Melissa Tkacs
Professor Gilliland
Phi 100 - 24N
9/15/2014
The Respectful will be Respected
To be virtuous is to show behavior which shows high moral standards. In society, one who is a virtuous person is typically thought higher of and well regarded more by others. One very important virtue which all people should have in their practice is respect.
Defined in the dictionary, respect is: a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. However the meaning goes much deeper. When one respects another, it is also embracing the differences of that person and accepting them anyways. To respect is to not discriminate against one for their habits or being, simply because what they are doing happens to be different from the normal standard. Respect is when one looks at those differences with an open mind to learn further about them in a non malicious manner.
1. To accept someone regardless of their differences is respectful.
2. It is virtuous to accept someone regardless of their differences
3. Thus, being respectful is a virtue.
In some cases respect needs to be earned. Not all have a well developed virtue of respect so they may find it harder to give out the respect that one may be expecting. However, one of the easiest ways to be respected, its to be respectful to that person also.
1. You need to earn respect to be respected.
2. You are respected when you respect others.
3. Therefore, when you respect others, you earn respect.
In our world respect is a highly needed and very important trait that should be developed in the lives of us all. Respect is a chain reaction, and if one practices respect, it is likely that others will begin to develop this characteristic also.
I definitely agree with you. I feel like respect needs to be earned. We should respect the way we would want to be respected. Being respectful shows high standards of the person.
ReplyDeleteI agree that respect is a very important virtue. However, I am not sure I understand the argument stating that respect needs to be earned. I would have liked you to explain this topic in more depth. Why does respect need to be earned in some cases but not in others?
ReplyDeleteWhat the argument explains is that a way to gain respect is to respect others because not all are as willing to give out respect. The argument shows that when you respect others, you will be respected in return. It needs to be earned in some cases simply because the person who one wants the respect from does not have the respectful virtue developed as well as others.
DeleteRevision of argument 1:
ReplyDelete1. To accept someone regardless of their differences is virtuous.
2. It is respectful to accept someone regardless of their differences
3. Thus, being respectful is a virtue.