Single Idea 6895

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 1. Virtue Theory / a. Nature of virtue]

Full Idea

If, as in Stoic and later systems, human beings are regarded as citizens of the world and not only of a city-state, general justice will include all the habits and dispositions of a good human being.

Clarification

'General justice' is morality or virtue

Gist of Idea

If humans are citizens of the world (not just a state) then virtue is all good human habits

Source

report of Stoic school (fragments/reports [c.200 BCE]) by Thomas Mautner - Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy p.289

Book Reference

Mautner,Thomas: 'Dictionary of Philosophy' [Penguin 1997], p.289


A Reaction

I like this a lot, because it addresses the key problem of virtue theory, the problem of 'the Nazi virtues'. The Nazis might be seen (by some) as 'good' Germans, but they were obviously appalling Europeans, and that is what matters.