2007-03-25 22:59:28 · 13 answers · asked by tan_precious 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
per Kant, when it is moral
2007-03-25 23:02:10 · answer #1 · answered by BANANA 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The question really becomes what is the good for man?
Aristotle in his Ethics states the good for man is that which is not easily taken from him, therefore he says physical enjoyment is not the ultimate good, bec it is contingent on physical factors that are external, this is simple. He then says that honor is also not the good for man bec. if the people bestowing the honor stop, there is nothign left, again honor is something contingent on external factors.
So then what is the good for man, what is it that is not easily taken from him? Well logically speaking what ever it is that defines man is not easily taken from him, bec if you took this essence he wouldnt be man any more. Say you have a car and you would define a car as the combination of motor and cab, and you took the motor away, when then technically you would not have car anymore.
Now comes the interesting question of how do you define man? simply you could say rational animal. However this term is confusing it makes it seem that there are two parts fused together, rational and animal. And the truth is that this is true just not in the intuituve sense you instinctively think about.
Really man is more the following, see animal really refers to a certain type of animation, hence ANImal. Every animal, while having similar animation, is diff. Say a lion, a lion has a unique combination of passivity combined with agressiveness. This animation is not the same as a monkeys, a monkey has a more wild type of animation. Man is the same he has a diff type of animation, a rational animation. This is man.
With this the good is that which is in line with mans rational animation/nature. Therefore eating all day long is bad for man bec. , it ignores his nature. Good is always a relative to the nature of the thing in discussion, this is why whats good for a fish is not whats good for a monkey and for a man not whats good for a monkey.
So an act is good when its source is the rational faculty of man, when its source is otherwise it is not bec. if not hten "MAN" is not really acting (which means the ques. of what is good for man in such a situation does not even make any sense bec. theres no subject to ask on) . That is not to say we ignore our emotions bec that is the means in which the rational faculty operates, all human operations are though the psyche. Therefore we have to satisfy the emotions so that our energies will be free to be involved in the rational. the same for the body we need to eat, but as a means to engaging the intellect.
2007-03-26 04:43:33 · answer #2 · answered by mordy0 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you do good to living things it is considered a good act.
2007-03-25 23:03:54 · answer #3 · answered by gigi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the act does'nt effect any person in a negative way or dispell futher hurt to any party involved at the present time.
2007-03-26 01:38:52 · answer #4 · answered by kissaled 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
every act has its good and bad side. Even the worst can be good in some way.
2007-03-25 23:03:10 · answer #5 · answered by bemanni 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
doing something void of personal gain is considered a good act if it is for the greater good of man or mankind.
when? the proper time of dertmination when it cannot fail
2007-03-26 08:23:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any act that benefits human beings is good.
2007-03-26 06:15:25 · answer #7 · answered by intellectualamarflame 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A act is good when you can hide your feelings inside while pretending to be someone your not.
2007-03-25 23:04:36 · answer #8 · answered by reddie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An act is good when it is aimed by/towards good intentions.
2007-03-25 23:36:53 · answer #9 · answered by oscar c 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you do a good deed and you don't want to be thanked for doing it .That is more important than the deed itself.Also by doing it in silence and not drawing attention to your self by telling others what you have done.
2007-03-26 00:39:48 · answer #10 · answered by ROBERT P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
an act is good when it is done on time when it is needed, when it gives answer or solution to somebody's neccesity, for exampLe, it is good to give food or a drink when a baby is hungry, it wouLd be great for him, somehow it wouLd not be good if you wiLL give him something to eat or drink if he had aLready eaten, he wiLL be overfeed
2007-03-25 23:07:15 · answer #11 · answered by weirdsome_yme 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋