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Full Idea
Between Aristotle and us came Christianity, with its law conception of ethics, and Christianity derived its ethical notions from the Torah.
Gist of Idea
Between Aristotle and us, a Judaeo-Christian legal conception of ethics was developed
Source
G.E.M. Anscombe (Modern Moral Philosophy [1958], p.179)
Book Ref
'The Is/Ought Question', ed/tr. Hudson,W.H. [Macmillan 1969], p.179
A Reaction
While I am a fan of the primacy of the virtues in ethical thinking, I am doubtful about the complete elimination of laws (e.g. by Particularists). The law teaches us the virtues, and reminds us of them (like speed-limit signs).
8065 | 'Ought' and 'right' are survivals from earlier ethics, and should be jettisoned [Anscombe] |
8069 | Between Aristotle and us, a Judaeo-Christian legal conception of ethics was developed [Anscombe] |
8070 | It would be better to point to failings of character, than to moral wrongness of actions [Anscombe] |