Paper on PHL 104 (Ethical Systems).docx

Rainier Ibana. (2004). "Isang Aral Mula Kay Aristoteles: "Ang Mabuti ay Maganda", Paper Presented in Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines, p. 1.
Ibid., p. 2.
Ibid.,
Ibid., p. 3.
Ibid., pp. 4 -7.
Ibid., p. 7.
Ibid., pp. 10-11.
Samuel Enoch Stumpf. (2008). Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy, Eighth Edition by James Fieser. New York: McGraw Hill Ltd., Part 4 Chapter 16, p. 349.
Ibid., p. 350.
Ibid., p. 351.
Ibid., p. 352.
Ibid., Stumpf, Socrates to Sartre: A History of Philosophy, Part 1 Chapter 4, p. 77.
Virgilio Abad Ojoy, O.P. (2001). Marxism and Religion: A Fusion of Horizons. Manila: UST Publisihing House, Part 1 pp. 17-19.
Antonio Gramsci, one of the leading philosophers of the 20th century which he states that the worldview and way of life of the ruling class has somehow imposes its idea towards the dominated class which we can call "cultural hegemony". For more information on this theory please refer to his work Selection from the Prison Notebooks of Antonio Gramsci.
Arvin Joshua S. Diaz
Dharla Palomar
Mandy de Vera
Jan Krishna Pineda
Florimel King Padillo
Wesley Telig
Alyssa Tacbobo
Frances Thea Torres

Aristotle's 'The Good is Beautiful' on Marx's Theory of Class Struggle

Thesis Statement: The Good is Beautiful in Aristotelian Ethics exposes the limited perspective of Ethics in Marx's Theory of Class Struggle.

Abstract: "That which is good, and beautiful and true is what man seek for!" these are the words by which Aristotle would tackle in his works like Metaphysics and other philosophical treatises. Man's desire to seek the good, beautiful and true is in the sense came from our human nature which man has ever lived his human existence. Although we may not seek the good, beautiful and true in its entirety, it made the whole philosophizing in human history a battle ground for human actions.

The theory of class struggle in Marx had been the battle cry of all the leftist revolutionaries around the world that is becoming relevant in contemporary times. These paper will tackle on how the notion of Aristotelian ethics of "The Good is Beautiful!" on how it view Marx' theory of class struggle which in our research considered as limited perspective of ethics and morality. This paper will critique the theory of class struggle as unappreciative effort of man to appreciate the beauty of virtues by which it makes man as human being who is capable of being and doing well. The need for Aristotle's making contemporary setting in the mind of the Left thought is the right thing to do.





Ibana on Aristotle's "The Good is Beautiful!"

Rainier Ibana had considered the notion of our daily lives that whatever good we have done, we called it beautiful yet, he recognized that not only Filipinos have this kind of perspective but also the Greeks which also in his paper will tackle on how do we need to see the beautiful lessons of Aristotle's notion of ethics.

The sections of this paper will tackle on the basis of 5 points raised in his paper:

Everything follows what is the order in this world.
Goodness is a decision and a disposition to practice.
Cardinal Virtues
Happiness
Recognize the Natural Law

On the first section that everything follows what is the order in this world, means that every beings follows the hierarchy of beings based on what forms do they possess. Aristotle in the lenses of Professor Ibana had recognized that everything has an order and this order is beautiful and in nature there is also an order and hierarchy. Man has its own nature different from animals and to any beings which he think that it is through determining our values is through the use of 'Golden Mean'. This rule can only be applied to the beings who could freely decide by doing the purpose why they are made.

Second point is "Goodness as a decision and disposed to practice!" Like we said, earlier, goodness is decided and this decision is painstaking effort rather than committing evil which is easy to do. Although, he (Ibana) considered Aristotle's notion of virtue that we also seek for pleasure but must be taken into context, we can be deceived by it. So in order to develop the sense of responsibility, it is sufficient for the right environment because a child will have its big influence for his moral responsibility and also his moral build-up. Also while he aged, the environment can be less influencing in the character of an individual, so his or her decision also entails disposition so that his actions will work efficiently. In this view, even though man knows how to act good or not, it is still not sufficing, so he need to practice and develop it.

Professor Ibana also saw in Aristotle's Third Point is the need for the virtues especially "cardinal virtues" which are: prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. So he defined prudence as the proper use of judgment so it can arise the right action into the right situation; second, justice as we claim that giving what is due to others also entails the notion that we must value the interest of others before our self-interests; third virtue is temperance which it is the proper restraint of our drives and lastly is what we called "fortitude" by which man perseveres amidst the battles of this earthly life. In the lenses of Professor Ibana, Aristotle thought that a person needs fortitude to build a better world, yet most of time, it is compromised,; even though, these four cardinal virtues are praiseworthy, Aristotle considers that we need to judge correctly in order that we may not go beyond with these virtues.

Fourth point in Aristotle's ethics is the notion of happiness. Happiness is a quality we seek for and it needs a right action for that to happen. Even then, we recognized that our happiness is relative towards each other's individuality; so for him, a person is truly happy if the person combines virtues in his pursuits for happiness and this he considered the best thing to do.

Fifth point is the notion of recognizing and following the Natural Law. For him (Aristotle) evil is that we do not follow the natural order of things. Also he considered that in nature, the body and soul cannot be separated and we need the composition of these two components to consider them as a man; man can also know who he is through the constant repetition of an act through habits. So in this sense, man needs to find the way to understand that to accept the notion of the order of things is that man must learn to be a man by fulfilling the virtues through the use of the "Golden Mean" and by this he can learn that being good is also beautiful and doing good leads to good life.

Marx's Theory of Class Struggle

One of the interesting points in the history of Western philosophy was none other than the ideas of Karl Marx. We will tackle on his theory of class struggle. It is often misunderstood by many because of its materialistic and violent understanding of revolution; the researchers would like to come to terms with this concept.

It was in his one of the famous works, the Communist Manifesto, that he wrote the importance of the existence of different classes throughout the particular historical epochs which is only bound up within the development of the modes of production; that the class struggle also leads necessarily to the dictatorship of the proletariat and this dictatorship itself only constitutes the transition to the abolition of all classes and to a classless society.

Since, the class struggle is bound up in historical process they are manifested in 5 epochs: 1.) primitive communal, 2.) master-slave society, 3.) feudal society, 4.) capitalist and 5.) Socialism and communism which in his perspective explain why history manifolds in the economic process of change which is material in nature. Change in the history is the emergences of new form of structures. Some scholars noted that there is problem with his notion of class struggle between the two opposing and different class in the history that seems the movement is mechanical determinism. By this, he viewed that there is the "end of history" which will be a communist society. In this society, there will be no conflict with each other and there is no need for the development of history.

Application of Aristotle's "The Good is Beautiful" on Marx's Theory of Class Struggle
There will be five points which the research raised that will critique the theory of Marx's class struggle through Rainier Ibana's understanding of Aristotle's "The Good is Beautiful!"

The first point is everything follows the order of this world. Since Aristotle believes that there is beauty when there is order, Marx, on the other hand believes that it is inevitable that there will be a struggle between different classes in every epoch. He reduces the spontaneity of the movement of human will in a materialist perspective. Aristotle would see that the theory of Marx's class struggle will be problematic because everybody has an equal footing which does not see the sparking differences of every individual being and also the notion of freedom reduces only to the economic freedom.

Second point is that goodness is a decision and a disposition to practice. Aristotle view that whatever man does is disposed, towards the end of all things. It may sound deterministic but he believes that the human will is disposed towards its happiness, which means it has its freedom and capacity to attain its end. Marx's theory of class struggle is deterministic in terms of material and economic perspective. Aristotle would critique his theory of class struggle that it lacks the disposition of the will to attain the good if we will see it in the materialist perspective, rather than to see the deep psychology of the people.

Third point is the role of cardinal virtues. Marx would dismiss the role of these virtues because for him, the virtues, moralities and ethics are but reflection of the ruling class. Aristotle would say that this concept would lack the role of justice on social and individual scale. It does not value the justice that is "giving what is due to others". We may also see the fortitude of the Left to fight for the emancipation of all but without justice, the dream for the liberation of humanity would be impossible.

On the fourth point is the notion of happiness. Happiness is both individual and collective pursuit. In our view, Aristotle would say that Marx's theory of class struggle lacks the notion of happiness as its end. We have the notion that liberation sometimes entails lack of happiness and pleasure because we pay the price to become free. It is true at sometimes. That's why there is also the need for the people that emancipation must also lead to happiness.

On the last point is that man must follow the Natural Law. We would agree that those who were influenced by Marx that different ruling class has its own worldview and morals which they dictate upon the lower class. These morals changes when the oppressed class would triumph against the ruling class. Aristotle would in turn critique it, that if that is the basis of our morals, then it is impossible for us to seek the objectivity of good and beautiful.

In what the research analysed, we share the view that Marx's theory of class struggle is that it is limiting and also it lacks the sense of "Good is Beautiful" in three arguments: 1.) It does not tackle the end of all human actions; 2.) Too materialistic in approaching the human actions which it needs metaphysics and 3.) It does not seek the notion of the objectivity of goodness and beauty in the moral actions of man.

Conclusion

In spite of Marx's basis of morality has its basis on class struggle, we can see the good and beautiful points for those who are engaging in the revolutionary acts of the world. Aristotle's notion of the "Good is Beautiful" had nevertheless share the same goal that we need to find the beauty in the goodness of the good deeds. In reality, we can only say that what is most important is that we can see the goodness and beauty on every person.






Bibliography/References

Ibana, Rainier. (2004). "Isang Aral Mula Kay Aristoteles: "Ang Mabuti ay Maganda", Paper Presented in Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines, 1-11.

Ojoy, O.P., Virgilio Abad. (2001). Marxism and Religion: A Fusion of Horizons. Manila: UST Publisihing House.

Stumpf, Samuel Enoch. (2008). Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy, Eighth Edition by James Fieser. New York: McGraw Hill Ltd.