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Full Idea
The virtues are corrective, each one standing at a point at which there is some temptation to be resisted or deficiency of motivation to be made good.
Gist of Idea
Virtues are corrective, to resist temptation or strengthen motivation
Source
Philippa Foot (Virtues and Vices [1978], II)
Book Ref
Foot,Philippa: 'Virtues and Vices' [Blackwell 1981], p.8
A Reaction
A beautifully simple and accurate observation, which I don't remember meeting in Aristotle (...though she cites him as saying that virtues concern what is difficult for us). Justice and charity are given as examples of inadequate motivation.
| 23145 | Virtues are intended to correct design flaws in human beings [Foot, by Driver] |
| 22400 | Courage overcomes the fears which should be overcome, and doesn't overvalue personal safety [Foot] |
| 22398 | Virtues are corrective, to resist temptation or strengthen motivation [Foot] |
| 22402 | Most people think virtues can be displayed in bad actions [Foot] |
| 22403 | Temperance is not a virtue if it results from timidity or excessive puritanism [Foot] |
| 22401 | Actions can be in accordance with virtue, but without actually being virtuous [Foot] |
| 22396 | We take courage, temperance, wisdom and justice as moral, but Aristotle takes wisdom as intellectual [Foot] |
| 22397 | Wisdom is open to all, and not just to the clever or well trained [Foot] |