Thank you smoothmoniker for asking such a stimulating question.
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Originally Posted by smoothmoniker
Why be virtuous? Why do good things instead of bad things? The following five statements aren't direct quotes, but they are accurate summaries of five philosophers, and how they answered the question of why we should be virtuous.
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I like the recent turn of the conversation. What is virtue? What is good? What is ethical? What is moral?
I don't know the answers to any of these questions.
I think the answers will NOT be pat, hard edged, easily quantifiable, whatever they turn out to be.
I think that circumstances and context and perspectiv matter a great deal, sometimes even as much as the action itself.
I don't know if it's easier, or clearer, but my thoughts on the matter run along this line. Is an action *effective*? Effective at what? Effective at progressing toward or achieving some goal. What goal? Is that goal compatible with my other goals? With the goals of others? Is it important? How important is it relative to the other aspects of my life?
All these questions bear on my actions, and how virtuous they are.
I'm sorry I've sidestepped entirely your question of why be virtuous with what is virtuous.