Philosophy Argument #1

quote aristotle

"neither by nature, then, nor by contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit"

explain aristotle quote

- the goal of our lives is to grow our virtues and reduce our vises

- emphasizes that we choose what we believe in, but our beliefs turn in to virtues the more we are exposed to them and practice them (live a virtuous life)

virtue ethics

center on the formation and practice of virtue as a foundational principle and the heart of ethics

moral beliefs

come about through practice and habit

intellectual beliefs

comes through teachings

3 things virtue requires

knowledge, choice, and character --> about doing the right thing

"we become just by doing just acts"

quote feezell and brown (fundamental)

"fundamental in the sense that so much else seems to rest on them"

quote feezell and brown (beliefs)

"some beliefs are trivial with regard to the meaning and destiny of your life; others are crucially important"

explain feezell and brown quote (beliefs)

they claim all people have a right to their beliefs, but only some beliefs play a role in shaping who you are as a person

three types of beliefs

foundational, personal, and factual

foundational beliefs

beliefs at the core, or foundation, of a you as a person that make you who you are

personal beliefs

think 5 senses; refer to private impressions

factual beliefs

those than can be looked up; can be right or wrong

the burden of proof

you must be able to show why your belief is worthy of holding

burden of proof quote

"you are obligated to provide reasons or evidence in support of a given fundamental belief by constructing an argument"

Meaning of life argument

People find ways through which they give their life meaning through the actions they perform and the people they surround themselves with.

meaning of life premises

P1: Being content in your actions, such as a sport that you devote your time to, provides meaning because of the effort you put into it to reach a goal you desire. (reaching this goal provides happiness)

P2: Keeping yourself surrounded by those you lift you up, such as family members or teammates, gives meaning by providing reassurance.

meaning of life conclusion

My life is given meaning because I can say that I have found myself enjoying my support while also being surrounded by teammates, friends, and family that support me through my life.

ethics argument

People differ in their personal beliefs, but ethical beliefs can be shared by many.

ethics premises

P1: you may prefer driving over walking when you are in a rush, but you know is wrong to hit a person who is walking in your way because you are in a hurry

P2: Someone may disagree with you on religious beliefs, but that does not mean you can persecute them because you do not like their ideas.

ethics conclusion

I believe people share a similar sense of judgement when it comes to knowing what is the right thing to do in situations that require you to make an ethical decision.

existence of God argument

A person's belief in God comes from what they learned at a young age.

existence of God premises

P1: Being baptized at a young age does not give you the chance to form your own religious ideas.

P2: It is reasonable to be uncertain in your faith as you get older because your ideas change as you become more of an individual.

existence of God conclusion

I believe that I am unable to fully know if God exists because I was raised to believe in him, but those beliefs become questions as you grow up.