The History of Philosophy|S01E31-The Ethical Problem-2

The Ethical Problem-2

This justice is a morality not for men but for foot-men (oude gar andros all' andrapodou tinos) it is a slave-morality, not a hero-morality; 

the real virtues of a man are courage (andreia) and intelligence (phronesis).

Perhaps this hard "immoralism" reflects the development of imperialism in the foreign policy of Athens, and its ruthless treatment of weaker states. 

"Your empire," said Pericles in the oration which Thucydides invents for him, "is based on your own strength rather than the good will of your subjects." 

And the same historian reports the Athenian envoys coercing Melos into joining Athens in the war against Sparta: "You know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only in question for equals in power; 

the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must." 

We have here the fundamental problem of ethics, the crux of the theory of moral conduct. 

What is justice?—shall we seek righteousness, or shall we seek power?—is it better to be good, or to be strong?

[ 02’29” ] They praise justice only because they are cowards.

[ 03’25” ] foot-men (servant，仆人)

[ 03’31” ] slave-morality (奴隶道德)

[ 03’33” ] hero-morality (英雄道德)

[ 03’49” ] andreia (courage，希腊语)

[ 03’51” ] phronesis (intelligence，希腊语)

[ 04’26” ] imperialism (帝国主义，1600年英国东印度公司成立，标志着近代帝国主义时代的开始。作者在这里借古讽今。)

[ 05’34” ] ruthless (无情的，残忍的)

[ 06’20” ] oration (演讲)

[ 07’05” ] envoy (使者)

[ 07’07” ] coerce (强制，迫使)

[ 07’34” ] right (权利，正义)

[ 09’24” ] crux (难点)

[ 09’30” ] the Crucifixion (耶稣受难〔被钉死在十字架上〕)

[ 09’44” ] righteousness (正义，义务)

[ 10’03” ] power (权力，区分right：权利)