i feel that aristotle would have to se the situation to be able to tell if a murder was moral. i tihnk in an etreme case where someone went on a killing spee it would not be moral but if a police officer kills a crimanl who threatened there life it would be ok with aristotle.
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December 10, 2008 at 2:20 am
I would have to agree with you on the difference of the police officer and the serial killer. Although the police officer would essentially be commiting a murder he does so with good intentions, to protect others lives, as well as his own. The serial killer does not have good intentions and therefore the act is not moral. However, I dont think that Aristotle would have to actually see the situation, as we could determine the morality of it through what we know to be his beliefs.
December 10, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I also agree that there is a difference in the two killings but to say it is the intentions that separate them may not be completely Aristotelian. Aristotle says that moral actions ultimately come from people who act according to their intermediate or mean emotion levels. That may effect their intentions true, but that is not solely what makes murder good or bad in Aristotle’s eyes I think.
December 12, 2008 at 3:07 pm
I also agree that there is a significant difference between the two killings between the serial killer and the police officer. I also agree with what Vinny said regarding Aristotole and how people moral actinos come from people who act accordingly to their emotion levels.
December 12, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Vinny has the right idea; it isnt necessarily the intentions, but the people themselves who determine the morality of the situation. obviously, we can assume that the murderer on the killing spree was NOT a virtuous person, as well as the fact that the officer is hopefully a virtuous person, which is more pertinent to what aristotle talks about. he looks at the overalll person, not necessarily just the situation.
December 15, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I also agree with you on this topic. When the police officer kills some one it is to help the overall happiness and help to protect society. When a serial killer kills he is killing for his own sick pleassure. Murder is wrong but also the time and place and situation have alot to do in the determination of which is ok and which is not.