[lit-ideas] Re: virtue-practical example of being taught

RP
Morality is not etiquette. I think Empedocles said that. 

Oh, you do, do you?  Hmmm.  I thought it was Emily Post.

Why do you think the call 'em "bad" manners?

Mike Geary
Memphis



----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Paul" <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2006 3:41 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: virtue-practical example of being taught


Paul Stone wrote:

Muslim extremists would agree with the boy scouts. Which goes to show that 'virtuous' actions are in the eye of the
beholder.

Are they? I mean, just like that—if I think an action is 'virtuous' (no prior account of virtue having been given), it's virtuous? What is there about the concept of virtuous action that makes it behave this way? 'They have a different concept of x,' is a dangerous starting place. Does, can, x just range over any conceivable state of affairs? 'Their concept of a right triangle is entirely different from ours; for them a right triangle is a set of points on a plane equidistant from a single point.' 'For them, a widow is a man whose nephew just got married.' 'For them, fairness consists in giving all the available, potentially shareable stuff, to just one person, who doesn't need it.' Etc.

I mean doesn't a case have to be made (1) that 'virtue' is such an elastic, loosey-goosey concept, and (2) that we're justified in thinking that we can identify it so that we can see that 'they' apply it differently?


Robert Paul
Reed College
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