In the story Generosity Thassa and Spock Thornell are characterizations of Aristotelian and Stoic ethics. These two dynamics clash after Spock attempts to rape Thassa. After the aforementioned rape, the power dynamic shifts from Spock to Thassa. As a result, Thassa wrongly distorts the Aristotelian concept of happiness and selflessness and allows for the continuation of Spock’s misguided Stoic suffering. For Aristotle, people may have different targets for happiness. Despite the different targets, happiness is something towards which we should all aim. Thassa has a different aim than the people around her, even the police. Her outlook on the events that transpired turns on whether the rape took place. If it did, she would most likely seek justice …show more content…
Forgiveness, within the theoretical level, is a noble pursuit. For Aristotle, the noble pursuit of theoretical virtue is not enough. “For virtue belongs to the virtuous activity” (Annas 324). Thassa fails to move from the theoretical realm into the realm of reality and only relies exclusively relies on internal happiness. The reality of the situation before her is that Spock believed he needs to be punished for the actions he committed by not allowing Spock to be punished, harm is done to him. Is harm inflicting forgiveness a virtuous pursuit? What other choices did Thassa have? Aristotle believed, “human good turns out to be activity of the soul exhibiting excellence, and if there are more than one excellence, in accordance with the best and most complete” (Annas 323). This should be the standard to assess Thassa’s possible choices. First, she could allow Spock to be punished and not forgive him. Spock’s interior need for punishment would be satisfied, and justice would be served. However, Thassa would not satisfy her internal need to forgive Spock. This option does not satisfy the Aristotelian theory of …show more content…
The moral thing for Spock to do in this situation was to turn himself in to the police, which he did. He went to the police and attempted to correct the wrong he committed through action. For the Stoics, “Either ‘right actions’ or ‘rightly performed actions’ contain all measures of virtue” (Annas 330). And virtue for the Stoic is sufficient for happiness. This premise raises an interesting question; if Spock attempts to turn himself in and there are no charges brought against him, then are his actions sufficiently just and virtuous? Or is the justice and virtue of the situation contingent upon Thassa pressing charges against Spock? To Spock it seems the latter option is where true virtue lies. He would rather have his harmful actions punished than go unpunished. In order for Spock to be forgiven, he needs to remedy the situation through the criminal justice system in order to be virtuous. But once again Spock deviates from Stoicism. It’s one thing for Spock to be upset towards Thassa because she failed to press charges. It’s another thing for Spock to accept the situation, like a true Stoic, and move on with his life. He seems to be too focused on the external realities producing interior happiness. True Stoics do not need external goods to be
By viewing the author’s beliefs on forgiveness by works, her persuasiveness in making her case, and the values expressed by various characters in the book, the idea that atonement by works for sin heals the spirit, can be
People choose forgiveness because they want to release the initial offender from their guilt and past action to form a better relationship with them. As Chernoff discusses, "When we release others from the penalties of their actions, we create a space where our own thoughtless actions against others can be forgiven as well”(1). The quote above explains how forgiving others can allow for a better relationship based off of forgiveness between the initial offender and the avenger. People forgive because they see it as the right thing to do. In the text, "In reality, I was just a man who got somebody mad-- mad enough to want to kill him-- and survived it.
Had Claudio persevered in trusting his friend whom he loved, he never would have allowed himself to be duped by Don John. Of course, Claudio allows himself to be duped a second time as well, this time allowing himself to believe that Hero has been unfaithful. Again, had he allowed himself to trust his instinctual beliefs about Hero 's modesty and virtue and to question Don John 's character, he never would have allowed himself to be duped this second time, showing us just how important trust is in relationships. We see Shakespeare show us how important forgiveness is in relationships when we see Hero forgive Claudio for his atrocious behavior. Instead, she allows herself to be born anew through forgiveness and proceed with the wedding.
Forgive, not because they deserve forgives, but because you deserve peace. It’s not easy to stop blaming someone’s fault, especially for someone who do wrong to us. In the book The Sunflower written by Simon Wiesenthal, a survivor of the Holocaust during World War II, he described his conflict with Karl, a dying Nazi soldier who killed many innocent Jews and begging for forgiveness for his outrageous crime at the end of his life. At the end of this sad and tragic episode, Simon did not response to Karl’s request directly; instead he left us a tough question: “What should you have done?” Based on what Karl had done during World War II and his repentance, each person might have their own point of view about where should we draw the line of forgiveness.
“Live long and prosper,” is one of the most iconic catchphrases of any character in cinematic history. My catchphrase, however, is more… nonexistent. On a more serious note, Spock and I do happen to have at least one thing in common: we are often dehumanized. Disregarding the fact that Spock is a Vulcan, and technically not human, Spock is dehumanized by being seen as merely a brain: a religiously logical resource. Like Spock, the only people who truly see me rather than just my brain, are my close friends.
Compassion and forgiveness is not something everyone gives but is something you should give to everyone. Even when they don’t deserve it. Compassion and forgiveness is a theme in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee when Atticus tells Scout not to be angry at the people who are against him, when he defends Bob Ewell’s behavior after the Tom Robinson case, and when Scout saw the world in Boo Radley’s shoes. And in real life, when a woman pardoned a man on the gallows, before he was hung, even though he murdered her son, and a woman forgave two boys that pushed a cart over a railing onto her, causing many injuries When word goes around about Atticus’s decision to try to defend Tom Robinson, Scout becomes irked by everyone who mocks Atticus for defending Tom Robinson. Atticus tells her, “It’s different this time [...]
The author’s message about kindness vs. bullying, been kindness to other people, they would respect you back. But, bullying to others does not work out with others because you don’t respect others and they would not respect you back. The thematic idea of kindness vs. bullying is shown in the novel Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli when Leo, Stargirl, and others show us the importance of been kindness and bullying through Stargirl’s act of kindness and Leo and others been rude behind Stargirl’s back. Stargirl’s act of kindness impacted Leo and the whole school proves the theme with kindness vs. bullying because she wanted to be an outsider.
What Would I do? There are many definitions of forgiveness. The dictionary defines forgiveness as “The disposition or willingness to forgive.” I agree with that, but I believe that forgiveness also lies in the hands of the victim and varies based on the crime.
Socrates was a greek philosopher who found himself in trouble with his fellow citizens and court for standing his grounds on his new found beliefs from his studies about philosophical virtue, justice, and truth. In “Apology” written by Plato, Socrates defended himself in trial, not with the goal of escaping the death sentence, but with the goal of doing the right thing and standing for his beliefs. With this mindset, Socrates had no intention of kissing up to the Athenians to save his life. Many will argue that Socrates’ speech was not very effective because he did not fight for his life, he just accepted the death sentence that he was punished with. In his speech he said, “But now it’s time to leave, time for me to die and for you to live.”
He has to in any way help out or reach for help. It also shows how he fights for what is right and creates connections just to prove his point rights. Based on the quote and the incident that occured, Thomas has affected and created the theme of friendship at that moment. If Thomas just let those two individuals
This principle lies at the heart of the great-souled man, the first of Aristotle’s peaks of humanly excellence. The great-souled man is chiefly concerned with—and strikes the mean with—external goods. The greatest of these goods is “the one that we assign to the gods, and at which people of high standing aim most of all, and which is the prize given for the most beautiful deeds; and of this kind is honor” (67:1123b19-21). A man who has achieved greatness of soul is deserving of great honors, but more importantly, he understands his own desert and acts appropriately.
In Book 1 of the republic, by Plato, we are introduced to two central figures in the argument of justice, Socrates and Thrasymachus. Thrasymachus claims that justice is the advantage of the stronger. Socrates then asks if his understanding, that what is beneficial to the stronger is just and must be beneficial to the weaker people, to which Thrasymachus replies that no, this is not so. He explains that justice is that which obtains the advantage of the stronger.
Considering how the Piraeus, Athens’ port area, contains individuals hailing from various locations, it would that such a place would be where Socrates encounters different definitions of justice. In Book One of Plato’s The Republic, Socrates challenges Cephalus’ belief that justice is simply being honest and paying back the dues that one owes to the gods and to his fellow men. By providing examples of where it would be unjust to repay one’s debts, Socrates refutes Cephalus’ definition of justice. In these scenarios, paying back those debts would pose a risk of harm to innocent people, which would be unjust since justice does not involve harming others.
Finally Amir had redeemed himself. Thus, the only way complete forgiveness can occur is when one has truly attempted to atone for the mistakes that one has made which has a meaning to them and not to show anybody else. The way Amir had atoned himself from his sins which had dated long before the winter of
According to Socrates perspective, the democracy of Athens was corrupt and even though they courts were made in such a way that everyone was judged fairly, it wasn’t such because there were no rules or principles set forth. When a person was brought to court in the Athenian court and the person spoke against the jurors or offended them, he or she could be prosecuted based on that. In summary, judgment was passed based on emotion rather than on justice. In the Apology, Socrates stated, “my present request seems a just one, for you to pay no attention to my manner of speech-