Misplaced Pages

#934065

69-599: A sense-of-duty is also a virtue or personality trait that characterizes someone who is diligent about fulfilling individual duties or who confidently knows their calling . A sense-of-duty can also come from a need to fulfill familial pressures and desires. This is typically seen in a militaristic/patriotic way. Cicero , an early Roman philosopher who discusses duty in his work “On Duties", suggests that duties can come from four different sources: The specific duties imposed by law or culture vary considerably, depending on jurisdiction, religion , and social normalities. Duty

138-421: A deontological theory, all personal desires are banished from the realm of morality; a personal desire has no moral significance, be it a desire to create or a desire to kill. For example, if a man is not supporting his life from duty, such a morality makes no distinction between supporting it by honest labor or by robbery. If a man wants to be honest, he deserves no moral credit; as Kant would put it, such honesty

207-653: A lineage is a unilineal descent group that traces its ancestry to a demonstrably shared ancestor , known as the apical ancestor . Lineages are formed through relationships traced either exclusively through the maternal line ( matrilineage ), paternal line ( patrilineage ), or some combination of both ( ambilineal ). The cultural significance of matrilineal or patrilineal descent varies greatly, shaping social structures , inheritance patterns , and even rituals across societies . From Middle English linage , from Old French linage , from ligne , from Latin linea (“line”); equivalent to line + -age . A lineage

276-631: A "Greater Covenant ", being universal and endless, and a "Lesser Covenant" specific to each religion. Baháʼís view Baháʼu'lláh 's revelation as a binding lesser covenant for his followers. In the Baháʼí writings being firm in the covenant is considered a virtue. In Christianity , the three theological virtues are faith , hope , and love , a list which comes from 1 Corinthians 13:13 ( νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις pistis (faith), ἐλπίς elpis (hope), ἀγάπη agape (love), τὰ τρία ταῦτα· μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη ). The same chapter describes love as

345-490: A "unifying project", revere themselves and are healthy and life-affirming. Because mixing with the herd makes one base, the higher type "strives instinctively for a citadel and a secrecy where he is saved from the crowd, the many, the great majority…". The "Higher type" also "instinctively seeks heavy responsibilities" in the form of an "organizing idea" for their life, which drives them to artistic and creative work and gives them psychological health and strength. The fact that

414-608: A lineage. Examples of bilineal lineage include the Yako people of Nigeria . Lineages play a large role in social organization across cultures . They influence inheritance patterns, with property and titles often passed down within the lineage. In addition, lineages often have religious significance, with one's ancestorial history often determining one's religion and position in that religion. The structure of lineages also leads to stability, social obligations , and reciprocity among members, providing support networks and

483-467: A mere automaton of 'duty'?" Nietzsche claims that the task of all higher education is "to turn men into machines". The way to turn men into machines is to teach them to tolerate boredom. This is accomplished, Nietzsche says, by means of the concept of duty. The writings of Arthur Schopenhauer , including On the Basis of Morality , greatly influenced Nietzsche. These influences led Nietzsche to undertake

552-576: A modern example, "concerns with filial piety of the same general sort that motivate women to engage in factory work in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and elsewhere in Asia are commonly cited by Thai prostitutes as one of their primary rationales for working in the skin trade ". The importance of filial piety can be expressed in this quote from the Analects of Confucius: "Yu Tzu said, 'It

621-532: A number of models of sin, listing the seven deadly sins and the seven capital virtues opposed to each. In Islam, the Quran is believed to be the literal word of God, and the definitive description of virtue, and Muhammad is considered an ideal example of virtue in human form. The foundation of Islamic understanding of virtue was the understanding and interpretation of the Quran and the practices of Muhammad. Virtue

690-461: A series of inversions, challenging the idea that morality stemmed from "compassion or sympathy." Instead, Nietzsche asserted that morality was rooted in life's self-overcoming through the will to power . As part of these inversions, Nietzsche explored concepts like "duty" and "pity", previously discussed by Immanuel Kant and Schopenhauer respectively. Ayn Rand , a youthful admirer of Nietzsche, anchored her morality against Kant's notion of duty. "In

759-459: A source of great comfort and solace to the elders but they can also be experienced as stressful, repressive, or both by those who are enjoined to honor their parents’ (and grandparents’) wishes and unspoken expectations. An arranged marriage is an example of an expected duty in Asia and the Middle East . In an arranged marriage relating to duty, it is expected that the wife will move in with

SECTION 10

#1732766054935

828-547: A spiritual pleasure, that is better than bodily pleasure. Regarding Aristotle 's opinion that happiness depends on the goods of fortune, Descartes does not deny that these goods contribute to happiness, but remarks that they are in great proportion outside one's own control, whereas one's mind is under one's complete control. Immanuel Kant , in his Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime , says true virtue

897-484: A virtue as a point between a deficiency and an excess of a trait. The point of greatest virtue lies not in the exact middle, but at a golden mean sometimes closer to one extreme than the other. However, the virtuous action is not simply the "mean" (mathematically speaking) between two opposite extremes. As Aristotle says in the Nicomachean Ethics : "at the right times, and on the right occasions, and towards

966-457: A way of harmonious living that leads to universal happiness. For this reason, Valluvar keeps aṟam as the cornerstone throughout the writing of the Kural literature . Valluvar considered justice as a facet or product of aṟam . While many before his time opined that justice cannot be defined and that it was a divine mystery, Valluvar suggested that a divine origin is not required to define

1035-448: Is in response to keeping the lineage of a family intact and obliging to the needs of elders. In his Discourses , Epictetus employs the analogy of the human foot to elucidate the moral significance of duty: "Do you not know, that as a foot is no longer a foot if it is detached from the body, so you are no longer a man if you are separated from other men." Just as a human foot may sometimes get dirty or pierced by thorns in service to

1104-487: Is 'praiseworthy,' but without 'moral import.'" Virtue A virtue ( Latin : virtus ) is a trait of excellence, including traits that may be moral , social, or intellectual. The cultivation and refinement of virtue is held to be the " good of humanity" and thus is valued as an end purpose of life or a foundational principle of being. In human practical ethics, a virtue is a disposition to choose actions that succeed in showing high moral standards: doing what

1173-597: Is a descent group characterized by unilineal descent . This means that lineage membership is determined by tracing ancestry through either a single line ( unilineal ), either maternal or paternal , or through a combination of both lines ( ambilineal ). This differentiates lineages from other descent groups like clans , which may have a shared ancestor but lack the demonstrably documented or traditionally accepted apical ancestor from whom all members descend. There are three forms of lineage, matrilineage , patrilineage , and ambilineal . In matrilineage , descent

1242-665: Is a moral, ethical, virtuous life – evolved in vedas and upanishads . Over time, new virtues were conceptualized and added by ancient Hindu scholars: some replaced, others merged. For example, Manusamhita initially listed ten virtues necessary for a human being to live a dharmic life: Dhriti (courage), kshama ( patience and forgiveness ), dama ( temperance ), asteya (Non-covetousness/Non-stealing), saucha (inner purity), indriyani-graha (control of senses), dhi (reflective prudence), vidya (wisdom), satyam (truthfulness), and akrodha (freedom from anger). In later verses, this list

1311-531: Is a much debated and an evolving concept in ancient scriptures of Hinduism. The essence, need and value of virtue is explained in Hindu philosophy as something that cannot be imposed, but something that is realized and voluntarily lived up to by each individual. For example, Apastamba explained it thus: "virtue and vice do not go about saying—here we are!; neither the Gods, Gandharvas, nor ancestors can convince us—this

1380-423: Is also often perceived as something owed to one's country (patriotism), or to one's homeland or community. Civic duties could include: Specific obligations arise in the services performed by a minister of a church, by a soldier , or by any employee or servant. Examples: Examples of legal duties include: In most cultures, children are expected to take on duties in relation to their families. This may take

1449-472: Is an excellence at being human. Aristotle also identifies the "intellectual virtues" of knowledge, art, practical judgement, intuition, and wisdom. The term virtue itself is derived from the Latin " virtus " (the personification of which was the deity Virtus ), and had connotations of " manliness ", " honour ", worthiness of deferential respect, and civic duty as both citizen and soldier . This virtue

SECTION 20

#1732766054935

1518-504: Is different from what commonly is believed about it. In Kant's view, to be goodhearted, benevolent and sympathetic is not true virtue. What makes a person truly virtuous is to behave in accordance with moral principles. Kant presents an example: suppose that you come across a needy person in the street; if your sympathy leads you to help that person, your response does not illustrate your virtue. In this example, since you do not afford helping all needy ones, you have behaved unjustly, and it

1587-592: Is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary; go and learn." Buddhist practice as outlined in the Noble Eightfold Path can be regarded as a progressive list of virtues. Buddhism's four brahmavihara ("Divine States") can be more properly regarded as virtues in the European sense. They are: There are also the Pāramitās ("perfections"), which are

1656-406: Is immediately put before thee in place of that which was hindered, and one which will adapt itself to this ordering of which we are speaking. Similar to Epictetus, he emphasises the importance of duty for humans beings in their social dimension, but goes further by grounding duty in rationality. Marcus traces the origins of social obligation through a logical progression, viewing duty as stemming from

1725-671: Is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things." In 410  CE , Aurelius Prudentius Clemens listed seven "heavenly virtues" in his book Psychomachia ( Battle of Souls ) which is an allegorical story of conflict between vices and virtues. Among the virtues were fides (faith), pudicitia (chastity), paciencia (endurance), mens humilis (humility), spes (hope), sobrietas (sobriety), ratio (reason), operatio (devotion), pax (peace), concordia (harmony), and sapientia (wisdom). The medieval and renaissance periods saw

1794-429: Is out of the domain of principles and true virtue. Kant applies the approach of four temperaments to distinguish truly virtuous people. According to Kant, among all people with diverse temperaments, a person with a melancholic frame of mind is the most virtuous, whose thoughts, words, and deeds are principled. Friedrich Nietzsche 's view of virtue is based on the idea of an order of rank among people. For Nietzsche,

1863-427: Is possible, be content; and no one is able to hinder thee so that each act shall not do its duty.- But something external will stand in the way.- Nothing will stand in the way of thy acting justly and soberly and considerately.- But perhaps some other active power will be hindered.- Well, but by acquiescing in the hindrance and by being content to transfer thy efforts to that which is allowed, another opportunity of action

1932-469: Is rare for a man whose character is such that he is good as a son and obedient as a young man to have the inclination to transgress against his superiors; it is unheard of for one who has no such inclination to be inclined to start a rebellion. The gentleman devotes his efforts to the roots, for once the roots are established, the Way will grow there from. Being good as a son and obedient as a young man is, perhaps,

2001-431: Is right and what is wrong – argues some virtues are not necessarily always absolute, but sometimes relational. For example, it explains that a virtue such as Ahimsa must be re-examined when one is faced with war or violence from the aggressiveness, immaturity, or ignorance of others. In Jainism , attainment of kaivalya is possible only if the seeker possesses certain virtues. All Jains are supposed to take up

2070-409: Is right, this is wrong; virtue is an elusive concept, it demands careful and sustained reflection by every man and woman before it can become part of one's life. Virtues lead to punya ( पुण्य , holy living) in Hindu literature; while vices lead to pap ( पाप , sin ). Sometimes, the word punya is used interchangeably with virtue. The virtues that constitute a dharmic life – that

2139-413: Is said to be right and avoiding what is wrong in a given field of endeavour, even when doing so may be unnecessary from a utilitarian perspective. When someone takes pleasure in doing what is right, even when it is difficult or initially unpleasant, they can establish virtue as a habit. Such a person is said to be virtuous through having cultivated such a disposition. The opposite of virtue is vice , and

Duty - Misplaced Pages Continue

2208-404: Is seen in the context of active submission to God performed by the community in unison. Believers are to " enjoin that which is virtuous and forbid that which is vicious " ( al-amr bi-l-maʿrūf wa-n-nahy ʿani-l-munkar ) in all spheres of life ( Quran 3:110 ). Mankind has been granted the faculty to discern God's will and to abide by it. Later Muslim scholars expanded the religious ethics of

2277-968: Is that one's social status should result from the amount of virtue that one demonstrates, rather than from one's birth. In the Analects , Confucius explains de as follows: "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it." In later periods, particularly from the Tang dynasty period, Confucianism absorbed and melded its own concepts of virtues with those from Daoism and Buddhism. There are symbols that represent virtue in Chinese Culture. Chinese classic paintings have many symbols representing virtue. Plum blossom represents resilience and perseverance. Orchid represents elegance, gentleness, and quietness. Bamboo represents loyalty, trust-worthiness, and humility. Chrysanthemum represents genuineness and simplicity. Virtue

2346-505: Is that which contents the soul and comforts the heart, and sin is that which causes doubts and perturbs the heart, even if people pronounce it lawful and give you verdicts on such matters again and again.'" Virtue, as seen in opposition to sin, is termed thawāb (spiritual merit or reward) but there are other Islamic terms to describe virtue such as faḍl ("bounty"), taqwa ("piety"), and ṣalāḥ ("righteousness"). According to Muslim beliefs, God will forgive individual sins but

2415-548: Is traced exclusively through the maternal line . Children inherit lineage membership from their mother, and the lineage consists of a mother, her children, and her children's children who are all matrilineally related . The Minangkabau people of Indonesia , being a Jew in the Jewish religion , and the Khasi people of India are well-known examples of societies with prominent matrilineal structures. In patrilineage , descent

2484-401: Is traced exclusively through the paternal line . Children inherit lineage membership from their father, and the lineage consists of a father, his children, and his children's children who are all patrilineally related . Patrilineages are more common globally, with examples found in many cultures, such as much of South East Asia . In ambilineal lineage, descent is traced through either

2553-481: The Rationalist philosopher René Descartes , virtue consists in the correct reasoning that should guide our actions. Men should seek the sovereign good that Descartes, following Zeno , identifies with virtue, as this produces a solid blessedness or pleasure. For Epicurus the sovereign good was pleasure, and Descartes says that in fact this is not in contradiction with Zeno's teaching, because virtue produces

2622-642: The maternal and/or the paternal lines , usually meaning that the individuals choose whether to affiliate with their mother or their father's group , or both. Ambilineal lineage can be bilineal or bilateral . Ambilineal lineages are relatively rare in more under-developed societies, such as South East Asia , and very common in modernized societies, such as the United States and Western Europe . In Bilineal lineage (also known as double descent), children are part of both their mother and their father's groups . This results in many more people in

2691-465: The paterfamilias ) and those expected of an upstanding Roman citizen . Most Roman concepts of virtue were also personified as a numinous deity . The primary Roman virtues, both public and private, were: While religious scriptures generally consider dharma or aṟam (the Tamil term for virtue) as a divine virtue, Valluvar describes it as a way of life rather than any spiritual observance,

2760-430: The "excellent qualities of men, including physical strength, valorous conduct, and moral rectitude". The French words vertu and virtu came from this Latin root . The word virtue "was borrowed into English in the 13th century". Maat (or Ma'at) was the ancient Egyptian goddess of truth , balance , order , law , morality , and justice . The word maat was also used to refer to these concepts. Maat

2829-678: The Golden Rule came from the first century Rabbi Hillel the Elder . Renowned in the Jewish tradition as a sage and a scholar, he is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud and, as such, is one of the most important figures in Jewish history . Asked for a summary of the Jewish religion in the most concise terms, Hillel replied (reputedly while standing on one leg): "That which

Duty - Misplaced Pages Continue

2898-447: The above four virtue combinations as mutually reducible and therefore not cardinal. It is unclear whether Plato subscribed to a unified view of virtues. In Protagoras and Meno he states that the separate virtues cannot exist independently and offers as evidence the contradictions of acting with wisdom, yet in an unjust way; or acting with bravery (fortitude), yet without wisdom. In his Nicomachean Ethics , Aristotle defined

2967-565: The archaic meaning in the Confucian Book of Poems of "virility", but progressively took on shades of ethical meaning. Some scholars consider the virtues identified in early Confucianism as non-theistic philosophy. The Daoist concept of De , compared to Confucianism, is more subtle, pertaining to the "virtue" or ability that an individual realizes by following the Dao ("the Way"). One important normative value in much of Chinese thinking

3036-558: The bad treatment of people and injustice toward others can only be pardoned by the victims and not by God. Loving God and obeying his laws, in particular the Ten Commandments , are central to Jewish conceptions of virtue. Wisdom is personified in the first eight chapters of the Book of Proverbs and is not only the source of virtue but is depicted as the first and best creation of God ( Proverbs 8:12–31 ). A classic articulation of

3105-495: The body, individuals must also fulfil their roles, even if it entails facing sickness, perilous journeys, or premature death. Epictetus states, "It is your duty then, since you are come here, to say what you ought, to arrange these things as it is fit." Marcus Aurelius extensively discusses duty in his Meditations , in a way that can be summarised using a key section from Book VIII: It is thy duty to order thy life well in every single act; and if every act does its duty, as far as

3174-512: The common interest". Marcus repeatedly comes back to duty as a concept grounded in the human mind, but he does not ignore it's social component, advising the reader to accept help, just as a lame solder ought to when fulfilling his duty to climb the battlements during a siege. Friedrich Nietzsche is among the fiercest critics of the concept of duty. "What destroys a man more quickly", he asks, "than to work, think, and feel without inner necessity, without any deep personal desire, without pleasure—as

3243-415: The concept of justice. In the words of V. R. Nedunchezhiyan , justice according to Valluvar "dwells in the minds of those who have knowledge of the standard of right and wrong; so too deceit dwells in the minds which breed fraud." In the 8th century  CE , upon the occasion of his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor , Charlemagne published a list of knightly virtues : The Baháʼí teachings speak of

3312-756: The culmination of having acquired certain virtues. In Theravada Buddhism 's canonical Buddhavaṃsa there are Ten Perfections ( dasa pāramiyo ). In Mahayana Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra ( Saddharmapundarika ), there are Six Perfections; while in the Ten Stages ( Dasabhumika ) Sutra, four more Paramitas are listed. "Virtue", translated from Chinese de ( 德 ), is also an important concept in Chinese philosophy , particularly Daoism . De ( Chinese : 德 ; pinyin : dé ; Wade–Giles : te ) originally meant normative "virtue" in

3381-478: The five vows of ahimsa (non violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non stealing), aparigraha (non attachment), and brahmacharya (celibacy) before becoming a monk. These vows are laid down by the Tīrthaṅkaras . Other virtues which are supposed to be followed by both monks as well as laypersons include forgiveness, humility, self-restraint, and straightforwardness. These vows assist

3450-412: The form of behaving in such a way that upholds the family's honor in the eyes of the community, entering into arranged marriages that benefit the family's status, or caring for ailing relatives. This family-oriented sense of duty is a particularly central aspect to the teachings of Confucius , and is known as xiao , or filial piety . As such, the duties of filial piety have played an enormous role in

3519-478: The greatest of the three, and further defines love as "patient... kind... not envious, or boastful, or arrogant, or rude." (The Christian virtue of love is sometimes called charity and at other times a Greek word agape is used to contrast the love of God and the love of humankind from other types of love such as friendship or physical affection.) Christian scholars frequently add the four classic cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, and courage) to

SECTION 50

#1732766054935

3588-428: The higher types are "healthy" for Nietzsche does not refer to physical health as much as a psychological resilience and fortitude. Finally, someone of the "Higher type" affirms life because he is willing to accept the eternal return of his life and affirm this forever and unconditionally. In the last section of Beyond Good and Evil , Nietzsche outlines his thoughts on the noble virtues and places solitude as one of

3657-402: The highest virtues: And to keep control over your four virtues: courage, insight, sympathy, solitude. Because solitude is a virtue for us, since it is a sublime inclination and impulse to cleanliness which shows that contact between people ("society") inevitably makes things unclean. Somewhere, sometime, every community makes people – "base." Lineage (anthropology) In anthropology ,

3726-411: The husband's family and household to raise their children. Patrilocal residence is usual; rarely does the man move in with the woman, or is the married couple allowed to start their own household and life somewhere else. They need to provide for the entire family in labor and care for the farms and family. Older generations rely on help from their children's and grandchildren's families. This form of duty

3795-454: The lives of people in eastern Asia for centuries. For example, the painting Lady Feng and the Bear , from ancient China, depicts the heroic act of a consort of the emperor placing herself between her husband and a rampaging bear. This is meant to be taken as an example of admirable filial behavior. Filial piety is considered so important that in some cases, it outweighs other cardinal virtues: In

3864-407: The right persons, and with the right object, and in the right fashion, is the mean course and the best course, and these are characteristics of virtue." For example, generosity is a virtue between the two extremes of miserliness and being profligate. Further examples include courage between cowardice and foolhardiness and confidence between self-deprecation and conceit. In Aristotle's sense, a virtue

3933-776: The root of a man's character'". Duty varies between different cultures and continents. Duty in Asia and Latin America is commonly more heavily weighted than in Western culture . According to a study done on attitudes toward family obligation : Asian and Latin American adolescents possessed stronger values and greater expectations regarding their duty to assist, respect, and support their families than their peers with European backgrounds. The deeply rooted tradition of duty among both Asian and Latin American cultures contributes to much of

4002-585: The scriptures in detail. In the Hadith (Islamic traditions), it is reported by An-Nawwas bin Sam'an: "The Prophet Muhammad said, 'Virtue is good manner, and sin is that which creates doubt and you do not like people to know it.'" Wabisah bin Ma'bad reported: "I went to Messenger of God and he asked me: 'Have you come to inquire about virtue?' I replied in the affirmative. Then he said: 'Ask your heart regarding it. Virtue

4071-504: The seeker to escape from the karmic bondages thereby escaping the cycle of birth and death to attain liberation. Sikh ethics emphasize the congruence between spiritual development and everyday moral conduct. Its founder Guru Nanak summarized this perspective: Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living. The Five Virtues of Sikhism are Sat (truth), Daya (compassion), Santokh (contentment), Nimrata (humility), and Pyaar (love). For

4140-607: The sense of "personal character; inner strength; integrity", but semantically changed to moral "virtue; kindness; morality". Note the semantic parallel for English virtue , with an archaic meaning of "inner potency; divine power" (as in "by virtue of") and a modern one of "moral excellence; goodness". In early periods of Confucianism , moral manifestations of "virtue" include ren (" humanity "), xiao (" filial piety "), and li (" proper behavior, performance of rituals "). The notion of ren – according to Simon Leys – means "humanity" and "goodness". Ren originally had

4209-481: The shared human capacity to reason: "which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this is so, we are fellow-citizens; if this is so, we are members of some political community." This connection between reason and duty is highlighted too in Book VI, where he states: "I do my duty: other things trouble me not; for they are either things without life, or things without reason, or things that have rambled and know not

SECTION 60

#1732766054935

4278-519: The strong sense of duty that exists in comparison to western cultures. Michael Peletz discusses the concept of duty in his book Gender, Sexuality, and Body Politics in Modern Asia : Notions of filial duty … are commonly invoked to mobilize the loyalties, labor power, and other resources children in the ostensible interests of the household and, in some cases, those of the lineage clan as a whole. Doctrines of filial piety … attuned to them may thus be

4347-692: The theological virtues to give the seven heavenly virtues ; for example, these seven are the ones described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church , sections 1803–1829. In Christian tradition courage or fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The Bible mentions additional virtues, such as in the " Fruit of the Holy Spirit ", found in Galatians 5:22–23 : "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit

4416-499: The vicious person takes pleasure in habitual wrong-doing to their detriment. Other examples of this notion include the concept of merit in Asian traditions as well as De ( Chinese 德 ). Buddhism's four brahmavihara ( lit.   ' Divine States ' ) can be regarded as virtues in the European sense. The ancient Romans used the Latin word virtus (derived from vir , their word for man ) to refer to all of

4485-477: The virtues of the strong are seen as vices by the weak and slavish, thus Nietzsche's virtue ethics is based on his distinction between master morality and slave morality . Nietzsche promotes the virtues of those he calls "higher men", people like Goethe and Beethoven. The virtues he praises in them are their creative powers ("the men of great creativity, the really great men according to my understanding" ). According to Nietzsche these higher types are solitary, pursue

4554-617: The way." In fact, earlier in the Meditations , Marcus expresses concern about the decline of cognitive abilities with age as it affects the fulfilment of duty, noting that "the conception of things and the understanding of them cease first," which weakens "the power of making use of ourselves, and filling up the measure of our duty." He also urges readers to derive their sense of duty from within, rather than from external pressures, encouraging them to "stand erect; not be kept erect by others" and to "Labour not unwillingly, nor without regard to

4623-511: Was also portrayed as regulating the stars, seasons, and the actions of both mortals and the deities. The deities set the order of the universe from chaos at the moment of creation. Her (ideological) counterpart was Isfet , who symbolized chaos , lies, and injustice. The four classic cardinal virtues are: This enumeration is traced to Greek philosophy and was listed by Plato who also added piety ( ὁσιότης , hosiotēs ) and replaced prudence with wisdom . Some scholars consider either of

4692-404: Was but one of many virtues which Romans of good character were expected to exemplify and pass on through the generations, as part of the mos maiorum ; ancestral traditions which defined "Roman-ness" . Romans distinguished between the spheres of private and public life, and thus, virtues were also divided between those considered to be in the realm of private family life (as lived and taught by

4761-420: Was reduced to five virtues by the same scholar, by merging and creating a broader concept. The shorter list of virtues became: Ahimsa ( Non-violence ), dama (self restraint), asteya (Non-covetousness/Non-stealing), saucha (inner purity), and satyam (truthfulness). The Bhagavad Gita – considered one of the epitomes of historic Hindu discussion of virtues and an allegorical debate on what

#934065