Reality, Resistance & Respect

Transcription

1 Dr. Clea F. Rees Canolfan Addysg Gydol Oes Prifysgol Caerdydd Centre for Lifelong Learning Cardiff University Yr Hydref/Autumn 2014

2 Outline Outline Connections Some questions for virtue ethicists A question for Foot Stockdale: The World of Epictetus ndividual morality & social institutions

3 Connections Connections recall: Foot: virtue as a disposition/power generally benefits you + others etc. etc. Tolstoy s character Pahom: lacks virtue of temperance has vice of greed Hugo s Les Misérables: might suggest that one s ability to be virtuous depends, at least in part, on one s society s institutions, environmental influences, opportunities, education etc. etc. mages: Gifmania, Bote de Medicina; Lock (Lock s Press 1986)

4 Foot s cardinal virtues Recall, Foot s cardinal virtues: temperance courage justice wisdom mages: Paski, Harry; Food Standards Agency, The Eatwell Plate; danhortonszar.com

5 : an alternative form of virtue ethics The Stoics are also virtue ethicists. But their conception of the virtues/vices differs... Emphases: harmony with the natural/divine order distinctively human good (cf. Aristotle) rational judgement (cf. Aristotle) emotional self-sufficiency lack of dependence on external things

6 Temperate Epictetus We can compare Epictetus conception with Foot s... Foot temperance is a virtue Epictetus temperance is a virtue mage: Food Standards Agency, The Eatwell Plate

7 Epictetus: courage as confidence? Foot courage is a virtue Epictetus courage is a virtue but a really virtuous person wouldn t have or need courage in Foot s sense courage confidence? (Discourses, trans. Long) courage w.r.t. what is inevitable, not in our control e.g. death caution w.r.t. own will, what is in our control e.g. fear of death (Discourses 2.1) but one might need Foot s courage to learn virtue? mage: Paski, Harry

8 Justice for Epictetus? Foot justice is a virtue Epictetus justice is a virtue but not entirely clear why person can only be harmed by own ideas about things but doesn t justice assume a person can be harmed by another person? what will justice amount to here? living well involves being just an unjust person harms herself rather than others mage: danhortonszar.com

9 The wisdom of Epictetus Foot wisdom is a virtue Epictetus wisdom is a virtue mage: danhortonszar.com but wise person will probably not think quite what Foot would expect! re. 2 parts of wisdom: 1. knowing the means to good ends development of virtuous habits detachment from externals i.e. lack of dependence on things external to the will 2. knowing the value of things only what is unconditionally good is truly good only what concerns a person s own will can be good i.e. only virtue can be good

10 Per mi ble ss i Et h mp erm ible iss al hic l ica V ic e Un et The non-cardinal virtues Comparison of non-cardinal virtues: disagreement about other virtues, too what would Epictetus say about compassion? charity? hope? etc.? what would Aristotle/Foot say about indifference to sickness, deprivation & death? attitude to one s lot in life? attitude to thieves, tyrants & adulterers? Source: mage of Saturn, seven of its moons and its inner rings, with Earth in the background. NASA. Taken by Cassini (spacecraft), 19 July, b

11 A question of detachment Source: Giordano, La Mort de Sénèque all about attitude? detachment etc. (cf. Foot s emphasis on attachment) good not to let the little things get to you, but is this a bit extreme?? entirely up to you whether you are miserable entirely up to you whether you are virtuous

12 A question of detachment Epictetus s view may look good under conditions of extreme hardship where you ve little chance of changing externals e.g. Epictetus s own life e.g. in the situation described by Stockdale but also looks like a Stoic misses out on much grounded in human relationships maybe good to be detached from things, but what of people?? Source: Katherine Lucas, The Owl and The Pussy Cat

13 Et h ible iss V ic e A question for Foot mp erm al hic l ica Per mi ble ss i Some questions for virtue ethicists Un et Some questions for virtue ethicists A question for Foot so suppose am depressed, grieving etc. and don t feel like helping out the orphans this week, how do know doing so/making the effort is the right thing to do? Source: Andersen,, 1884 (FCT, 2014) b

14 Some questions for virtue ethicists Two questions 1. Should one focus on becoming/being a virtuous person? (rather than doing the right action) Assuming that the answer is affirmative What are the virtues? are the virtues the same for everyone? are the virtues the same regardless of circumstances/culture?

15 Some questions for virtue ethicists Two questions s useful in Cardiff in 2014?

16 Some questions for virtue ethicists Completeness & consistency Can we get a complete and consistent set of virtues? or Will there be conflicts? e.g. loyalty/friendship vs. justice e.g. compassion vs. honesty etc. Source: Phillip Martin, 2005/2013 (

17 Some questions for virtue ethicists A possible suggestion But, maybe some virtues are core/fundamental? ( cardinal?) Which virtues might be basic/beneficial in almost all cases?

18 Some questions for virtue ethicists Another suggestion Maybe, character traits/habits (virtues) are stronger than rules: under stress or when the going gets really tough?

19 Stockdale: The World of Epictetus Stockdale: The World of Epictetus but individual s ability to be virtuous depends on moral education/society/community (cf. Epictetus) individual s virtue can then enable her to resist social pressure etc. later on

20 Stockdale: The World of Epictetus ndividual morality & social institutions Stockdale: The World of Epictetus ndividual morality & social institutions suggestion: but, also: an individual s ability to be moral depends, at least in part, on moral education, social factors, community etc. an individual s morality can enable her to resist aspects of her society, changing social pressures, other communities, her own community etc. etc.