Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-tdptf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-09T17:23:30.396Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

10 - Implications for Certain Conventional Virtues: Charity, Generosity, Kindness, Temperance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

Tara Smith
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
Get access

Summary

We have now examined the major virtues that Rand considers crucial to the life of a human being. These, together, shed considerable light on the kind of conduct and character that will distinguish the rational egoist. Nonetheless, because Rand's moral ideal is so at odds with long and widely entrenched views, it is natural to wonder about other kinds of actions traditionally regarded as virtues. Although I have commented on the implications of Rand's theory for a few of these (courage, forgiveness, mercy, humility), many others remain. Particularly because Rand does not claim that the moral virtues she identifies are exhaustive, it will strengthen our understanding of her view to consider how certain additional kinds of action conventionally praised as virtues stand vis-à-vis Rand's theory. Space permits us to consider only a handful and one could explore even these in far greater depth than I will here. My aim is simply to indicate, based on what we have learned about Rand's reasoning, the implications for certain conventional virtues. Looking at these few, I hope, will provide insight into how she would evaluate others, as well. Because Rand's ideal person often strikes people as excessively self-absorbed, three of the traits I have chosen concern a person's relation with others: charity, generosity, and kindness. (Rand believes that the acceptance of altruism has created many confusions about proper human relationships.) We will also consider a fourth, temperance, whose prudential character makes it seem a strong candidate to win egoism's blessing.

Type
Chapter
Information
Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics
The Virtuous Egoist
, pp. 247 - 283
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×