Single Idea 7096

[catalogued under 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 4. Responsibility for Actions]

Full Idea

If we focus on the evaluation of character traits, voluntariness becomes less important. We would not withdraw our admiration for a person only because we found out that his or her being such a person was not a result of voluntary choice.

Gist of Idea

We may still admire a person's character even if the traits are involuntary

Source

Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §3)

Book Reference

'Virtue Ethics', ed/tr. Statman,Daniel [Edinburgh 1997], p.14


A Reaction

The need for voluntariness does not disappear. I would not admire the only generous deed you had ever performed if it was the result of hypnotism. I might admire the hypnotist. Nevertheless, I regard this idea as a crucial truth in moral theory.