Virtue ethics, politics, and the function of laws: The parent analogy in Plato's Menexenus
Date
2007
Authors
Berges, S.
Editor(s)
Advisor
Supervisor
Co-Advisor
Co-Supervisor
Instructor
BUIR Usage Stats
1
views
views
17
downloads
downloads
Series
Abstract
Can virtue ethics say anything worthwhile about laws? What would a virtue-ethical account of good laws look like? I argue that a plausible answer to that question can be found in Plato's parent analogies in the Crito and the Menexenus. I go on to show that the Menexenus gives us a philosophical argument to the effect that laws are just only if they enable citizens to flourish. I then argue that the resulting virtue-ethical account of just laws is not viciously paternalistic. Finally, I refute the objection that the virtue-ethical account I am proposing is not distinct from a consequentialist account.
Source Title
Dialogue-Canadian Philosophical Review
Publisher
Course
Other identifiers
Book Title
Keywords
Degree Discipline
Degree Level
Degree Name
Citation
Permalink
Published Version (Please cite this version)
Collections
Language
English