Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What "Makes" a Person? Actions vs. Intentions

Our discussion throughout the last week has largely been based in selections from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Specifically, we spent time discussing "actions" and how these define a person, or, make a person who he/she is. Taurean raised a great question about forgiveness--Is it possible to forgive actions while still "keeping them in mind" or do we need to "forget" that the action in question ever took place? We also discussed Stanley "Tookie" Williams and his actions, both as a founder of the Crips and as an author/activist working against gang violence in the United States. This raised questions about the possibility of one to be forgiven or "redeemed" for any act, even murder or assault.

 But consider the following passage from the Nicomachean Ethics: "we become just by doing just actions, temperate by doing temperate actions, brave by doing brave actions" (1103b). Here Aristotle is putting an emphasis on action as defining "what" or "who" a person is (How do I know if I am brave? If I act bravely I am brave). Now that we have thought about this in class--what do you think? What is most important in defining "what" or "who" a person is? Their actions?  Or, perhaps the intentions that guide actions are more significant? Perhaps neither of these is right and we need to look at another aspect of a person to define "who" or "what" they are?

71 comments:

  1. I believe Aristotle knew what he was talking about when he said one's action define who or what they are. Intentions play a major part in defining a person. One could have good intentions but end up doing actions that are bad in others eyes. Like if you were to kill someone in self-defense your not necessarily a killer. it all depends on the circumstances of the situation, but for the most part of it your actions can determine who you are. In the Stanley "Tookie" Williams case he changed his whole character around when he became an authur/activist. He should of been forgave for his foolish acts of the past. In conclusion, I believe intentions and actions defines your character.

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  2. I agree with aristotle that one's actions define who they are. Intentions do play a major part in defining one's charcter.I also belive Stanley tookie Williams deserved the death sentence in jail because he did try to redeem himself, but some things to everyone isn't forgiveable.I mean he impacted the youth enough to get nominated for an peace prize award.

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  3. REGINALD JOHNSON JR.October 2, 2009 at 6:30 AM

    I AGREE WITH ARISTOLE ALSO THAT ONE'S ACTIONS DEFINE WHO THEY ARE. BUT YES, INTENTIONS DEFINES WHO A PERSON IS, IT ALSO DEFINES A PERSONS CHARACTER. TOOKIE DIDN'T DESERVE A DEATH SENTENCE, THEY SHOULD HAVE LET HIM DIE IN JAIL INSTAEAD OF KILLING HIM.

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  4. I think that actions make a person but intentions are what a person does.
    For example, if a person performs a legal action without an intention to do something good or bad, but merely with the intention of doing something legal, then they will be deserving of neither a reward or a punishment for doing so.

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  5. Nakia Brunson
    Actions doesn't necessarily make a person because somebody can do something and didn't intend to do it such as knocking over a very expensive vase in a museum. Many will think you're clumsy and othres will think you don't care about what doesn't belong to you. When a person intend to do something more than likely the outcome of what they did such as: rob,rape,steal,participate in community service,or donating clothes will have you looking positive or negative in others eyes. So when a person tries to do something rather it's good or bad I really feel that intended actions make up a person.

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  6. i agree with robert coats that anything you do describes your character. you cant do something selfish and then comeback and try to change your whole personality. life is what you make it. so if i make life hard then life will be hard for me. actions is something very strong. my actions speak louder than my words i may say i am something but my actions will prove that i am something else. so to me actions is something that describes you.

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  7. I think intentions that guide actions is how you define someone. I feel like this because when people do wrong things,some people dont intend to do bad, it just happens that way but when someone intends to do wrong then you can see what type of person he/she really is.

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  8. HONESTlY..ACTiONS DEFiNiTElY DETERMiNES WHAT MAKES A PERSON..BRAVERY HAS HAD MANY DESCRiPTiONS..JUS liKE WE DiSCUSSED iN ClASS..(BRAVERY CAN BE TYRNING TO PROTECT YOURSElF FROM HARMS WAY BUT END UP BEiNG A HERO, BEiNG A HERO PURPOSElY, OR DOiNG SOMETHiNG iGORANT) THE EXAMPlES WE USED WERE: TRYiNG TO RUN AWAY FROM A BANK ROBBERY BUT ACCiDENLY TRiPPiNG OVER SOMETHiNG AND iNJURING THE BANK ROBBER(THE BRAVERY iN THAT iS THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT PERSON iNTENDED TO SAVE ONlY HiM/HERSELF, THEY ENDED UP SAViNG EVERYONE)..2ND EX. A PERSON SEE'S A lADY BEiNG ASSAUlTED BY HER BOYFRiEND(THE BRAVERY iN THAT iS TO PURPOSElY SAVE THAT WOMAN FROM BEiNG ABUSED) 3RD EX. 9-11 iDOiTS HiGH JACKED THE PlANES AND DESTOYED THE TWiN TOURS (THE BRAVERY iN THAT iS TO PROVE WHAT THEY TRUlY BEliEVE iN)..TO PECAPiTUlATE EVERYONE ACTiONS DETERMiNE WHO THEY ARE..NO MATTER HOW THEY DO THiNGS OR WHY THEY DO iT, THEiR ACTiONS DEFiNES THEiR PERSONAliTY

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  9. well i think a persons actions tells alot about them in some cases, such as if someone continues to do something wrong and they know its not the right thing to do but they continue to do it without anyone influenceing them, then thats their own action sand it tells alot about them. But in some cases people can influence us and we do wrong things because we want to fit in or whatt ever. So it all depend on what the situation is.but I still believe what aristotle said because even though people may do wrong brcause someone else's intentions, its their actions not the person thats influencing them and i believe tookie should have gotten the dealth sentence also because he had to pay for what he did.

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  10. I really think that a person is there own actions.. only that one person can be accountable for his/her actions..Tookie Williams deserved another chance..everybody deserved to be giving anothe chance to change their life around...

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  11. I think a person's intentions is what ties in to their actions which both make the person.If a person's intentions are not right, that person will not be doing good for a long time towards anybodty without expecting nothing in return. Autumn

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  12. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT ONE IS JUDGED BY HIS OR HER ACTIONS BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING BEFORE DOING IT. PEOPLE DONT JUST UP AND DO THINGS, ITS ALL A PROCESS. NOW WHEN IT COMES TO BRAVERY ANY ONE CAN DO A BRAVE ACT BUT IT ONLY COUNTS IF ONE DOES IT INTENTIONALLY!!!!!!!! THIS TOPIC WAS KIND OF MY FAVE BECAUSE IM A PERSON THAT MAKES SURE THAT I THINK EVERY THING THROUGH, BUT I WILL NEVER DO SOMETHING THAT ISNT OF MY NATURE AND HAVE OTHERS JUDGE ME BECAUSE OF DOING IT.... SO TO SUM IT ALL UP YES ONE IS JUDGED BY HIS OR HER ACTIONS!!!!!!!!

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  13. I also believe that a person's action is what or who others see them to be. I think what a person does gives a small desciption of who they are or should i say, one gets a picture of who that person may be by their actions. In some cases an action can be for the momment so sometimes you cant just go by the person actions. I say that because just because you may have saw a person doing something doesnt mean that it's something that that person always does...you probably just happen to see that specific action and got an opinion right then, but that person was just acting in the moment where he or she was. That falls under the category of intension because it may not be what the person intended to do, but it happened as a result of what was going on around him or her. Actions and intension both go hand in hand but have different definitions and different ways of being done!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I feel that a person's intentions can't be based on their actions because I can intend to do something but the outcome and my action can be totally different. I do not feel that intentions make your character but actions do. Your intentions may not always turn out the right way but your actions, what you continue to do shows who you are.

    ReplyDelete
  15. A PERSONS ACTIONS TELL A LOT ABOUT THEM AND WHO THEY CAN BE. THINGS A PERSON ACTS UPON IS FOCUSED ON MORE THAN WHAT SOMEONE INTENDS TO DO

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  16. I THINK A PERSONS ACTIONS MAKE THEM BECAUSE A PERSON CAN THINK OF DOING SOMETHING ALL DAY AND INTEND TO DO IT BUT NEVER GROW UP THE COURAGE TO DO SO. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN A PERSON ACTS ON A THOUGHT IT SHOWS A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE START TO JUDGE THAT PERSON. AN INNTENTION IS KEPT IN THE BACK OF A PERSON MIND OR IT IS JUST A THOUGHT AND THOUGHTS DO NOT MAKE PEOPLE

    ReplyDelete
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