Accrediting
Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) and of the
Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAPE). Furthermore, he
was the first Filipino who crafted the philosophical approach known as existential
phenomenology. He also had his Ground and Norm of Morality: Ethics for College
Students, his authorozed book that helped many Filipino students throughout the
Philippines. Sadly, he died last January 22, 2014 despite his lost he was never
forgotten. In fact, there was an annual event called the Ramon C. Reyes Memorial
Lecture to honor the late great Filipino Philosopher to his vast contribution to all
aspects in the Philippines.

He has this Four Cross Point, for him, “Who one is” is a cross point. He
reiterated that one’s identity is a product of many driving forced and events. The
first cross point is the Physical Cross point , this mean that natural phenomena
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ACTIVITY IN ETHICS
CONSTANTINO, JOHN MARK, RESCOBER
BEED

came together to form you. Secondly, the Interpersonal Cross point stated that the
people we interact with plays a major role in developing who we are. Thirdly,
Society Cross point, we are also shaped by the society, this society pertains to all
elements that we interact with. Lastly, the Historical Cross point suggested that
history, as part of our identity is vital to us, especially that our country was
colonized by three countries namely: Japan, Spain, and United States of America.

ACTIVITY IN ETHICS