Group’s members:

. Tran Thai Son

. Pham Hung Thai Son

. Pham Ngoc Minh Khoa

. Tran Thai Dan Thanh

. Nguyen Cong Duy

. Le Thi Thanh Tam

International Training & Education Center

Morality: Vice and Virtue

The Lord Of The Rings

Interesting Information

• The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel.

• Written by English philosopher and University of Oxford professor

J. R. R. Tolkien.

• It is the second best-selling novel ever written, with over 150 million

copies sold.

• Won 13 Oscar Awards

Main Characters

• Gandalf represents as positive force in Middle-earth who has the

purpose of keeping a balance between Good and Evil. In other

word, he ensures the safety of virtuous people and their world in

the role of an adviser.

• Sauron embodies Evil in Middle-earth. He forged the Ring of

Power and promoted dark force for his absolute power.

Philosophy’s approach

Plato – Aristotle – Immanuel Kant

Plato

Platonic Views

Brief Introduction

• There are 3 distinct elements of a person’s inner life

The Appetites : All desires for pleasures, satisfaction, comfort.

The Spirited : The part of soul that loves challenge, winning, honor.

The Mind : Conscious awareness.

• Virtue includes 4 important parts:

Wise

Courage

Temperance

Justice

Gandalf and Sauron under Platonic

Virtue

• “Being Virtuous is a matter of keeping the three parts of soul or self

in the proper relationship with each other”

Aristotle

An Aristotelian Touch on The Film

The Nature of Virtue

• It is called “ the doctrine of virtue” - Golden Mean

• Moral virtues lie on the balance of two extremes

• Moral virtues depend on the individual, especially depend on how individual reasons.

• According to Aristotle, a virtuous person holds himself in the equilibrium state of

mind.

• Virtue is as human beings use right reasons to choose among their actions and

feelings.

• Virtuous one knows his desires are bad and does not allow himself to follow those

because of virtuous reasons.

ARISTOTLE'S ETHICS

TABLE OF VIRTUES AND VICES

GANDALF VS SAURON

SPHERE OF ACTION

OR FEELINGEXCESS MEAN DEFICIENCY

Fear and Confidence Rashness Courage Cowardice

Honour and Dishonour

(major)Vanity Magnanimity Pusillanimity

Honor and Dishonor

(minor)Ambition/empty vanity Proper ambition/pride

Unambitiousness/undue

humility

Anger Irascibility Patience/Good temper Lack of spirit/unirascibility

Self-expression Boastfulness Truthfulness Understatement/mock modesty

Conversation Buffoonery Wittiness Boorishness

Social Conduct Obsequiousness Friendliness Cantankerousness

Shame Shyness Modesty Shamelessness

Indignation Envy Righteous indignationMalicious

enjoyment/Spitefulness

Immanuel Kant

Proclaim

Conclusion

• Aristotle

Gandalf is the ideal character

• Fredrick Nietzsche