Friday, January 30, 2009

Virtue

My values are primarily virtue based. I agree with Aristotle that individual acts and character count for something. The golden mean is a good philosophy to live by. Balance in one's life ususally promotes success and fulfillment. The book we're reading in class says a good way to think of Aristotle's framework is to pick a hero and model ones life after that person. However there are very few people worth modeling ones life after.
Kant's categorical imperative is much too rigid for me. There are exceptions to every rule and one has to make choices that don't always follow a formula. I don't think universal law is always simple, if it was we wouldn't be having this discussion.

2 comments:

  1. Do you think the philosophers are good heroes to model our behaviors after?
    When I read this I think of the young generations that want to be like their favorite celebrities and how that is certainly not who we should model ourselves after (for the most part). I don't think there are too many people we should strive to be like but rather we should take good characteristics from each of our "heroes" and make ourselves the best person we can be.
    If we are a good person, it will reflect in our writing and reporting.

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  2. I think the philosophers have some attributes worth emulating. Since their philosophies are still valued today they must have something going for them. I totally agree that it would be tragic to model our behavior after celebrities and athletes.

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