Archive for October 27th, 2007

Temperance

Oct 27th, 2007 Posted in Virtue | no comment »

β€œEat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.”

1. Total abstinence from alcoholic drink
2. Self-restraint in the face of temptation or desire

The text by Franklin covers one of the seven deadly sins (Gluttony) as well as touching on an issue that would become even larger one hundred years later. In the late 1800s, the temperance movement pushed for legislation to prohibit alcoholic beverages. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on Jan 16, 1919 – prohibiting the use and sale of alcoholic beverages. This same Amendment was repealed in 1933. Read the rest of this entry »

The Virtues

Oct 27th, 2007 Posted in Virtue | no comment »

What is virtue? Reason in practice. - J.J. De Chenier

What is virtue? It is to hold yourself to your fullest development as a person and as a responsible member of the human community. - Arthur Dobrin

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary. - Thomas Paine

The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.- Socrates

The goal of this exercise is to relate the basic virtues, simply, in written form – in order to more frequently and fully apply the virtues in daily life – and to drive out character faults on as frequent a basis. Read the rest of this entry »