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Author Topic: Virtue ethics and daily practice  (Read 3111 times)

RecycledBenedict

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Virtue ethics and daily practice
« on: June 11, 2016, 02:14:08 pm »
If the topic of this thread better belongs somewhere else, I am sorry and ask the moderators to place it somewhere else.

I have been thinking of how daily practice reflects ethics.

My intention, with this message, is not to revive the discussions about different types of ethics. I have found a moral system based on precepts and a moral system based on consequences lacking, and prefer virtue ethics. There are many different lists of virtues worthy of cultivation, each of them with their own advantages. I would say that all or most virtues may deteriorate into vices if cultivated without moderation or without other virtues. I have found cultivation of some virtues very useful, and I am grateful for realising this from valuable experiences of both Lutheranism and Buddhism in the past: Honour what honour is due. Lately, I have been reflecting over the relation between ritual practices of cultivation and the need for balance between virtues, in order to avoid imbalances, but I suspect, that this work-in-progress will become more refined, if sevral persons give their input and suggestions. In brief: Please help me to improve the following suggestions into something better.

In order to achieve henosis, I experiment with a pattern of exercises following this order:

  • Self-esteem (because without that foundation, knowledge of faults, insights in the limitations of human knowledge, and fading of self will be hard to handle in a mature way)
  • Joy (because joy and benevolence will restrain self-esteem from deteriorating into self-obsession or arrogance. Equanimity and gratitude are here considered aspects of joy)
  • Benevolence (which, together with moderation, will be a foundation for willpower used for the common good)
  • Moderation (which will restrain joy from deteriorating into hedonism, but need joy in order to not deteriorate into anti-cosmic dualism itself)
  • Willpower
  • Knowledge of faults (self-examination in order to prevent arrogance and cultivate higher aims for the future)
  • Wisdom (discursive meditation and mental visualisations as tools to cultivate it)
  • Insight in the limitations and provisional nature of human knowledge (in order to prevent the cultivation of wisdom to deteriorate into fanatism)
  • Fading of the illusory self into The Abolute (repetitive chants of divine names as a preparation, and the use of non-discursive meditation as a tool to cultivate it)

Sefiru

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Re: Virtue ethics and daily practice
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2016, 06:26:48 pm »
Quote from: FraterBenedict;192525

I have been thinking of how daily practice reflects ethics.

 
This idea interests me, but I don't think I can be much help; I ascribe to a system of virtue ethics myself, but I haven't put much thought into cultivating virtues, rather than just applying them as circumstances require. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean by 'cultivating'.
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RecycledBenedict

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Re: Virtue ethics and daily practice
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2016, 06:53:12 am »
Quote from: Sefiru;192598
This idea interests me, but I don't think I can be much help; I ascribe to a system of virtue ethics myself, but I haven't put much thought into cultivating virtues, rather than just applying them as circumstances require. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean by 'cultivating'.

I found cultivation exercises in Buddhism, especially. The most widespread one there seem to be the cultivation of the four virtues called brahmavihara: benevolence, compassion, rejoicing with others and equanimity. Self-examination and cultivation of gratitude is found both in some forms of Buddhism and some forms of Christianity, and I have found them useful to be integrated into a pagan regimen: They chime well with Neo-Platonism and Hermetism. Plato speaks about wisdom (later, prudence), fortitude, temperance and justice (also popping up in the Bible in Wisdom 8.7 under Greek influence), and I have tried to include them under the more comprehensible and practically applied wisdom, will-power, moderation and knowledge of faults. It is hardly surprising, that people of many different beliefs have found the same things working, because their efficiency is confirmed by experience.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2016, 06:55:15 am by RecycledBenedict »

LilacRaveclaw

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Re: Virtue ethics and daily practice
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2016, 05:40:43 pm »
Are you thinking of making an order of witches like monks and nuns? It's an interesting concept.


May the wind always be at your back.

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