Do you consider smart to be a virtue?

Ashli Benbow

Professor Gilliland

Phi 100-24N

15 September 2014

Word Count-(385)

Do you consider smart to be a virtue?

            My virtue is smart. I know it's a little obnoxious to say and a little snobby I might add. Personally I believe having the brains is an important factor to have in life.

1. All intellectual people are virtuous.

2. All smart people are intellectual people.

3. Therefore, all smart people are virtuous.

            I fight everyday wondering if being smart is a virtue. When I bring up this argument, I am always questioned why I believe that 'smart' is a virtue. We can't argue that smart is not a character trait we are born with, but we can argue that being smart is or is not a virtue.

            Being smart is the symbol that drives me to work hard. Having this is important to our lives because I believe being smart is the key to success. Growing up I was taught to be "on top of my class", get straight A's, "Be the best you can be." Carrying these thought with me over the years, I have worked hard to achieve the best that I can on a scholastic scale. Smart serves a purpose in our everyday lives, whether it is book smart, or street smart. When looking at the definition of virtuous it talks about having or showing high moral standards and that's what smart consist of, having that moral standard of intelligence.

            Smart can be mistaken for wisdom, but they have completely different meaning despising sharing the synonym intelligence. Wisdom is the quality of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Even though smart needs the experience and the knowledge to be successful, you might believe that they are similar but in actuality it is not. Smart relies on the ability to think or respond quickly. Wisdom believes in the quality, whereas smart believes in just having or showing that "quick-witted" intelligence. Smart can't be mistaken for justice, moderation, and courage. While these things are used to describe someone's attitude or actions, smart is intellectual .

            In conclusion I do believe smart is a virtue that we all need to have. It does not necessarily means it has to be book smart, but being capable to show or have that quick intellectual reaction.