Episode 125: Aristotle, Eudaimonia and Virtue Part 2

Philosophy? WTF??

Join us as Danny presents his virtue for all to see. Go on, have a good long look, take a photo, it will last longer. Meanwhile, and across town, Mike is prepared to settle for simply appearing virtuous. As long as people consider us to be “good people” does it matter if we actually are? Why do even bastards prefer not to be seen as bastards? Why do politicians still make the effort to appear to be decent human beings rather than just own their sleazy and duplicitous characters? Yes, this week listen in as Mike and Danny struggle to reject the One Ring even though they would, without a doubt, use it for good. I mean, you don’t get Darth Vader trying to argue that he is, basically, a misunderstood good guy or Sauron going on about his charity work. These are the bad guys and they embrace it - they dress in black, they have the whole red eye thing going on and they step on bunnies and small children. If virtue is appropriate to the object of virtue then perhaps a virtuous politician is Machiavelli’s Prince? All this and whether baking flapjacks is more virtuous than beating someone up in the street for their phone. Wtf?? - bad to the bone, right?