In search of the public ethos: Is the Unified National Competition an alternative for selecting new public servants with a vocation for public service?
Aristotle designated ethos as constructing an image of a speaker’s character. In this sense, ethos appears as the moral character trait that the speaker must present. Another meaning that complements the first is related to a habit or custom, such as virtue and rational reflections based on values and the human experience of acting on […]
Virtue Ethics and Utilitarianism: An Approach by Appearances
One of the fundamental differences between human beings and other animals lies in the possibility of sophisticating thought in order to achieve moral greatness. For Aristotle, habits that direct man towards the good are virtues. On the other hand, practices that degenerate man are called vices. Because of this, an ethical basis becomes necessary for […]
Dignity as an object of ethical reflection
“Searchin’ high, searchin’ low Searchin’ everywhere I know Askin’ the cops wherever I go Have you seen dignity”.[i] (Bob Dylan, Dignity, 1989). Dignity is a word known to all, and often quoted in various subjects, that is, it is a common word; this understood notion ends up not encouraging us to understand it, or think […]
The dignity of the human person in Thomas Aquino
The human being is absolutely recognized as the center and end of law by almost all legal systems in the western world. Among several examples, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNITED NATIONS, 1948 p. 71 to 77) invokes, only in its general part, human dignity three times, which is why it is considered the […]
Returning to Aristotle
In this article, I invite the reader to return to Aristotle’s basic concepts. The discussion of soul, happiness, virtues, and politics will be presented. The main goal here is to explain them briefly, to facilitate the reader’s understanding. The following discussion was based on the book “History of Philosophy” by Reale and Antiseri (2003). For […]
Honor: a forgotten virtue?
Aristotle, in his two books on ethics and his treatise on politics, deals less with honor than with other virtues; Mesquita (2014) points out that although the Greek philosopher recognizes the social importance of honor and shame, these are not themes of his predilection. The framework of virtues presented in Eudemian Ethics, Book II, does […]
Virtues and our relationships
As we reflect on life, personal actions, and the events around us, we wonder what can lead us to a happier life, and we often think that our relationships influence this happiness, as well as how coexistence would be easier and more peaceful if moral issues and ethics were common concerns. When we think of […]
Exceptions to the Rule for Your Own Benefit: A Moral Judgment Problem
The house that I lived a few years ago was on a relatively busy avenue. Across the street was a large bakery and many of its customers parked their cars in front of my house. The problem was that they often left the vehicle blocking the garage exit. Parking in front of the garage exit […]
What would be an ethical salary?
UBER, a carrier-to-application company, is planning to make a big bump on its Initial Public Offering (IPO). The expectation is that the company can get an IPO between 100 and 120 billion dollars. A curiosity is that in a prospectus released by the company, UBER reported about 6.8 billion in losses according to the magazine […]