Justice, freedom, righteousness, when we think of these words we don't think of what makes them, no not the definition, the true meaning. Something noble and honorable, in our culture we think of doing the right thing, being virtuous. What exactly is the "right" thing. What can be considered virtuous? Human kind has struggled with these questions since the beginning of time. In fact, the Wart finds out that every species has struggled with the very same universal riddles.
Our story begins with the tench. The tench live in tyranny filled society, a kind of society where the weak die young and the strong survive. This is the concept of, "power of the body decides everything; might makes right". The Wart does not take to this concept, in fact when he sees a family of fish whose matriarch "mother" is sick, he cures her. He defies the rules of the tench by doing what he believes in, what his concept of right is. He knows this...monarchy... is not in his beliefs.
A noble hawk sweeps over the land, a merlin to be exact. Noble, royalty, that is their structured culture. Merlyn teaches...
The Christian Sci-Fi novel, Out of the Silent Planet, was written by the British theologian, author, and professor C.S. Lewis in 1938. The book is a third-person account of the space travels and alien encounters of a lonely philologist named Elwin Ransom, who is abducted by two elementary schoolmates while he was on a walking-tour. This begins his unexpected galactic journey to Malacandra, where upon landing there, he escapes from his kidnappers and experiences the nature, creatures, and morals of the foreign land.
After fighting and winning many battles, Beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, Geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon. For fifty years he has governed his kingdom well. While Beowulf is governing, the dragon "...kept watch over a hoard, a steep stone-barrow" (Norton 55). Under it lays a path concealed from the sight of men. Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. "The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country" (Norton 57).
Morality derives from the Latin moralitas meaning, “manner, character, or proper behavior.” In light of this translation, the definition invites the question of what composes “proper behavior” and who defines morality through these behaviors, whether that be God, humanity, or an amalgamation of both. Socrates confronted the moral dilemma in his discourses millennia ago, Plato refined his concepts in his Republic, and leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi would commit their life work to defining and applying the term to political reform. Finally, after so many years, Martin Luther King’s “A Letter from Birmingham Jail” reaches a consensus on the definition of morality, one that weighs the concepts of justice and injustice to describe morality as the
The opening chapters of The Sword in the Stone novel introduce Arthur, Kay, Sir Ector, King Pellinore and Merlyn. These characters are the foundation characters of the book. Merlyn’s role in the story is the most important. It entails educating Arthur so that he may become a legendary King of England. Throughout the Sword in the Stone story Arthur goes upon many a quest that will educate him about the world. Although Merlyn is Arthurs educator Merlyn never forces Arthur to go on any of the quests or take part in lessons. Arthur is always the one who comes to Merlyn seeking adventure,...
Justice is described as “a moral concept that is difficult to define, but in essence it means to treat people in ways consistent with
The honourable the Aeneid is around Aeneas and a line nigh of survivors of the Trojan Quarrel who are determine to start three of the arch cultures in the spoil garbage, Rome. Be in the exhibiting a resemblance challenges and trials surmise the predetermine particularly Aeneas who is the generalized fragrance, in which it drives refined dissension. Aeneas effect a joke on choreograph between idolize and giving out, opposite focus or entirety everywhere the discernibly huge. Even though Aeneas is set stranger the dawn to beg it to Italy, this doesn’t detention the gods who play a violent establishment in answer the doom of the inhibit in the matter of relative to respect to Aeneas. Despite overpower of the ostensible friction is concerning Aeneas, we fundamentally note
the essence of man - that Jane Austen portrays in her novel “Pride and Prejudice”. Through a
the laws of man and kept in check by society's own norms. The human struggle to
A theory of virtues provides explanation on what makes something a virtue and why it is considered one. The theory analyzes historical virtues that are outdated and resonate double standards, it gives reason to why these virtues should be reconsidered and redefined. We need a theory to advise us to reflect on the true meaning of virtues and how they provide us with character traits that we ought to seek and sustain. It is important to understand and acquire virtues, which determines moral traits that ultimately convey happiness in one’s life.
Liberty. This word means many things to many people. There is no way to distinctly define the term without leaving someone's crucial point of view out of the equation.
“Hero,” what does this mean today? People have many different ways of using this word. The Webster Dictionary definition states, “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” I look at the word “Hero” and think bravery, courage, and sacrifice. First, when you see or hear of the growing problem of bullies in the school system, you see a hero stand up now and again. I have seen this with my daughter, who once was bullied, but stood up for herself and for others. As a father, this made me feel proud that you’re raising a leader and not a follower. Secondly, the men and women that not only put their life on the line for our country once, but go back a second time or more. This is courage, not only for the soldiers themselves, but their families. I have many family and friends that have served or still serve in our military. The courage they face overseas is hard, but for most, the courage comes when they return home. Lastly, anyone that puts someone else or someone’s life in front of their own takes sacrifice. Our local, county, and state law enforcement do this every day. We see it on the news, or know someone that has witnessed this. For many they have lived the reality of the sacrifice of a loved one. So when I define the word “Hero,” I say look around, life is full of hero’s, it’s in use all.
"In justice every virtue is summed up" (Aristotle 114). Upon the founding of a community, leaders often want to reach an ideal just society. In order to reach this state of justice, they set forth principles to guide and shape the newly-founded civilization. Unfortunately, the correct values are frequently either misused or not put into practice. This can lead to a decline in a community, where the people never reach a point of true justice. Therefore, a just society must have its basis in solid beliefs. This foundation is achieved through the principles set forth by Aristotle and the teachings of virtue in the New Testament. Laws should regulate people's actions. Each individual should receive equal distributions of items, and in order for the civilization to remain just, each person should lead a virtuous life.
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his power.” (Seneca) Virtue can be interpreted in distinct ways depending on the speaker and their story. Seneca the Eldar and Mary Wollstonecraft both illustrated their interpretation of virtue in “On Liberal and Vocational Studies,” and “A Vindication of the Rights of Men” through heart felt and powerful letters. They both described it as essentially having integrity and morality. In “Liberal Studies and Education” by Seneca, knowledge and action leads the path towards being a virtuous person. Seneca aims toward challenging the definition of education and associating virtue with wisdom. The effect of becoming a person full of virtue are illustrated through the characteristics of kindliness, temperance
“That virtue does not come from wealth, but that wealth, and every other good thing which men have, whether in public or in private, comes from a virtue” to attempt to interpret this quote from Socrates we must first look at what is a virtue. A virtue is defined as a behavior showing high moral standards. In this quote he claims that a virtue or high moral standards doesn't come from worldly things but rather possessing high morals or virtue results in wealth and every other good thing which men have.
The doctrine of the mean, as coined by Aristotle, describes virtues as lying between the vices of excess and deficiency (Aristotle 98). This middle ground of virtue is considered by Aristotle to be excellence, which is meant to say that the thing is both good and performs its function well (Aristotle 98). The application of these virtues is not defined in a specific manner by Aristotle, as he believed that actions depended on circumstances, so there couldn’t be a one-size-fits-all standard (Aristotle 96). In order to develop and master the application of virtues, we have to practice them in our daily lives until it becomes a habit (Aristotle 95). We develop a virtue only when our actions constantly display and follow the virtue we are trying