Development of virtuous character
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Some virtue theorists maintain that the development of virtuous character requires the right sort of society and culture. What are the arguments for and against that claim?
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Some virtue theorists maintain that the development of virtuous character requires the right sort of society and culture. What are the arguments for and against that claim?
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Virtue is considered, philosophically, the right thing to do because it is either in one's own self-interest or for the good of society. Plato, for instance, thought one should do the virtuous thing because it was good for the self and would reward one in the afterlife. However, it was the basic morality of society that taught virtue and both examined and encouraged both (See Plato's "Republic.").
There are two major arguments about the idea of virtue being a self-developed characteristic and societal induced behavior. Certainly cultures differ in their approach to the sense of "right and wrong" and the ability to punish or reward. For example, in many Amerindian cultures everyone's possessions belong to the group as a whole. If someone needed something, he ...
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