There is a prima facie incompatibility between a law conception of ethics, in which law concepts (e.g. ought, rule, action) are basic, and a virtue conception of ethics, in which virtue concepts (e.g. character trait, ideal, agent) are basic. However, both conceptions contain elements that are needed for an adequate ethical account. Aquinas's conception of ethics is of interest, because it combines virtue and law components within a broadly Aristotelian account. I argue that Aquinas's virtue-and-law ethical conception is not ad hoc, but emerges from, expresses, and is grounded normatively, rationally, and motivationally in his general conception of practical thought. My first objective in the thesis is to explicate and defend an interpretation of Aquinas's understanding of practical thought as the rational determination of general good into particular action. I argue, first, that this interpretation expresses Aquinas's conception of the nature of practical thought, as reflected in Aquinas's central practical concepts of order, nature, good, and reason. Second, I argue that this interpretation is expressed in Aquinas's conception of the structure of practical thought, as reflected in general, specific, and particular conceptual levels of practical thinking, reasons, and forms of reasoning. My second objective in the thesis is to show that Aquinas's virtue-and-law account presupposes and develops this conception of practical thought, and briefly to indicate how insights from Aquinas's account elucidate relationships between virtue and law ethical conceptions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2004. / Thesis directed by Alfred Freddoso for the Department of Philosophy. "April 2004." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-204).

Like its ancestral disciplines, archaeology is no stranger to human conflict. Greek and Roman warfare often resulted in the sacking of cities, with all property (public, private, temple) taken as booty and the population and heritage exterminated or absorbed (men killed, women and children sold into slavery). In addition to the personal danger risked in a hostile region, archaeologists may also be thrust into deep and divisive cultural embattlements. Cultural property may be destroyed, intentionally or unintentionally. Graves, including potential evidence of genocide or mass murder, may be disturbed. Archaeologists may find themselves embroiled in many of these disputes and violent events, leading to difficult and complex ethical issues. This viperous nest of ethical concerns is amplified where an archaeologist is present as part of, or perceived to be related to, an invading or occupying military force. The goal of this thesis is to develop an engaging and pragmatic virtue-based professional ethic that may guide an archaeologist and archaeology through the ethical bramble bush raised by modern human conflict. The present ethical systems, based primarily on utilitarian or deontological principles manifested in ethical codes, are deficient because they fail to establish the archaeologist as a trustee (active or passive) in a political dynamic, elevate the archaeological record even when these professional codes purport to discount its importance, fail to address adequately the matrix of relationships in a manner that ensures trust across the interests of all stakeholders – both present and past, and dramatically fail to identify and develop the central thrust of a professional ethic (as opposed to personal moral judgment) in the first instance.

O presente trabalho, pautado na análise de textos de autores que se ocuparam ou não da educação como tema, retoma a antiga e sempre atual questão do ensino das atitudes morais. Nesta discussão, indicam-se dois elementos que podem enriquecer e até contribuir decisivamente para esse ensino a virtude e a reflexão filosófica. De saída, questionam-se os discursos que objetivam construir atitudes morais, sobretudo com base no exame de seus possíveis significados para aqueles a quem se dirigem. Embora apoiado exclusivamente na bibliografia consultada, este trabalho encontrou indicações de que a assimilação de algo que é externo pode ser mais proveitosa e dotada de significado quando existe um tempo para entendê-lo, analisá-lo e enfim absorvê-lo. Analogamente, a repetição reiterada de uma atitude pode ser ressignificada se essas repetições forem entremeadas por momentos de reflexão. Neste contexto, complementa-se a idéia de virtude fazendo-a sempre acompanhar de reflexão atenta e argumentação rigorosa, como convém às disposições e ações que demandam atualização permanente. O trabalho envolve também questões relativas ao conceito de ensino, procura delimitar os limites tênues entre moral e ética e tece algumas reflexões sobre a virtude. Finalmente, sustenta a idéia de uma crença alicerçada em fundamentos filosóficos e encerra-se com algumas observações sobre como a escola pode atuar a partir destas formulações. / This paper , based on the analysis of texts by authors who are not occupied or education as its theme , incorporates ancient and ever present issue of the teaching of moral attitudes . In this discussion , indicate are two elements that can enhance and even contribute decisively to this teaching virtue and philosophical reflection . Output , is the question discourses that aim at building moral attitudes , particularly based on the examination of its possible meanings for those to whom they are addressed . Although supported exclusively found in the literature , this study found indications that the assimilation of something that is external can be more profitable and endowed with meaning when there is a time to understand it , analyze it and finally absorb it . Similarly , the repeated repetition of an attitude can be re-signified whether these repeats are interspersed with moments of reflection . In this context, it complements the idea of making a virtue always follow careful and rigorous reasoning reflection, as befits the provisions and actions that require constant updating . The work also involves issues relating to the concept of education , aims at defining the tenuous boundaries between morals and ethics and offers some reflections on virtue . Finally, it supports the idea of a grounded in philosophical foundations and ends with some observations on how the school can act from these formulations belief.

The aim of this study is to examine Hume&rsquo / s moral theory as expressed in his two main books, Treatise and Enquiry and to show the defects of this theory. Without explaining some basic doctrines such as moral motivation, moral judgment, sympathy, passions, virtues, justice e.t.c., it is not possible to understand Hume&rsquo / s moral theory. To this aim, first, Hume&rsquo / s moral theory is explained in detail. Next, in order to provide a deeper understanding of the theory, its relation with his epistemology and his aesthetics are explained. Afterwards, few philosophers who influenced Hume&rsquo / s thought such as Hobbes, Mandeville, Hutcheson have been briefly discussed. Consequently, it is claimed that Hume&rsquo / s moral theory has a heterogeneous structure so it is difficult to understand his moral theory. Hume&rsquo / s moral theory contains an ambiguity due to his conception of sympathy, which has led to some misinterpretations.

This dissertation aims to determine the role of human nature in Hume&#039 / s philosophy. It will examine how moral motivation arises when one takes human nature as the basis of moral philosophyWhat is maintained here is that Hume approaches his rival rationalist philosophers whom he criticised for drawing on metaphysics and rational methods in building the foundation of their ethics. Hume&rsquo / s &ldquo / science of man&rdquo / attempts to isolate the basis of ethics from metaphysical and rational elements. However, this paper demonstrates that in doing so, Hume actually resorts to reason. Further, certain inconsistencies in Hume&rsquo / s argument can only be resolved by recourse to metaphysics. To make this clear I examine how the passions that Hume puts forward as the basis of human nature cause sympathy and build a sense of morality. Since the most basic feature of human nature exists within the concept of &ldquo / being-human&rdquo / , the necessity of metaphysical and ontological explanations will be shown. Hume&rsquo / s position on the goodness or wickedness of human nature is examined. As a result, the purpose of this research is to show that it is not possible to isolate ethics from metaphysical elements by constructing a science based on Newtonian methods.

The purpose of this study is to explain and evaluate Nietzsche&rsquo / s criticisms of Kantian morality. Kantian morality has greatly influenced western moral thought. Nietzsche&rsquo / s criticisms focus on the scientific and universal character of this philosophy. This work focuses on the ideas of &lsquo / freedom&rsquo / , &lsquo / autonomy&rsquo / , &lsquo / individual virtues&rsquo / and &lsquo / morality as a science&rsquo / . In order to understand and analyze Nietzsche&rsquo / s critiques, his epistemological criticisms are also evaluated.

This thesis evaluates David Hume&rsquo / s notion of justice by examining the coherence in his legal, moral, and political philosophy. It is argued that on the whole, Hume&rsquo / s use of the concept justice is coherent in his theories of law, ethics, and politics. To this end, firstly, Hume&rsquo / s moral thought is examined in detail. Secondly, his legal theory and his position in legal philosophy are considered with references to its moral aspects. Next, Hume&rsquo / s notion of justice is examined in its relation with the state. It is observed that Hume&rsquo / s conception of justice has moral, legal, and political foundations, and that all of these subjects depend on the same principles. It is shown that the laws of justice constitute an ethical, legal, and political issue in Hume&rsquo / s philosophy. According to Hume, although obeying the rules of justice is a moral topic, the laws of justice are guaranteed by the state in large societies.

The aim of this study is to analyze the concept on dikaiosune in Plato&#039 / s Republic with its main aspects. Republic as an overarching philosophical work will be reviewed as a whole and the overall scheme will be taken into account. There will be an emphasis on the ethical point of view rather than a political standpoint. The main interest of the thesis is what dikaiosune is and its relationship with goodness and eudaimonia which are terms sometimes used interchangeably. Still, the intervowen concepts of virtue, happiness, fulfillment, desire and unity will be taken into consideration as also for Plato these are perpetually connected. Various commentators of the Republic, their views and arguments will also be examined and analyzed within this study.

The main objective of this master&rsquo / s thesis is to analyze the place assigned to human subjectivity by French philosophers Michel Foucault and Gilles Deleuze. In order to fulfil the requirements of this objective, what is focused on is their shared critique which is exercised against the traditional conceptions of humanity and subjectivity. Through the thesis, first Foucault&rsquo / s analyses which demonstrate that universal man as a construction emerges as an effect of discursive practices and power relations, and his archaeological method that illustrates knowledge process is not dependent on transcendental consciousness are explained and discussed. Then it is argued that Deleuzian philosophy of becoming which does not submit to any transcendent unity that governs experience is an actual alternative to subject-centered understandings of the world. Throughout the course of arguments it is emphasized that according to both Foucault and Deleuze the human subject is an effect of network type relations that occur in a non-subjective fashion.