Assignment 8: Virtues and Morality
Your Question: Choose a one-word virtue that you think you have. Explain a) why you think it’s a virtue and b) what your evidence is that you have it.
Virtues are those traits that guide an individual in life. One virtue that I think I have is courage. According to Philippa Foot, “there are four cardinal virtues, courage, temperance, wisdom and justice. Courage, temperance and wisdom benefit both the man who has these dispositions and other people as well; and moral failings such as pride, vanity, worldliness, and avarice harm both their possessor and others, though chiefly perhaps the former” (Foot 1-2). I think that courage is a virtue not only because Aristotle had identified it as a virtue, but since it is also a behavior that shows high moral standings. Being courageous not only benefits me but also the people around me since it means knowing when to choose to do the right thing, especially when it is the most challenging thing to do. The evidence I have that I can show that I have courage as a virtue is handling certain situations and dealing with certain people. For instance, a few years ago, my friend was involved in a sexual harassment saga with his boss. However, rather than reporting the case, she chose to start a romantic affair with the boss who was married and neglected his family. I love and respect my friend, but what she was doing was wrong; therefore, I had to amass enough courage to confront her behavior. This decision was difficult, especially since I knew it could cost our lifetime friends, and I did not think I was ready to lose her. However, I know I have the virtue since I could confront her even if she did not heed to my advice or warning.