Provable Order, Hierarchy of Virtues
Definition
- an ordering of virtues that is provable by reason and/or by provable consensus
- is a type of Arete
Proof of Existence
Proof by Inhabitation:
- if an order does not exist in reality but the human civilization votes and respects the voted ordering: the ordering becomes real and with measurable effects
- an ordering of some virtues has been voted into existence already by the UN: the universal declaration of human rights in article 29.2 states that the personal virtues are less important than the virtues of the humanity as a whole
Proof by Reductio ad Absurdum:
- if such an ordering does not exist and:
- an ordering is achieved by consensus: then the voters behave as if the ordering exists in reality, but a rational paradox is created
- voting establishes that the order does not exist: all is in rational harmony
- if such an ordering exists and:
- voting establishes that it does not exist: those who consider that the ordering exists maintain a rational basis for behaving according to the consensus
- an ordering is achieved by consensus: all is in rational harmony
- since the presumption that an ordering does not exist leads to a possible situation that does not conform to the categorical imperative, the ordering of virtues must already exist