Is That Right?

In previous discussions we looked at how behaviors have extremes. Excess or deficiencies are the states we want to avoid. There is a place in between that is a sweet spot. This is according to what is right and beneficial. Let’s look a little closer at the nature of this “right rule”. To say we should always do what is right has no merit since it is a general statement. Some go as far to say there is no right or wrong, but is that right? We have to assume there is right and wrong by every statement we make. In order to accomplish anything that is in a person’s heart, one must have a way to determine what is the right way. This is an activity of the soul.

Virtue is using something to its fullest potential and best use. The two uses of the soul pertain to character and intellect. Moral virtue has to do with character and we have already spent time looking at using our passions the best way possible. We agree that the soul has two parts within it, the rational and irrational. 

Our rational side also has two parts: one that deals in definites and one that deals with variables. The one side registers associations and likenesses such as calling all trees, trees. This is what is meant by the word science. When we study, we are simply registering observations and associations. The other part of our rational soul is calculative. It takes what we remember and theorizes. It comes up with “what ifs?”.  The calculative side is the part that is rational and grasps principles. Both of these parts serve a useful purpose.

For anything to serve its purpose we need to find how to use it best. Action and truth are the work of the soul and the there are three things that control them; sensation, reason and desire. Movement that originates out of sensation isn't voluntary but reactive. We don’t need to study it further as a source of actions. We are interested in purposed actions, the defining difference between animals and rational men.

We affirm or reject material that is presented in the arena of our mind. In a similar manner we either avoid or pursue desires. Choice is deliberate desire. We think about the feasibility of what we desire first and then pursue it. If both the thinking is true and the desire is right, a good choice is made. We affirm desires first by deliberation and then act on them. One part of our intellect looks at truth and falsehood without action in mind. Intellect becomes practical when we couple this with the right desire.

Without truth and without reasoning there can be no choice. Some may argue that there is no truth. But without truth there is nothing to choose between. In order to have any kind of a will there has to be right and wrong with true and false. We can call nothing good without a bad.  

Having information alone won't move anything but when it is coupled with desires, information can become productive. This combination of good character and good intellect go hand in hand to produce good results. We set goals for the future with the desires we have in the present. Then we use the intellect to determine if it is doable. This is the scope of our ability to choose. It is important to keep in mind that we cannot rechoice the past. Even God cannot change the past. All we desire and deliberate on to influence our actions should focus on what can be reasonably done now toward what is best for our future.  The work that we are trying to get out of the intellect is truth so we can move forward and not stumble.

We will next look deeper into the part of our intellect that grasps truth.