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Single Idea 14817

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue ]

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 44 ideas with the same theme [why people might want to be virtuous]:

6324 To gain in goodness, treat as good those who are good, and those who are not [Laozi (Lao Tzu)]
345 A good man cannot be harmed, either in life or in death [Socrates]
120 Should we avoid evil because it will bring us bad consequences? [Plato]
4332 Virtue is a concord of reason and emotion, with pleasure and pain trained to correct ends [Plato]
248 A serious desire for moral excellence is very rare indeed [Plato]
253 Every crime is the result of excessive self-love [Plato]
263 The only worthwhile life is one devoted to physical and moral perfection [Plato]
144 Reason impels us towards excellence, which teaches us self-control [Plato]
5944 For Plato, virtue is its own reward [Lawson-Tancred on Plato]
170 The only slavery which is not dishonourable is slavery to excellence [Plato]
182 The first step on the right path is the contemplation of physical beauty when young [Plato]
5225 The end of virtue is what is right and honourable or fine [Aristotle]
56 A person is good if they act from choice, and for the sake of the actions in themselves [Aristotle]
93 Existence is desirable if one is conscious of one's own goodness [Aristotle]
22557 Virtuous people are like the citizens of the best city [Aristotle]
2841 People become good because of nature, habit and reason [Aristotle]
1841 We choose virtue because of pleasure, not for its own sake [Epicurus, by Diog. Laertius]
497 Be virtuous from duty, not from fear [Democritus (attr)]
503 Virtue doesn't just avoid evil, but also doesn't desire it [Democritus (attr)]
518 A bad life is just a drawn-out death [Democritus (attr)]
2672 Virtues must be very detached, to avoid being motivated by pleasure [Cicero]
6290 Except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter heaven [Jesus]
13559 I seek virtue, because it is its own reward [Seneca]
23354 If someone harms themselves in harming me, then I harm myself by returning the harm [Epictetus]
18444 Civil virtues make us behave benevolently, and thereby unite citizens [Porphyry]
18445 Civil virtues control the passions, and make us conform to our nature [Porphyry]
18446 Purificatory virtues detach the soul completely from the passions [Porphyry]
20482 Virtue inspires Stoics, but I want a good temperament [Montaigne]
2383 Virtues are a means to peaceful, sociable and comfortable living [Hobbes]
7913 Virtue doesn't go far without the support of vanity [Rochefoucauld]
4580 All virtues benefit either the public, or the individual who possesses them [Hume]
21436 We are obliged to show the social virtues, but at least they make a virtuous disposition fashionable [Kant]
1456 Moral law is holy, and the best we can do is achieve virtue through respect for the law [Kant]
3771 Virtues only have value because they achieve some further end [Mill]
14817 The 'good' man does the moral thing as if by nature, easily and gladly, after a long inheritance [Nietzsche]
4511 We would avoid a person who always needed reasons for remaining decent [Nietzsche]
4512 Virtue is pursued from self-interest and prudence, and reduces people to non-entities [Nietzsche]
9251 One can be virtuous through a whim [Camus]
22468 Virtues can have aims, but good states of affairs are not among them [Foot]
4112 A crucial feature of moral thought is second-order desire - the desire to have certain desires [Williams,B]
3541 Ancient ethics uses attractive notions, not imperatives [Annas]
4349 Virtuous people may not be fully clear about their reasons for action [Hursthouse]
4352 Performing an act simply because it is virtuous is sufficient to be 'morally motivated' or 'dutiful' [Hursthouse]
4353 If moral motivation is an all-or-nothing sense of duty, how can children act morally? [Hursthouse]