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Nicholas Benedict
Professor Murphy
Winter Ethics
15 January 2023
My Ethical Development
The ethical development of oneself ages like fine wine, as one learns and assimilates that
knowledge in the world full of ideas and cultures. To experience different cultures and ideas is to
see through varying ethical lenses as one explores the world. The personal ethical principles that
I abide by is a projection of that life experience. My ethical principles begin with the notion that
ethical reasoning implies choice which means that consequences should be taken into account.
The “choice” that I refer to is the choice to make the right or wrong decision. But what do the
words “right” and “wrong” truly mean? To answer that question, I first analyze the motivation
behind my ethical reasoning. Previously, I was motivated by what was best for me, an egoist
philosophy that could lead to selfish decisions. But nowadays, I consider what is best for the
people that are close to me and how it will affect them. The formation of a new ethical
motivation assisted me in discovering what it means to make a “right” or “wrong” choice.
Generally speaking, what I would refer to as “right” would be the decision that brings
forth the happiness and well-being to myself and others. A “right” choice should also minimize
the suffering and unhappiness of others. The notion of a “wrong” choice is obviously antithetical
to a “right” choice. A wrong choice brings forth unhappiness and suffering and leads to negative
consequences. To decide between right and wrong is to also embody certain characteristics. So
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my ethical reasoning consists of weighing the consequences of your actions while deciding
which choice best embodies virtuous characteristics (compassion, honesty, etc.)
Now how could I apply this to real-life scenarios? I once had to decide between seeing
the premiere of a film versus watching my brother’s recital. I had to make up my mind, it was
hours until the film and recital was about to occur. Unfortunately, the film and recital coincided
with another, so I had to choose one or the other. But alas, rather than watch the film and fulfill
my selfish desires, I instead went to my brother’s recital. I didn’t want to watch the recital, and I
may have expressed some disappointment, but I knew it was the right choice. I stayed consistent
with my moral principles by considering the happiness of others. I knew that if I didn’t watch the
recital, my parents would by disappointed since they would think I was being contemptuous. The
importance of parents and brother’s happiness outweighed my own, which is why ultimately
decided to watch the recital.
As I studied ethics, I realized that it could give you insight as to what constitutes the
“good life.” Unanimously, people claim that the “good life” translates to a life that is fulfilling
for oneself. One often refers to the “good life” as that which is full of fortune and enjoyment, one
may even use as a justification for jealousy or contempt, but is that a “good life”? Ethics is
essential to knowing the “good life” since asking what constitutes the “good life” is itself an
ethical question. This makes it rather important to study ethics, if it is your desire to discover
what the “good life” truly means. This does not mean that everyone will come to the same
conclusion. Like me, others will have to study ethics and go through ethical development to
answer the question of the “good life.”
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