Discussion responses

I find this to be interesting topic or question for the first week! I believe that we are able to focus particularly on specific practices using methods such as the utility function. This method "measures in "utils" the value of a good, service, or proposed action relative to the utilitarian principle of the greater good, that is increasing happiness or decreasing pain" (Byars & Stanberry, 2018.) Now this does not necessarily mean that this is your only method to thinking about one specific topic or action that has happened in the past. In our textbook, their were other values or methods that were developed and used throughout time. These methods include establishing a virtue and understanding the harm principle. However, with all of this being said, everything that I have read in chapter two is all related to one key factor, and that is virtue. Now what is virtue? Virtue can be defined as "morally good behavior or character" (Merriam-Webster). To me, when I think of one’s virtue, I think of it being the values that one has believed in wether or not it is good or bad.

Now, how does this all tie into the question of how we can assess a practice like slavery in antiquity without imposing modern values on a ancient civilization? I believe that it can be done by understanding what values and beliefs that was recorded in history, we can understand why certain practices such as slavery was used. For example, our textbook describes that in Athens itself, their was 21,000 citizens with some sort of rights, and over 400,000 slaves. Even though they had a primary belief system of virtue and honor, they allowed slavery to continue as it was one of the foundations that aided in growing and maintaining the economy as well as providing goods such as crops, food, and other necessities. I am not saying what they did was right, however with my understanding of what I have read, ancient civilizations such as Athens accepted this practice as ethical due to the many factors that it contributed to.