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Full Idea
A man cannot be virtuous, if he has no regard to duty.
Gist of Idea
To be virtuous, we must care about duty
Source
Thomas Reid (Essays on Active Powers 3: Princs of action [1788], 5)
Book Ref
Reid,Thomas: 'Inquiry and Essays', ed/tr. Beanblossom /K.Lehrer [Hackett 1983], p.315
A Reaction
Thus are Aristotle and Kant united in a simple sentence. Aristotle thinks that a virtuous person thereby sees what is the right thing to do, but I take 'duty' to imply a requirement which comes not from good character but from external society.
| 23674 | If an attempted poisoning results in benefits, we still judge the agent a poisoner [Reid] |
| 23672 | To be virtuous, we must care about duty [Reid] |
| 23673 | Every worthy man has a principle of honour, and knows what is honourable [Reid] |
| 23675 | We shouldn't do to others what would be a wrong to us in similar circumstances [Reid] |