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  • Essay / Philosophies of Augustine, Descartes, and Arendt on Morality

    Philosophical reflections on the nature of morality are often expressed by thinkers who focus on human nature. Among the factors that determine human behavior, a moral analysis of the concepts of good and evil often occupies an important place. In studying human behavior through the relationship between thinking and action, this morality is often observed. Thus, in the course currently titled Humanities 101: Reflection and Action, philosophy and morality are key themes. However, the description of the course schedule is: "What is the relationship between reflection and action?" Are they pulling us in different directions? Can they be integrated? This course investigates how our own dialogue with foundational texts, from antiquity (e.g. Homer, Plato, Christian Scriptures) to the present day (e.g. Joyce, Arendt), offers ways of understanding the dilemmas and issues raised by these texts and present in our culture” (Waterloo 2013). The description does not mention philosophical concepts of morality in the course content. One of the central texts in the course where morality can be seen is the Confessions of St. Augustine, where Augustine explores a theological philosophy. The theme of morality is also visible in the Discourse on Method and related writings of René Descartes, where Descartes proposes a scientific moral philosophy. Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem also explores morality through a philosophical examination of the relationship between thinking and committing evil. Thus, the writings of Augustine, Descartes, and Arendt each present a philosophical perspective on morality that can be related to the central theme of the course, reflection and action. [END OF INTRODUCTION][BEGIN AUGUSTINE] In Confessions, Saint Augus...... middle of paper ...... this also stipulates that acting reasonably leads to becoming as morally good as one's potential allows , by gaining all the virtues that one is capable of achieving. Therefore, it can be said that the ultimate goal of reason in Descartes' moral philosophy is to achieve virtue. To achieve virtue, the process of judgment requires reflection, while will requires action. This is because judgment includes internal reflection on facts and concepts in order to form a judgment about them. The will, although formed by judgment, is in itself generally linked to action because it controls it. Thus, according to the moral philosophy of Descartes, we can see a scientific method where one thing follows another. Reflection is necessary to form a judgment, which in turn influences the will, which prescribes whether an action should be performed or not..