Andria J. Williams
Phil 022
Exam #1
9/23/03
What is Good? - A Question without Answer
There are social norms in all societies that create universal laws and determine what is good and bad. The societal norms of America govern its citizen’s everyday actions, but also lead them to be self-serving and individualistic. On the other hand, the norms of other countries may yield more towards the aggregate welfare of that particular country’s culture and their people; however, this unity within a country’s people still leaves worldly good or total aggregate good unobtainable. Psychological egoism summarizes this self-motivated search for individualistic good, through its definition, which states, “that the only thing anyone [or any group] is capable of desiring or pursuing ultimately is his own self-interest.” (Pojman p.80) With this theory in mind, I argue that there is no such thing as true aggregate good.
Hedonism suggests that well-being or good is based on a person’s measure of the balance of pleasure over pain. This abridged definition of the above theory suggests the lack of aggregate good. Pleasure for one person may be pain for another. This shows that what is good for one person could be a bad for another person. With this type of constant conflict between good and bad, a balance will not be reached. The American Society’s drive based on individual ideas and motives challenges the group strivings of other countries and allows for much conflict, morally, socially, and physically. For instance, the Taliban and their moral and religious beliefs teach that pleasure comes from complete allegiance to Allah and that punishment will come for disobeying him. Within this complete allegiance or search for pleasure over pain, good, a religious war is being conducted. In fact, the aggregate good of that religious group was used as the backbone of the September 11 attacks. This attack led to the deaths more than a thousand civilians. This was not a good act in the eyes of the American public, whose western ideals and morals greatly conflict with those of the Taliban. This act however was considered the ultimate good for this religious group, thus showing how the ideals of different cultures can counteract and eliminate aggregate good. I believe that there can never be any such thing as true good, or aggregate good until the entire world becomes homogenous. As of now, the concept of good is based on western ideals, which are not necessarily the ideals of the people of the entire world, and with this in mind; the only possible good is individual good.
