Philip Raymond Bote Social Philosophy The Relation Between Social Philosophy and Ethics It has been said that when we talk about the dimensions of social philosophy and ethics it immediately connotes to practice or action. They even call it the philosophies of practice. Practice in the sense that the concrete manifestations of these two are in the actions of each individual. Therefore, it is safe to say that these two are not mere theories rather it is hands on type of philosophy that is being applied in our everyday living. In order to put a distinction of these two philosophies the best thing to do is to define and give emphasize to their focus. Social Philosophy deals with individual’s highest good in the society. On the other hand, Ethics deals with supreme good of individual or St. Thomas called it the Summum Bonum of man. Thus, these two deals with what is right or good for man and society. From that point, we can assert that social philosophy and ethics complement each other due to the subject matter that is the individual man and the society for looking forward for the highest good of this man. We can say also that Social Philosophy and Ethics are the primordial ingredients in creating a peaceful, harmonious, ordered, and progressive society because social philosophy deals with the social relationship of individuals while ethics deals with the individuals themselves. It is really true that through these two practical and applied philosophies it would be easy to create and build an ideal nearly perfect society since perfect society is absolutely impossible. Let us imagine a society without ethics or we could say without any moral basis and a principle of living preferably it is boldly chaotic type of society. On one hand, let us also try to imagine a society without a good relationship between individuals perhaps it will create chaos also. Thus, Social Philosophy and Ethics is necessary and needed in a society because it focuses on the development of man’s personality and social dimension of his life. When we talk about development it is the growth and maturing process of individuals. Man’s development in terms of his ethical life is all about his conduct as an individual and as an agent with all his actions which is guided with a moral values and doings. Also, a man should be culpable with all his actions especially when he interacts with other individuals as being part in the society. However, social development focuses on man’s social relation to other social being in the society through the concrete use of his personal ethical tool and maturity. In other words, the social development includes the moral principles and values of a man in relating to other individuals. Basically, the study of Social Philosophy is all about the social relations of man in a community while Ethics is mainly concerned with conduct of individuals. However, these two has an intimate relation with each other. Their intimate relation is visible within the context of man in the society: how man acts, how man observes his moral values, and how man relates himself to the community. ‘Since man in the society has various social, moral, economic, cultural, bearings. All roles of human beings are to be played under the regulations of customs, traditions and social institutions. The collective life of man includes the ethical, political, economical and sociological spheres’. Through this concept of man there would be no doubt that Ethics is related in the study of Social Philosophy because it is said that ‘Ethics evaluates rightness or wrongness of human actions with reference to intentions of the agent. It aims at character building of individual by cultivation of moral values such as non-violence, truth, non-possession and self-control’. Therefore, Social Philosophy and Ethics is indeed intimately inter-related from each other imbued with the actions of man in the society being directed with principles and norms of the Ethics of morality which aims to build a harmonious and peaceful community that is being well-evaluated through the guidelines of social dimensions and ethical norms.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 02:33:18 +0000
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