Aristotle's Views on Voluntary Action and Moral Responsibility
Aristotle on voluntary action,
choice and moral responsibility
Michael Lacewing
enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk
(c) Michael Lacewing
Voluntary and involuntary actions
•
In voluntary actions, we know what we are
doing and we bring it about ourselves
–
Force and ignorance render actions involuntary
–
3 cases of stepping on someone’s foot
(c) Michael Lacewing
Force
•
Physical force and psychological pressure
–
Don’t blame someone where psychological pressure
is very strong
–
When we act involuntarily, we do so with pain and
regret
•
What of sailors throwing goods overboard in a
storm?
–
This is voluntary, in that it is chosen to avoid a
greater evil
–
And we praise them for their choice – praise and
blame attaches only to voluntary action
(c) Michael Lacewing
Ignorance
•
Whether an action done from ignorance is
involuntary or ‘not voluntary’ depends on regret
–
Stepping on someone’s foot (caring, not caring)
•
Involuntary action from ignorance involves
ignorance of the particular circumstances of action
–
What you are actually doing, its consequences, your
manner of acting…
•
Acting in ignorance ≠ acting from ignorance
–
Acting from ignorance is not voluntary; acting in
ignorance counts as voluntary
–
E.g. acting when drunk or in a rage – it is these
conditions, not ignorance, that bring about the action
(c) Michael Lacewing
Voluntary action
•
Again: In voluntary actions, we know what we are
doing and we bring it about ourselves
•
Actions done from desire or emotion are still
voluntary
–
If not, then neither children nor animals ever act
voluntarily
–
Many good actions, that we ought to do, are done from
desire or emotion
–
Involuntary actions are painful, many actions done from
desire are pleasant
–
Our desires and emotions are part of us –
we
act from
them
(c) Michael Lacewing
What is choice?
•
Everything
we choose to do is voluntary, but not
everything voluntary is chosen
–
E.g. the actions of children
•
Choice is what we decide upon as a result of
deliberation
•
Deliberation is reasoning about what we can
change
–
Esp. where we need to act not from habit but
differently on different occasions
(c) Michael Lacewing
Deliberating about ends
•
Do we deliberate about means only, or also
ends?
–
I might deliberate about whether it is worth the
effort to get good grades
–
I might deliberate about which end to pursue when
two ends conflict
•
Aristotle: we don’t deliberate about ends
as
ends
, i.e. we always have some end in view
–
Getting good grades as a means to an end
–
Which end to pursue as part of the good life
(c) Michael Lacewing
Are bad actions voluntary?
•
Do people who are bad do bad things voluntarily
and by choice?
–
Socrates: No -
Everyone aims at what they believe is good
and doing something bad is acting from ignorance
–
Aristotle: it involves ignorance, but is still voluntary
•
To know (fully)
what the right act is involves
understanding
why
it is right
–
Bad people desire what is not truly desirable, but they
are ignorant of this fact,
–
Something bad can seem desirable if we think it is
pleasant
(c) Michael Lacewing
Bad people act voluntarily
•
What it is in our power to do, it is in our power
not to do. So we can choose to do either good
or bad actions. So bad actions are voluntary.
•
We encourage people not to do bad actions, yet
we don’t encourage people not to do things
that are out of their power.
(c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility
•
Obj: Bad people act voluntarily, but are not
morally responsible, because they do not know
that what they desire is not desirable
•
Reply:
Bad people became bad as a result of
their choices. Therefore, they are responsible
for becoming bad, and thus becoming ignorant
of what is good.
(c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility
•
We acquire a particular state of character by
acting in a corresponding way.
•
L
ike becoming drunk and then not knowing
what you are doing; or becoming ill through
ignoring medical advice; we are responsible for
becoming bad through the choices we made.
•
Bad action is done
in
ignorance, not
from
ignorance
(c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility
•
If the bad person is not responsible for their
bad actions, and these are not done voluntarily,
then the good person is not responsible for
their good actions, and these are not done
voluntarily
.
•
A
ctions and character traits are not voluntary
in the same way.
–
Voluntary actions are under our control from start to
finish. Character traits are only under our control at
the beginning.
(c) Michael Lacewing
Aristotle's perspective on voluntary actions emphasizes the distinction between voluntary and involuntary actions, exploring the role of force, ignorance, and choice in moral responsibility. He discusses how actions stemming from desire or emotion are still considered voluntary, while highlighting the importance of deliberation and decision-making in choosing our actions.
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Presentation Transcript
Aristotle on voluntary action, choice and moral responsibility Michael Lacewing enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk (c) Michael Lacewing
Voluntary and involuntary actions In voluntary actions, we know what we are doing and we bring it about ourselves Force and ignorance render actions involuntary 3 cases of stepping on someone s foot (c) Michael Lacewing
Force Physical force and psychological pressure Don t blame someone where psychological pressure is very strong When we act involuntarily, we do so with pain and regret What of sailors throwing goods overboard in a storm? This is voluntary, in that it is chosen to avoid a greater evil And we praise them for their choice praise and blame attaches only to voluntary action (c) Michael Lacewing
Ignorance Whether an action done from ignorance is involuntary or not voluntary depends on regret Stepping on someone s foot (caring, not caring) Involuntary action from ignorance involves ignorance of the particular circumstances of action What you are actually doing, its consequences, your manner of acting Acting in ignorance acting from ignorance Acting from ignorance is not voluntary; acting in ignorance counts as voluntary E.g. acting when drunk or in a rage it is these conditions, not ignorance, that bring about the action (c) Michael Lacewing
Voluntary action Again: In voluntary actions, we know what we are doing and we bring it about ourselves Actions done from desire or emotion are still voluntary If not, then neither children nor animals ever act voluntarily Many good actions, that we ought to do, are done from desire or emotion Involuntary actions are painful, many actions done from desire are pleasant Our desires and emotions are part of us we act from them (c) Michael Lacewing
What is choice? Everything we choose to do is voluntary, but not everything voluntary is chosen E.g. the actions of children Choice is what we decide upon as a result of deliberation Deliberation is reasoning about what we can change Esp. where we need to act not from habit but differently on different occasions (c) Michael Lacewing
Deliberating about ends Do we deliberate about means only, or also ends? I might deliberate about whether it is worth the effort to get good grades I might deliberate about which end to pursue when two ends conflict Aristotle: we don t deliberate about ends as ends, i.e. we always have some end in view Getting good grades as a means to an end Which end to pursue as part of the good life (c) Michael Lacewing
Are bad actions voluntary? Do people who are bad do bad things voluntarily and by choice? Socrates: No - Everyone aims at what they believe is good and doing something bad is acting from ignorance Aristotle: it involves ignorance, but is still voluntary To know (fully) what the right act is involves understanding why it is right Bad people desire what is not truly desirable, but they are ignorant of this fact, Something bad can seem desirable if we think it is pleasant (c) Michael Lacewing
Bad people act voluntarily What it is in our power to do, it is in our power not to do. So we can choose to do either good or bad actions. So bad actions are voluntary. We encourage people not to do bad actions, yet we don t encourage people not to do things that are out of their power. (c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility Obj: Bad people act voluntarily, but are not morally responsible, because they do not know that what they desire is not desirable Reply: Bad people became bad as a result of their choices. Therefore, they are responsible for becoming bad, and thus becoming ignorant of what is good. (c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility We acquire a particular state of character by acting in a corresponding way. Like becoming drunk and then not knowing what you are doing; or becoming ill through ignoring medical advice; we are responsible for becoming bad through the choices we made. Bad action is done in ignorance, not from ignorance (c) Michael Lacewing
Moral responsibility If the bad person is not responsible for their bad actions, and these are not done voluntarily, then the good person is not responsible for their good actions, and these are not done voluntarily. Actions and character traits are not voluntary in the same way. Voluntary actions are under our control from start to finish. Character traits are only under our control at the beginning. (c) Michael Lacewing
