Question

In your reasoned opinion could it not be that Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have placed too much importance on the function of human reason as the source of virtues and moral character? Perhaps, human emotions or feelings are the real source of virtues and moral character? Perhaps, human reason works to plan a course of action to achieve the purposes desired by human passions. Is human reason just the slave of our deepest passions or is reason in control like Plato's analogy of the charioteer commanding the horses pulling the chariot?

Answer 1

MORALITY VS REASON: THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING SITUATION. THERE WAS A TIME TOO MUCH EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN ON RESON. THERE WAS A PERIOD EVEN ATER PLATO AND SOCRATES WHICH WAS CALLED ENLIGHTENED PERIOD WHERE REASON PLAYED THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. BUT TIME HAS CHANGED NOW WE ARE LIVING IN A POSTMODERN AND POST TRUTH AGE WHERE THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE TRUTh EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE. PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN MORE IMPORTANCE TO THE FACT THAT TRUTH IS TWISTED BY PEOPLe FOR THEIR OWN ADVANTAGES. THIS IS WHAT EXACTLY BEING SAID IN THE ABOVE ARGUMENT. PHILOSOPHERS LIKE PLATO ARTISTOLE EVEN LIVED AND SACRIFICED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REASON IN SOCIETY. BUT NOW WE REA; LIZED THAT THEIR IS NO RESON ABOVE HUMAN EMOTIONS LIKE PASSION. A CHARIOT CAN BE PULLED BY THE HORSES BUT COMMANDED BY THE CHARIOTEER WHO HAS GIVEN THE COMMAND. HERE PLATO WILL SAY ITS REASON WHICH GIVES THE CHARIOTEER THE ABILITY TO COMMAND THE HORSE. BUT ACTUALLY, IT IS THE PASSION THAT THE CHARIOTEER ACTUALLY WANTS TO ACHIEVE CERTAIN THING WHICH IS PASSION AND TO ACHIEVE THAT HE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF PULLING THE CHARIOT WITH HORSES WHEN HE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA IT WAS THE REASON HE WAS USING BUT TO ACHIEVE THE PASSION.SO ULTIMATELY PASSION MAKES PEOPLE THINK AND THINKING IS REASON.