Catholic Kermit

FUNDAMENTAL ETHICS – (Fr Vallee) — Ethics of Plato vs Aristotle. Plato’s Philebus & The Republic.

 Ethics for Plato is (1) eudaemonological (“Happiness for each and every creature consists of possession of the hightest good to which his or her nature has access.” ), (2) intellectual (virtue = knowledge, sin = ignorance), and (3) formalism, absolutist (circumstances don’t matter, we must contemplate the forms, anamnesis).

Ethics for Aristotle is (1) eudaemonological, (2) practical (habit), and (3) consequentialist (virtue-based).

Pleasure is a result of good, not good a result of pleasure.  To Socrates, happiness is a balance of many needs and desires, with a perfect balance of the soul among beauty, proportion and truth.

A great quote from Frances de Sales … “true humility is to see yourself as you are seen in the eyes of God, not more than you are and not less than you are.”