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Chapter 4: Disposition
Dispositions refer to metaphysical beliefs of
a character. Metaphysical beliefs are concerned with
speculation beyond the physical world, such as gods
and conceptions of good and evil. Essentially, metaphysical
beliefs produce a blend of 2 related but
distinct dimensions: ethics 1 and morals 2 . The difference
between ethics and morals is as follows:
Ethics: Regardless of how a character feels
about their actions, ethics are concerned with actions.
For instance, lawful behavior is ethical, while
criminal behavior is unethical.
Morals: Regardless of a character’s actions,
morality is concerned with how the character feels
about the issue in question or their actions. So, feeling
good about doing an evil act is immoral, and
feeling bad about doing a good act is immoral, but
feeling good about doing a good act is moral.
The following example is oversimplified, but
this hypothetical situation produces 4 polar outcomes.
Example: Assume that a married man is
walking down the street. An attractive woman stops
him, talks for a few minutes, and blatantly asks him
to go home with her.
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1. If he were to admit that he is married,
bids her good day, and is later genuinely
pleased that he dismissed her, then his
actions were ethical and his feelings are
moral. His disposition for this situation is
EM (Ethical Moral).
2. If he were to admit that he is married,
bids her good day, and is later pained
that he did not go home with her, then his
actions were ethical and his feelings are immoral.
His disposition for this situation is
EI (Ethical Immoral).
3. If he were to go home with her, pretend
he is not married, and later wishes he
had been faithful to his wife and not gone
home with this strange and attractive
woman, then his actions were unethical and
his feelings are moral. His disposition for
this situation is UM (Unethical Moral).
4. If he were to go home with her, pretend
he is not married, and later he is very
pleased that he went home with her, then
his actions were unethical and his feelings
are immoral. His disposition for this situation
is UI (Unethical Immoral).
1. The ethical system in this chapter consists of material adapted from Democritus of Abdera, Plato, and Aristotle.
2. The moral system in this chapter consists of material adapted from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
Chapter 4: Disposition