Combining Texts

Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Knowledge:Readings in Cont.Epist' and 'Utilitarianism'

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3 ideas

24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / b. The natural life
Rational animals begin uncorrupted, but externals and companions are bad influences [Chrysippus, by Diog. Laertius]
     Full Idea: The rational animal is corrupted, sometimes because of the persuasiveness of external activities and sometimes because of the influence of companions. For the starting points provided by nature are uncorrupted.
     From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 07.89
     A reaction: If companions corrupt us, what corrupted the companions? Aren't we all in this together? And where do the 'external activities' originate?
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 3. Natural Values / c. Natural rights
Rights are a matter of justice, not of benevolence [Mill]
     Full Idea: Wherever there is a right, the case is one of justice, and not of the virtue of benevolence.
     From: John Stuart Mill (Utilitarianism [1861], Ch.5)
No individual has the right to receive our benevolence [Mill]
     Full Idea: No one has a moral right to our generosity or beneficence, because we are not morally bound to practise those virtues towards any given individual.
     From: John Stuart Mill (Utilitarianism [1861], Ch.5)