The unity of virtue and the education in opposites (Laws I)
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Abstract
In this article, I propose the following questions: 1) why courage is relegated to fourth place in the ranking of virtues; 2) how it differs from moderation, if both have pleasures as their object, and 3) how this characterization relates to the conceptions of virtue presented in Protagoras, Phaedo, and Republic. I argue that, although Plato adopts a holistic and dynamic approach to virtue as a whole, courage is relegated to last place not only because the Athenian wants to question the warrior approach of his interlocutors, which gives exclusive priority to this virtue, but also because this virtue is further removed from reason, insofar as it is characteristic of the impulsive part of the soul. On the other hand, joint education in pleasure and pain as opposites of the same continuum presupposes that moderation and courage, although they have pleasure and pain as their main objects, respectively, are complementary, must be acquired by the same method, and reinforce each other. Finally, I understand that the late Plato retains an integrative perspective on virtues that is close to that offered in the aforementioned works.
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