"The difference between a sin (or, wrongdoing11) and vice is the same as the difference between lying and being a liar. Sinning can be an isolated event, whilst vice is a character trait."
Short and precise summation. Again, so much in each of your presentations. Better than a college course. You are providing a great service here. Thank you. Den
I don't know. And I'm a little confused here. Many years ago I read a fascinating essay by Lysander Spooner called" vices are not crimes ", which made the distinction between vices, which affect only the person with the vise from crimes, which affect others. The essence of the essay was that crimes should be punished, while vices are their own punishment. At any rate, I agree with Dennis that these posts are magnificent, and I very much appreciate it.
The difference is that I think Vashik is using the term vice here as an addiction to committing crimes or sins, not the modern usage of drugs, alcohol or prostitution, and the word sin as the mistakes we all occasionally make when we fail to live up to our own values. Sin is forgivable, but vice is deep corruption of the soul.
Hello everyone! What an interesting thread, and Donna, you nailed it!
Ml Cohen, you’re absolutely right—crime is often the offspring of vice. In my essay, though, I was trying to draw a connection to Aristotle’s idea of “we are what we repeatedly do,” which he originally applied to good habits, while Inferno shows us that the same applies to vice as well.
For example, let’s say someone asks if they are good-looking, and you lie and say yes, even though you think otherwise—you simply don’t want to hurt them. It would be silly to punish someone for such a benign lie. But if you lie constantly, across many situations, not as isolated events, then it becomes part of your character. You’re not just committing a sin, you are becoming it.
Hope this makes sense! And apologies for any typos—I’m replying from my phone.
"After all, an apple is first unripe, and it takes time for it to mature into something ready to be enjoyed."
In the later stage of my career I have found the passing on of my experience and knowledge the most rewarding part of my interactions with others. I'm thinking just now of, eat my fruit and pass on the seeds before this apple decays:)
"The difference between a sin (or, wrongdoing11) and vice is the same as the difference between lying and being a liar. Sinning can be an isolated event, whilst vice is a character trait."
Short and precise summation. Again, so much in each of your presentations. Better than a college course. You are providing a great service here. Thank you. Den
I don't know. And I'm a little confused here. Many years ago I read a fascinating essay by Lysander Spooner called" vices are not crimes ", which made the distinction between vices, which affect only the person with the vise from crimes, which affect others. The essence of the essay was that crimes should be punished, while vices are their own punishment. At any rate, I agree with Dennis that these posts are magnificent, and I very much appreciate it.
The difference is that I think Vashik is using the term vice here as an addiction to committing crimes or sins, not the modern usage of drugs, alcohol or prostitution, and the word sin as the mistakes we all occasionally make when we fail to live up to our own values. Sin is forgivable, but vice is deep corruption of the soul.
Hello everyone! What an interesting thread, and Donna, you nailed it!
Ml Cohen, you’re absolutely right—crime is often the offspring of vice. In my essay, though, I was trying to draw a connection to Aristotle’s idea of “we are what we repeatedly do,” which he originally applied to good habits, while Inferno shows us that the same applies to vice as well.
For example, let’s say someone asks if they are good-looking, and you lie and say yes, even though you think otherwise—you simply don’t want to hurt them. It would be silly to punish someone for such a benign lie. But if you lie constantly, across many situations, not as isolated events, then it becomes part of your character. You’re not just committing a sin, you are becoming it.
Hope this makes sense! And apologies for any typos—I’m replying from my phone.
I'm struck by the resemblance between Aeneas' descent into Hades and Dante's descent into hell....
"After all, an apple is first unripe, and it takes time for it to mature into something ready to be enjoyed."
In the later stage of my career I have found the passing on of my experience and knowledge the most rewarding part of my interactions with others. I'm thinking just now of, eat my fruit and pass on the seeds before this apple decays:)