The question of how much we should do for our fellow man arises every time, especially during times of emergencies, disasters and when we see others in need. Helping others is a choice that every person can make on their own. However, it depends on individual ability and willingness to partake in solving the problems of their neighbors. There is a way traditional ethical values can apply in today’s global economy and in response to our fellow man as suggested by Aristotle (Aufderheide 53). The common criteria for taking responsibility to others is well expounded through solidarity, subsidiarity, and prudence. These three doctrines are discussed in this essay in relation to how much we should do for our fellow man.
In today’s society, there are several social issues, including climate change, floods, wild fires, terror attacks, diseases, and pandemics that necessitate the need for human response. Solidarity describes the ethical accountability to assist one’s fellow man and this occurs through donations to local charity and government welfare programs for the people in need. Engaging in these compassionate activities is a way of caring for the fellow man and is highly commendable in contemporary society.
The extent one responds to others further depends on the level of subsidiarity, which is a moral concept. Subsidiarity is the notion that responsibility should be practiced at every level of society, and starts with oneself and shifts to other people in society. This concept aligns with Aristotle’ Nicomachean Ethics that considers human function as a rational activity. Aristotle argues that to uncover human good we should recognize the role of a human being in society (Aufderheide 55). The aim of Aristotle’s ethics is to establish how best a person can achieve happiness by being mindful of others in society, and hinges on living in line with suitable virtues.
In addition, Aristotle sheds light on the idea that human good is a rational activity that should be performed in accordance to the emerging needs of society (Aufderheide 62). Prudence connects the tenets of subsidiarity and solidarity in the sense that a person must use wisdom and knowledge to guarantee that the possible impact on their act has positive influence on the fellow man. All human efforts should be directed towards achieving good to oneself and doing the same to others. This notion entails showing concern by engaging in activities that promote social cohesion, harmony, peace, and happiness for other society members. These concepts of prudence, solidarity, and subsidiarity facilitate a simple way of examining the diverse ways of doing well to fellow man. This is evident in the society and fulfilling one’s ethical responsibilities to others.
Donating funds, food, cloths, and other essential material things to charity organizations also demonstrates individual preparedness to assist others. Charity organizations are either public founded or private foundations. The former include hospitals, churches, and healthcare institutions that obtain funds from diverse sources and work closely with several charities to uplift the living standards of people. Private foundations often have a single source of finance and concentrate on making grants to individuals and teams. The existence of these charitable organizations in the contemporary society is a good indication of human efforts to do well to fellow man. Similarly, the government performs its charitable giving in terms of tax deductions. When a person makes a donation to the above organizations, the federal government basically pays a percentage of that donation, while the rest is used in the form of a reduction through taxation.
The extent they commit to the fellow men is also observed through volunteering, which greatly helps one to learn new skills, make friends, advance career, and improve one’s health and happiness. Despite the busy schedules, many people find time to volunteer in the society and this provides great help to the individuals in need. For instance, showing concern and giving to disadvantaged people helps to protect their physical and mental health. In most cases, these sympathetic acts to people lessen their stress, combat depression, and guide them to have a sense in life. Volunteering does not only help fellow man but also connects you to individuals and organizations, which is one way to advance your occupation.
While dealing with human affairs, Aristotle suggested two types of justice namely, rectificatory and distributive justice (Aufderheide 78). Distributive justice involves distributing scarce goods and resources while rectificatory justice emphasizes correction for past errors. The correct use of both distributive and rectificatory justice largely determines our ability to assist and take care of our fellow man. In today’s society, distributive justice is demonstrated through the sharing of honors and resources among diverse groups of people. This gives rise to the aspect of doing honorable deeds to others in society regardless of their race, cultural backgrounds, or ethnicity. The notion of rectificatory justice is also observed across individuals’ efforts to restore a sense of equality and balance. Under this principle, it is not possible to treat oneself unfairly or suffer prejudice willingly. Hence, the extent we do to our fellow man largely relies on how fair we are to ourselves.
The ethical virtues encourage everyone to be watchful about their fellow men and behave in the right manner, which aligns with government rules and regulations. This also demands every citizen to have correct intellectual virtues to reason well and relate honorably with others (Willian). The practice of calculative reasoning guides people to make the right choice, and this is vital towards helping the less privileged in society. Using prudence as an intellectual virtue also guides people to reason properly concerning ethical matters and taking responsibility that concern others.
There is no limit in helping and caring for other people in the society, and this is well supported through Aristotle’s ethics. According to Aristotle, the presence of courage should persist even in the face of fear (Aufderheide 103). This implies that pleasure should always accompany everyone’s activities when dealing with others. The greatest good is considered as rational contemplation, and should always guide people in dealing with practical issues every day.
The notion of assisting fellow men in today’s society is, therefore, linked to philosophical viewpoints as described in the above passage. Besides, it is also connected to Biblical scriptures of loving others, being merciful, kind, and caring. The Biblical command is to take care of the weak, including the poor who cannot maintain themselves. The concept of being openhanded towards our fellow man, particularly the less privileged in the society is the guiding principle that is used by many people. There is no boundary to what extent one does to their fellow man. The most important thing is to ensure that they are doing righteous acts, which are guided by ethical virtues.
Work Cited
Aufderheide, Joachim. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Book X: Translation and Commentary, Book 10. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Willian, Wood. “Philosophy and Christian Theology”. 2022. Web.