Intfilo Final Exam Q1

Lim, Via Marie E. INTFILO A53 Date of Submission: 04/06/16

11535504 Final Exam Submitted to: Mr. Lualhati

1.) Why or when is something “good”?

In philosophy, when we say that this thing or rather something is good means that it is important or valuable. Objects, people, ideas, and actions can be good.

A lot of philosophers have thought about what it means for something to be good. This issue is also called Value.

What is good has to do with benefits. In my opinion, something that benefits something or someone else is considered good. We can think of this in two ways – instrumentally or biologically. Instrumentally, a vehicle is good for traveling from one place to another, and what is good for the vehicle is what enables it to do so well. Biologically, air, water, and food are good for living beings.

Instrumentally, what is good for a thing enables that thing to serve its purpose. To make sense, an instrumental usage of the term "good" requires reference to somebody's purpose or intention. Thus, a vehicle is good for traveling, and travelling is good for adventure and we have these adventures because we want the memories and experiences that we gain from it. The instrumental usage is expressed in terms of usefulness, of utility for achieving a purpose or intention. Some vehicles are better than others in that they have better features and thus can be used to go to places faster and more smoothly.

The instrumental usage leads to the biological usage. Why is it good for us human beings to have comfort and utility? It is because comfort and utility nourish us and keep us alive. Unlike the instrumental usage, the biological usage does not require reference to conscious purpose or intention.

The biological usage is expressed in terms of health and well-being. Biologically, what is good for an organism is what helps it survive and thrive, what nourishes it. Some things are better for us than others in this respect.

For instance, some plants need full...