Snape and the philosophy of virtue

[vilaphile]

No: HPFGUIDX 35868

Eloise said - 

> Anyone who has been involved in, or has been interested in our 
discussions of 
> Snape and how he came to change sides might be interested to listen 
to a 
> discussion broadcast on BBC Radio 4 this morning on the nature of 
and 
> motivation for virtuous behaviour.
> 
> Touches on ideas from Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, Hume, Hobbs, 
Darwin, 
> Nietsche, Kant, Utilitarian movement.


There is a web site where you fill in a questionnaire, and it tells 
you what moral philosopher fits in best with your own ideas. It's at

http://www.selectsmart.com/PHILOSOPHY/

I tried filling this in giving 'the answers I thought Snape might 
give' (that was quite interesting in itself, trying to put myself in 
his shoes). The answer I got was Jean Paul Sartre, but I'm not 
convinced that was the right result, I must have given the wrong 
answers. Satre isn't 'rational' enough.

I would say Kant is the 'Snapiest' philosopher. Kant says people must 
act virtuously, regardless of their inclinations otherwise, that 
rationality is all-important, and that the most important imperative 
is not to treat other people as means to ends, but to respect them as 
ends in themselves. 

I think this last point is quite a crucial one for Snape, he may not 
*like* other people, and he may think they are rather stupid, but he 
has an underlying principle, which won't let him use them as mere 
toys or tools, regardless of inclinations otherwise, which is what 
separates him from the DEs.


Alison