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Single Idea 14817
[filed under theme 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue
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Full Idea
We call 'good' the man who does the moral thing as if by nature, after a long history of inheritance - that is, easily, and gladly, whatever it is. …He is called 'good' because he is good 'for' something.
Gist of Idea
The 'good' man does the moral thing as if by nature, easily and gladly, after a long inheritance
Source
Friedrich Nietzsche (Human, All Too Human [1878], 096)
Book Ref
Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Human, All Too Human', ed/tr. Faber,Marion [Penguin 1994], p.66
A Reaction
I am amazed at the brief and rather disrespectful remarks that Nietzsche makes about Aristotle's ethics, given how close this idea is to the ideal of Aristotle (though the latter who not emphasise 'inheritance'!).
The
55 ideas
from 'Human, All Too Human'
20103
|
You are mastered by your own virtues, but you must master them, and turn them into tools
[Nietzsche]
|
20111
|
We could live more naturally, relishing the spectacle, and not thinking we are special
[Nietzsche]
|
14807
|
The history of morality rests on an error called 'responsibility', which rests on an error called 'free will'
[Nietzsche]
|
14808
|
Over huge periods of time human character would change endlessly
[Nietzsche]
|
14809
|
All societies of good men give a priority to gratitude
[Nietzsche]
|
14810
|
Originally it was the rulers who requited good for good and evil for evil who were called 'good'
[Nietzsche]
|
14811
|
In Homer it is the contemptible person, not the harmful person, who is bad
[Nietzsche]
|
20112
|
Pity consoles those who suffer, because they see that they still have the power to hurt
[Nietzsche]
|
14812
|
Intellect is tied to morality, because it requires good memory and powerful imagination
[Nietzsche]
|
14813
|
Science rejecting the teaching of Christianity in favour of Epicurus shows the superiority of the latter
[Nietzsche]
|
14814
|
Execution is worse than murder, because we are using the victim, and really we are the guilty
[Nietzsche]
|
20378
|
Just as skin hides the horrors of the body, vanity conceals the passions of the soul
[Nietzsche]
|
14815
|
We get enormous pleasure from tales of noble actions
[Nietzsche]
|
14816
|
Justice (fairness) originates among roughly equal powers (as the Melian dialogues show)
[Nietzsche]
|
14817
|
The 'good' man does the moral thing as if by nature, easily and gladly, after a long inheritance
[Nietzsche]
|
14818
|
First morality is force, then custom, then acceptance, then instinct, then a pleasure - and finally 'virtue'
[Nietzsche]
|
14819
|
Slavery cannot be judged by our standards, because the sense of justice was then less developed
[Nietzsche]
|
14820
|
People always do what they think is right, according to the degree of their intellect
[Nietzsche]
|
14821
|
Apart from philosophers, most people rightly have a low estimate of pity
[Nietzsche]
|
14822
|
If self-defence is moral, then so are most expressions of 'immoral' egoism
[Nietzsche]
|
14823
|
Ceasing to believe in human responsibility is bitter, if you had based the nobility of humanity on it
[Nietzsche]
|
14824
|
It is absurd to blame nature and necessity; we should no more praise actions than we praise plants or artworks
[Nietzsche]
|
22473
|
Nietzsche said the will doesn't exist, so it can't ground moral responsibility
[Nietzsche, by Foot]
|
14825
|
In religious thought nature is a complex of arbitrary acts by conscious beings
[Nietzsche]
|
14826
|
Modern man wants laws of nature in order to submit to them
[Nietzsche]
|
14827
|
The Greeks saw the gods not as their masters, but as idealised versions of themselves
[Nietzsche]
|
14828
|
Religion is tempting if your life is boring, but you can't therefore impose it on the busy people
[Nietzsche]
|
14830
|
Intuition only recognises what is possible, not what exists or is certain
[Nietzsche]
|
14831
|
No one has ever done anything that was entirely for other people
[Nietzsche]
|
14832
|
The Sermon on the Mount is vanity - praying to one part of oneself, and demonising the rest
[Nietzsche]
|
14833
|
Comedy is a transition from fear to exuberance
[Nietzsche]
|
14834
|
Teachers only gather knowledge for their pupils, and can't be serious about themselves
[Nietzsche]
|
14835
|
Artists are not especially passionate, but they pretend to be
[Nietzsche]
|
14836
|
People will enthusiastically pursue an unwanted war, once sacrifices have been made
[Nietzsche]
|
14838
|
The state aims to protect individuals from one another
[Nietzsche]
|
14837
|
Christ seems warm hearted, and suppressed intellect in favour of the intellectually weak
[Nietzsche]
|
14839
|
Interest in education gains strength when we lose interest in God
[Nietzsche]
|
14841
|
Many people are better at having good friends than being a good friend
[Nietzsche]
|
14842
|
Why are the strong tastes of other people so contagious?
[Nietzsche]
|
14843
|
Women can be friends with men, but only some physical antipathy will maintain it
[Nietzsche]
|
14844
|
People do not experience boredom if they have never learned to work properly
[Nietzsche]
|
14845
|
Don't crush girls with dull Gymnasium education, the way we have crushed boys!
[Nietzsche]
|
14846
|
If we want the good life for the greatest number, we must let them decide on the good life
[Nietzsche]
|
14847
|
Laws that are well thought out, or laws that are easy to understand?
[Nietzsche]
|
14848
|
Education in large states is mediocre, like cooking in large kitchens
[Nietzsche]
|
14849
|
We can only achieve happy moments, not happy eras
[Nietzsche]
|
14850
|
Christ was the noblest human being
[Nietzsche]
|
14852
|
Culture cannot do without passions and vices
[Nietzsche]
|
24075
|
Convictions, more than lies, are the great enemy of truth
[Nietzsche]
|
14853
|
Truth finds fewest champions not when it is dangerous, but when it is boring
[Nietzsche]
|
14854
|
Deep thinkers know that they are always wrong
[Nietzsche]
|
14855
|
Simultaneous love and respect are impossible; love has no separation or rank, but respect admits power
[Nietzsche]
|
14856
|
Our judgment seems to cause our nature, but actually judgment arises from our nature
[Nietzsche]
|
14857
|
The highest wisdom has the guise of simplicity
[Nietzsche]
|
14858
|
Being certain presumes that there are absolute truths, and means of arriving at them
[Nietzsche]
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