In Luzzatto’s, “The Path of The Just,” he spends 9 chapters discussing the value of vigilance and alacrity. His argument can be taken and molded to relate to modern life situations that many people would not think about in their daily routines. As our class discussed Luzzatto’s points made in his argument, we applied his beliefs to our own modern lives and each took away something unique to our own personal beliefs. Vigilance and Alacrity are different concepts that have a connection to each other and if they stand alone, their meanings are not as valuable.
In chapters two through five, Luzzatto dives into the meaning and importance of Vigilance in both religion and society. He begins his discussion by displaying a metaphor that helps the reader grasp the view that Luzzatto has on vigilance. Luzzatto insists, “And he must not pursue his habits thoughtlessly, the way a blind person walks [as] in darkness” (Luzzatto, 14). The essence of Luzzatto’s argument is that in order to be vigilant, you must be attentive of how you act and conduct yourself because otherwise you are like a blind person walking in darkness, which is pointless because they already can not see. Furthermore, Luzzatto continues his point
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by comparing a reckless person to an animal. Luzzatto further emphasizes, “He who acts this way is inferior to the animals and the beasts that instinctively protect themselves, fleeing and escaping from anything that appears harmful to them” (Luzzatto, 14). Simply put, if a person acts without any thought or logic behind his action is less than an animal because they base their actions for their own well being and in order to survive. Luzzatto makes this comparison to animals because he wants to reiterate the importance of using reason and logic when doing something. Finally, Luzzatto examines the two elements of vigilance in chapter three. Luzzatto continues to argue, “On the one hand, he must ponder what constitutes the true good that a person should choose and the true evil that he should flee from. On the other hand, he must see if his own deeds are good or evil” (Luzzatto 17). The basis of Luzzatto’s argument is that in order to fully achieve vigilance, you must understand yourself and your own intentions before you begin to analyze the actions of other people. Another idea that Luzzatto explains that directly connects to our lives is Alacrity. In chapters six through nine, Luzzatto binges in the values of Alacrity in both religion and regular life. In the beginning of chapter six, Luzzatto explains what the concept of Alacrity is. Luzzatto claims, “The concept of alacrity involves the swiftness of one’s approach to a mitzvah and its speedy consummation” (Luzzatto, 37). In other words, Luzzatto argues that alacrity involves doing kind deeds, focusing on the good rather than the bad unlike vigilance which also focuses on the bad. Moreover, Luzzatto goes into more depth on the speed and thought that goes behind doing the kind deed/mitzvah. Luzzatto states, “If one becomes lax and indolent and does not act rigorously in pursuing them and in holding onto them, he will find himself empty and devoid of them” (Luzzatto, 37). What Luzzatto really means is that if you do not attempt to do kind deeds in the moment one arises, you have failed yourself because you were either blind to the opportunity or neglected the opportunity. Finally, in chapter seven, Luzzatto decides to talk about a person’s habits and natural instincts and how they play in the decision making of alacrity and performing a kind deed. Luzzatto concurs when he notes, “Alacrity is indeed a virtue of immense perfection, which man’s nature prevents him from attaining [completely] in the here and now” (Luzzatto, 43). The basis of Luzzatto’s argument is that alacrity involves striving for perfection, but man is incapable of reaching that perfection so a person can not fully master alacrity. I disagree because you do not need to be perfect in order to master the virtue of performing kind deeds with thought and good timing. Alacrity teaches us to get out of the habit of being lazy and search for opportunities to help people. Vigilance and Alacrity are both virtues of importance in modern life and the metaphor of the maze and gazebo explains this value. The metaphor of the maze and gazebo references how to reach righteousness through the use of vigilance and alacrity. In the metaphor, the gazebo is in the center of a garden that is shaped like a maze and has many ways of reaching the center. Some paths lead the person directly to the gazebo, but other paths deceptively lead the person farther away from the tracks. If this is the person’s first time walking the maze, they will not be able to tell which path leads to the gazebo which essentially makes them blind to the right path. On the other hand, if they have been to the maze before and are vigilant, they will know the right path to take. The key is to attain vigilance because otherwise you will not have a sense of direction. Now, if you make it to the gazebo, you are able to look over all of the maze. If you see a person that is lost, you should act on the opportunity to help him because that is promoting alacrity. If the person decides to listen to you, then that is a form of vigilance because they are attentive and intelligent enough to receive help. This ultimately connects to real life because when we encounter something that we have not seen before or understand, we are bound to get lost and it is imperative to access our values of vigilance and alacrity to get through it. Now using the skills of vigilance and alacrity, understanding the difference between “foreseeing the consequences of one’s actions” and “learning from one’s mistakes” is imperative in the decision making process.
When you foresee the consequences of a person's actions, you are able to predict the outcome of a situation before even performing the action. When you learn from a person’s mistakes, you learn from a mistake that you or another person has made. Being able to foresee the consequences of an action is ultimately better because it shows that you are intelligent with enough skill to predict the outcome of a situation, while when you learn from a person’s mistakes, you are just deciding that you do not want this undesirable punishment/outcome to be in your
path. I found my time with Luzzatto meaningful because it gave me another perspective on how to conduct myself in everyday life. A lot of times the little details escape our thoughts and Luzzatto provides a reminder that the little things in life always make a larger impact than anticipated. I think that you should continue to teach Luzzatto because he provides us with a different outlook on Jewish Ethics, not something we would normally think associate with ethics. I think your future students will really enjoy learning about Luzzatto’s beliefs on vigilance and alacrity.
Nydia Velazquez is a representative for New York’s Twelfth Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. In her essay “In Search of Justice,” Velazquez describes several unjust situations that happened in her district. She points out that the residents of Greenpoint, which is the heart of her district, are among the poorest in the country. She argues that large corporations carelessly dump their waste next to poor minorities’ living areas and emphasizes the terrible air conditions in her district. Velazquez believes that minority communities are treated unfairly under the environmental law, which targets large corporations. It is clear that the lives of minorities and the lower class are not being valued enough. By only focusing on
Victor Rios is a previous gang member, whom “was given the opportunity” to get out of the youth control complex. In his book “Punished”, he analyzes the experiences of young black and Latino boys in Oakland, California. Rios gives us an intimate description of some of the everyday forms of “hyper discrimination” these minority boys experience. This book review will focus on the main concepts explained in chapters one through three from the book Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys.
Each time I read The Awakening, I am drawn to the passage on page 69 where Edna and Madame Ratignolle argue about “the essential” and “the unessential.” Edna tries to explain, “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself.” What most would see as essential—money (you need it for food, clothing, shelter, etc) and life—Edna sees as “unessential.” Edna is speaking of more than that which one needs for physical survival; she would not hesitate to give her life to save the life of one of her children. On the other hand, Edna’s being, her “self,” is something quite different from her physical form.
...are confronted with the question of moral absolutes, we are forced to wonder when and to whom justice truly applies. Hopefully, we will look at our world and our ideas of right, wrong and retribution in different ways, ways that will enlighten and enrich our lives, and the those of the an audience of readers 2,000 years from now.
The magnificence of human life is so transparent because it is sacred seeing that it is an act of creation. Life diverts an inimitable place in creation since it was created in the image of God. The protection of human life is the conclusive value, a support of beliefs and ethics and the basis of all morals and principles. Life should be looked upon with respect to where one is in time, because time moves on. As time moves on, one encounters the problem of which path to follow. In the stages of early life, youth are taught about the choices they should and should not make. So even as a young child, one knows that their actions will be judged and one should be able to tell right from wrong. God has presented humanity with life and throughout life one must realize that life’s actions should be analyzed, understanding of liberation should be expressed, and the better opportunity for the poor should be accentuated.
A term paper contrived is only as good as the sources from which it is assembled. It is from these reservoirs of knowledge that the bulk of a paper is developed. That is why it is absolutely imperative that the qualities of these sources are immaculate and relevant to the subject matter. Given my subject matter, ethical obligations and violence, it is critical to note and record the viewpoint of different philosophical ethical theories through the writings of different philosophers. Excerpts form Thomas Hobbes’ The Leviathan and J.J.C. Smart in Ethics for the Modern Life, prove to be effective in both previously matriculated qualities. Both authors give arguments for different types of ethical theories that give some aspect of significant worth to my term paper topic.
Inwardly examining his own nature, man would prefer to see himself as a virtuously courageous being designed in the image of a divine supernatural force. Not to say that the true nature of man is a complete beast, he does posses, like many other creatures admirable traits. As author Matt Ridley examines the nature of man in his work The Origins of Virtue, both the selfish and altruistic sides of man are explored. Upon making an honest and accurate assessment of his character, it seems evident that man is not such a creature divinely set apart from the trappings of selfishness and immorality. Rather than put man at either extreme it seems more accurate to describe man as a creature whose tendency is to look out for himself first, as a means of survival.
One cannot just choose to ignore, one cannot just choose to observe and still do nothing, and one cannot just simply walk away. The reader is taught the momentous moral of not being a bystander, the importance of moral responsibility, and the great significance of learning to overcome the ethical issues in society.
This persuasive essay will defend the opinion that humanity’s goodness is fleeting and fragile at best as depicted in Divergent (2011) by Veronica Roth. It is the opinion of this author that goodness is unsustainable by humanity as a whole. Four factors threatening mankind’s ability to maintain moral goodness are pride, power, and impatience. This paper will explore examples of each of these factors from Roth’s novel intertwined with other relevant media examples to defend the concept of mankind’s inability to sustain goodness. From an evaluation of humanity’s need for pride and power to a probe into impatience’s contribution in the destruction of morality this author will demonstrate the fragility of goodness among men. Let us now begin this exploration with the revelation of the importance of pride and power.
In what follows, I evaluate what I take to be the most compelling argument in support of restraint. For ease of exposition, I shall refer to this argument as the argument from respect. What is that argument?
Throughout all of history, a just man has been considered an individual who lives a life of excellence. However, as time has progressed, so has the definition of a “life of excellence” itself. Thus, an individual who was considered just in the 5th century BCE would possess very different characteristics than a just man today, despite the fact that both were considered to be men who achieved areté: the life of excellence.
In Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawken illustrates to the reader how groups of organizations with similar principles and ideals are coming together to form what Hawken defines as a “movement.” In the chapter “Blessed Unrest,” Hawken explains the vast problems that plague the globe, such as loss of water for agriculture or theft of resources from third-world countries by government and corporations. He writes that due to these problems the world today is facing a task exponentially more difficult than the abolition of slavery, the restoration of the planet. However, Hawken also describes in the chapter those who are eager to address and protest against these dilemmas. Individuals who are willing to come together under common goals in order to necessitate environmental and social change in the world. Hawken, as his primary point, illustrates how groups of organizations and individuals are coming together to form a “movement,” which Hawken describes as a new form of community and story focused on three basic ambitions: environmental activism, social justice initiatives, and indigenous culture’s resistance to globalization.
A philosopher’s primary asset is reason; the rational exercise of the intellect upon a question of knowledge. While there are no doubt hundreds of dissenting views on this, it has always been my position that emotions are an obstacle in the employment of reason. Like Descartes’ ‘evil demon,’ emotions often tempt me to act on or to believe the irrational, so I am constantly on guard against their falsehood. However, on occasions when I am confronted by true evil; such as Peter Singer’s principle which states, “if it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought, morally, to do it,” (aptly coined the greater moral evil rule by John Arthur); my emotions cannot be so easily cast aside, and I must instead allow them to stoke my reasoning mind until the idea is dismissed beyond dispute. In this vein, I will attack Singer’s Evil Rule as quickly and ruthlessly as I can so that I may then discuss the more interesting and reasonable arguments of Prof. Arthur.
David Hume is considered a reputable and influential philosopher whose empirical approach provided a basis for a number of moral principles. Although the complexity of Hume’s expressive nature and intellectual thought is somewhat mindboggling to most readers, the importance of the account of justice can be seen as significant and of relevance to many values and morals in even today’s society. Hume’s discussion of moral virtues in his book An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals addresses the importance of justice in terms that relate to its sole foundation and further exemplification of moral distinctions.
First, our class discussed Vigilance, decision making. The concept of Vigilance is that one must, “contemplate and survey his actions and his conduct, to see whether they are good or not, so not to risk the loss of his soul …” (Author 14). This essentially says that we must think before we act because if we don 't, we can make a detrimental mistake. There are two many takeaways, two significant lessons, from the entire Vigilance chapter. Never blindly do something; always be aware of your actions. Every choice someone makes can directly impact another person, so why not make it positive? A second lesson that I learned from this chapter is that when one analyzes their decisions, it takes effort. It is very easy to think about your actions, but only when you truly understand your actions and know if they’re action are good or bad, can