Aristotle's Ethics Makes Virtue Central Case Study

1. Socrates claims to be a gadfly, which is a pretty unflattering image. Why does Socrates describe his role in Athens this way? How might it make sense in light of Socrates’ claim that the unexamined life is not worth living?

Socrates describes his role in Athens as being a gadfly, an individual who challenges the status quo through posing novel questions. The prevailing situation in Athens then was people being involved in public affairs and politics, but Socrates decides to challenge this state of affairs by remaining largely aloof from the political arena and public affair. Instead, he prefers to interact with other people at a more individual level than being public. His actions, he notes, arise from a supernatural sign or an inner voice dissuading him from being involved on public issues (Plato). He claims at two occasions he almost died for being brave when he challenged public authorities over justice. He makes sense that an unexamined life is not worth living since one may not survive for long with such a life.

2. Aristotle’s ethics makes virtue central. First explain what the two types of virtue are and how they are acquired. What, for Aristotle, does a virtuous soul look like? How might this (i.e., the way in which virtues are acquired) open up the possibility of moral failing?

Virtue is quite central to Aristotle’s ethics. He

While King, in his, “Letter from Birmingham” objects to following immoral and bad laws, Plato is of the opinion that people ought to follow laws and rules even if the may not be just. King bases his reasoning mainly from values which, he believes should be enshrined in the laws. There is a clear distinction between legality and morality as exhibited by the king in his letter. What is considered legal does not necessarily be legal, which makes King have serious problems with legality leading to his favoring morality over