Any man
who makes a notable step forward deserves credit, whatever his actual
position upon the moral scale. He who only "marks time" upon a relatively
high level may be a good man, but we do not give him credit for the act
normally to be expected of him. The recognition of merit is a part of the
machinery of moralization.
149. VIRTUES AND VICES.--One swallow, said Aristotle, does not make a
spring, nor does one happy day make a happy life. Elsewhere he draws our
attention to the fact that one good action does not constitute a virtue.
We may define the virtues as those relatively permanent qualities of
character which it is desirable, from the moral point of view, that a man
should have. The vices are the corresponding defects. I shall not attempt
to draw up a list of the virtues. For a variety of lists, exhibiting
curious and interesting diversities, I refer the reader back to Chapter
III, Sec Sec 9-11.
The Rational Social Will aims to build up a social order which shall do
justice to the fundamental impulses and desires of man, a social and
rational creature.
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