An Introduction to Mora! Philosophy 53cally. If, however, a gun is put to her head and death is imminent,
she need not resist physically, but simply not comply with her
aggressor, mentally or physically.
Habit is a way of acting learned from constant repetition, to
the point where the action becomes second nature to us. How
often have you seen a person light up a cigarette when he still has
one burning in the ashtray? The lighting of the cigarette was
more from the force of habit than an intellectual choice to smoke.
If he were thinking, he would have reached for the one in the
ashtray.
Some habits are deliberately acquired. People who automati
cally say, “yes, sir, no, m a’am,” have acquired a habit, and could
have acquired it purposely. Habits acquired purposely, if good or
bad, are our responsibility. Other habits we acquire knowing that
the action can become habit— forming, but with no intention of
forming a habit, are our responsibility also— like smoking or
drinking. Most smokers begin to smoke knowing smoking is
habit forming, but convinced that they will not become addicted.
Other habits are unintentionally acquired, and we are respon
sible to the extent we accept the habit without efforts to change.
A person who unintentionally becomes addicted to a drug, and
begins to destroy himself through the use of this drug, is obliged,
once he knows he is addicted, to try to break the habit. He is
responsible to the extent he makes the effort: great effort, less
responsibility; little effort, greater responsibility.
The foregoing are some of the most basic traditional, rational
ist concepts about how we determine moral actions. These ideas
come under the general heading of “traditional morality.” Other
concepts will be introduced in depth as we examine philosophers
who challenge the ideas of Aristotle and St. Thomas. For now,
some of the philosophical ideas contrary to the traditional are:
Pragmatism: The philosophy which contends that the truth
and validity of an idea, and its moral worth, are in the result as
known by experience. John Dewey’s brand of pragmatism is
called Instrumentalism; Dewey considers ideas as instruments
used in the scientific method of solving problems.
Hedonism: The philosophical idea which maintains that plea
sure is good, pain is bad, and that is the basis upon which we
make our moral judgments— and ought to.
Utilitarianism: This philosophy maintains that actions should