Week 4 Disc 1 Final
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
University Of Arizona *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
208
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by AmbassadorOxide13843
I have been in the military for 16 years. Until Week 4 of Philosophy, I never put virtue ethic theories and the military together. I will discuss virtue ethics as it relates to integrity and how Aristotelian theories can improve the integrity of an Airman. I enjoyed Magnanimity and Integrity as Military Virtues (Robinson, 2007) and its exploration into goodness in the military. The United States Air Force has three core values that we consider foundational to our military service, integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. All three have a connection to ethical theories, but I will focus on integrity. We define this virtue as doing the right thing when no one is looking.
The Air Force's definition runs parallel to the author's view, "The military needs soldiers who will resist peer pressure to misbehave and who will do what is right not only when the gaze of others is upon them, but also when it is not” (Robinson, pg. 263, 2007). This view is very cut and
dry, but I have seen the fundamental problems with this. The military is a melting pot. We have airmen from every walk of life, culture, race, religion, many different countries, etc. The definition of integrity is different from person to person. Some people have no issues with stealing because of how they grew up, lying to avoid negative consequences. Robinson comes to the same conclusion “Unfortunately, ‘people of integrity can do horrific things and maintain their
integrity so long as they are acting per their core commitments' (Robinson, pg. 263, 2007). The military’s rigid definition of integrity would benefit from adding Aristotelian virtue ethics. Connecting airmen with ethical role models are one way of helping provide them with an example of good character to follow (Pelt, slide 48, 2002). Aristotle's view on habit and character is an important pathway to "real" integrity. Having a good character might not come naturally to certain airmen. Teaching airmen to practice making appropriate decisions and displaying “good” behaviors, if repeated, will become a habit (Thames, Chapter 5, 2008). Aristotle states that honesty, courage, and generosity are all habits. If, as a service, the Air Force focused on building up Airman with these Aristotelian theories on character, the proper sense of integrity would naturally follow.
Virtue ethics would answer the question, "I want to be more courageous but am too weak-willed to do that," and practice courage. This person has a deficiency of courage. They are sitting on the
one extreme on the spectrum of courage. Conversely, the person would be fearless and seemingly suicidal (Pelt, Slide 59, 2002). If this person truly wants to be more courageous, they must make courage habitual. They need to become Temperate (Pelt, Slide 9, 2002). If they practice being courageous over and over again, eventually, they will be able to control their desire to be "weak-willed." One should refrain from seeking out situations in which courage is needed. It means they must make the right "courageous" decision at the right time, in the right situation, for the right thing, for the right people, and in the right state of mind (Pelt, Slide 41, 2002).
-Barry
References
Pelt, M. (2002). The Nicomachean Ethics
Robinson, P. (2007). Magnanimity and integrity as military virtues. Journal of Military Ethics, 6(4), 259–
269. https://doi.org/10.1080/15027570701755364
Thames, B. (2018). How should one live? An introduction to ethics and moral reasoning. Bridgepoint Education.
Shawnka,
Thank you for your post. Integrity is a huge part of military service. It is the first value in our core values "Integrity First". It also has its drawbacks, "People of integrity can do horrific things
and maintain their integrity so long as they are acting per their core commitments" (Robinson, pg. 263, 2007). Think of the Russian Bolsheviks. They were following their core commitments and their integrity when they murdered millions of their own people. Germans working at concentration camps were also utilizing their integrity when they showed up on time for work, followed orders, turned in Jews for breaking prison rules. They also oversaw the extermination of millions. This illustrates the point of individuals needing something greater to act as their moral compass. Aristotle discusses building habits of acceptable behavior. If we make good behaviors a habit thing like the Holocaust or communist revolution in Russia less likely.
-Barry
Samantha,
I tend to ramble on and may not articulate my point correctly. The Natis and Communists did build their integrity up with habit. Especially The German military. However, that blind integrity
with no other measure of morality other than what their military doctrine made those atrocities possible. They were "just being good soldiers" or "just following orders". It is what they were trained to do.
-Barry
Domingo,
Thankfully I have only been through one or two life or death situations in my 16 years. I found in
those times I fell on to habits that came from my parents. I was 23 and had a little more life,
sense of self, and purpose when I joined. Some never had a good foundation on where to build the habits necessary to be a moral person before the military. Then they are trained, given a weapon, and sent to do some questionable things at times. If a soldier, marine, airman, or sailor get habits or moral compass from the military unethical things can happen. The torture of prisoners during the war on terror is an example. Their superiors deemed their actions righteous and honorable. They were certain they were doing the right thing. I feel the same way about German concentration camps. The habits they built against the Jewish people made the Holocaust honorable and acceptable to many in German military. The Aristotelian virtue ethic theories are interesting, but the people, society, and environment on which you build those habits
can have you doing horrible things yet be considered a good person.
-Barry
Domingo,
I completely understand. I consider myself an honest person however, in my military career there
have been times when the bonds among my fellow airman and I were stronger at the time then the truth, I have acquired gear and other items for myself and at the direction of superiors. But Aristotle stated that “Virtue. . . is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e.,
the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. (Aristotle, 1931, 1107a)" Would a rational practical person in our shoes make the same choice? If they would then maybe are still morally sound people after all.
-Barry
References
Thames, B. (2018). How should one live? An introduction to ethics and moral reasoning. Bridgepoint Education.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help