Saturday, September 28, 2013

To Virtue


"Socrates’ Moral Intellectualism
The Socratic position on virtue that we’ve extracted from the
Protagoras
is this. 
Virtue is knowledge of (what is) good and bad. 
Thus, if you know all the goods and bads, you
are completely virtuous. 
Virtue has parts: Courage, Temperance, Justice, and Piety.
 
Courage is knowledge of what is good and bad
in the future
 Temperance is knowledge
what is good and bad
for oneself
.
 Justice is knowledge of what is good and bad
for others
.
 And piety is knowledge of what is good and bad
for the gods
 
. None of these
virtues is numerically identical to any of the others. But each of them is importantly like
the others, in that each is a
kind of knowledge of (what is) good and bad. 
 
 Thus, Socrates
accepts the Parts-of-Gold version of the Parts Thesis, and rejects the Identity Thesis.
Recall now that the
Apology suggests that Socrates also accepts the following picture of
the relationship between knowledge and happiness. His view is that if one discusses
virtue regularly then one will (ideally) arrive at knowledge of virtue. 
 
 But knowledge of virtue is sufficient for being virtuous. And being virtuous is sufficient for being happy.
This is why Socrates says that it is the greatest good...to discuss virtue every day, and
why he says that he (Socrates), unlike the Olympian victor, makes others happy (by
engaging them in discussions about virtue).
 
There are arguments and passages in various early dialogues that connect Socrates’
position in the
Protagoras
with the picture we’ve extracted from the
Apology"
.
You can get the rest at the link below.:
 
http://philosophyfaculty.ucsd.edu/faculty/rickless/Rickless/PHIL100_files/Intellectualism3.pdf
===============================================================
It was a horrible day today.
 Rained and Rained and Rained.
I brought more plants inside.
They loved the rain today. I saw them cheer up but the tomatoes are staying green. 
Some of them have bugs in the soil so I watered them with hot water.
They say it will not kill the roots but if there are any eggs they will not like the hot water.
The bugs like the coleus.
 
Tomorrow I will try to plant the baby strawberry shoots Next year we will have a lot more if we are lucky.
 
Right now I have two red ones outside. All I need is a cake, ice cream and some whipped cream.
Instead, I ate an Oh Henry and indulged in a glass of wine in the evening  while waiting for the
pork roast in the oven.

Have a Zippidee Sunday
and
Give a loved one a hug. :)

xoxoxox

 
 


2 comments:

A Free Spirit Butterfly said...

Love the post. We've studied on numerous times in bible study about taking our "thought" captive.

Day by day, we must meditate upon God's truth in who we are.

The enemy wants us to feel defeated and unworthy. We put too much trust in man and when we're disappointed, out thoughts spiral out of control...


Love you!
Hope you enjoyed your yummy dinner!

A Lady's Life said...


Well said Butterfly

"You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues: Wisdom, justice, fortitude and temperance."

I remember the Gladiator where Commudus spoke on virtues before killing his Father:

As I read the list, I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, father. Ambition. That can be a virtue when it drives us to excel. Resourcefulness, courage, perhaps not on the battlefield, but... there are many forms of courage. Devotion, to my family and to you. But none of my virtues were on your list. Even then it was as if you didn't want me for your son.

Funny how the meaning of words get misinterpreted.
That was such a good movie as well.