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Defining virtues

שו”תCategory: philosophyDefining virtues
asked 7 years ago

Hello Rabbi Michi,
Can a “good measure” be defined as a “productive measure”? That is, any measure that advances a person’s life toward self-fulfillment is a “good measure,” and any measure that distances a person from self-fulfillment is a “bad measure.”


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מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
I don’t know what self-fulfillment is. If a person is naturally destined to be a hired killer. He has a rare talent for it and he makes a lot of money from it. So everything that advances him to fulfill this sublime destiny is a good quality? Or do you define self-fulfillment as fulfilling a good destiny and then we are in a circular definition.

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שי זילברשטיין replied 7 years ago

I suggest that a good quality is a quality that helps add life to a person and to the world. For example: heroism or love are good qualities because they add life (heroism has the potential to overcome the dangers of reality and love has the potential to bestow it on another), weakness and hatred are bad qualities because they take away life.

מיכי Staff replied 7 years ago

Hatred also helps greatly in overcoming obstacles and dangers. So does ambition and competition. And of course, the drive for honor and making a name, making a fortune, etc.

מיכי Staff replied 7 years ago

You remind me that I once thought that all drives were about self-aggrandizement. The sexual drive is about producing offspring that will continue me. The drive for wealth and honor is also about my growth in various ways. The drive for life is about continuing my existence. Ultimately, it seems to me that this too is a kind of tautology.

שי זילברשטיין replied 7 years ago

A. What you wrote sounds good, what's wrong with tautology? You explained what this tendency is for.

B. So what is the definition of “good measure” ?

מיכי Staff replied 7 years ago

A. This is a tautology because the term “self” here is simply not defined (it also includes money and honor, etc.) but through the definition of the instinct (the self is what the instinct strives to increase). Therefore, there is circularity or tautology here. This is also the feeling in your definition.
B. In my opinion, it is impossible to place it on something outside of it. Kant already needed circularity when he deals with the good deed and places it on the good will. As far as I remember, he does not define the good itself.

שי זילברשטיין replied 7 years ago

Maybe I didn't phrase my question well.
I ask myself “What kind of person should I be” ? What are the character traits that need to be developed morally, is being a person with self-confidence good or bad, is being a person with a tendency to love good or bad, etc.

The seemingly answer ”Good will is the only good” does not advance me to the answer what is •• good character ••.

שי זילברשטיין replied 7 years ago

Rabbi Michi, I would be happy to receive an answer to the last response.

mikyab123 replied 7 years ago

I answered and it's not clear to me, please clarify my answer.
No wonder it doesn't answer you because there is no definition of a circular path. I can give a (partial) list of good qualities in my opinion, but without reasoning. This is at most an extensive definition (through the scope) and not a plan. What good would that be?
Beyond that, there is good in almost every quality. It's more a question of dosage and application (like Rambam on the middle path).
Therefore, in my opinion, this is an undefined/interesting/constructive question.

שי זילברשטיין replied 7 years ago

I understand, best wishes and thank you very much.

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