Natural Virtue and Capital’s False Endoxa

Author Details

Lance Kirby

Journal Details

Published

Published: 11 January 2024 | Article Type : Research Article

Abstract

The influence of ancient Greek thought upon the work of Karl Marx, and in particular his relationship to the virtue ethics of Aristotle, is demonstrated with a virtue ethical analysis through a Marxist lens of such concepts as natural virtue, endoxa, and pleonexia in a capitalist context. It is argued that Natural Virtue aids the legitimacy of Capital’s inverted value system and undermines worker solidarity through the agency, as shown through one example of well-known comedians who entertain with political satire. It concludes with a suggestion of the ethical implications and a possible response to the conditions described, and additionally, it attempts briefly to address a commonly encouraged misconception by Marxist critics of the extreme moral position typically argued to characterize the political left.

Keywords: Karl Marx, Aristotle, Structural Endoxa, Alienation, Virtue Ethics.

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Research Article

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Citation:

Lance Kirby. (2024-01-11). "Natural Virtue and Capital’s False Endoxa." *Volume 6*, 1, 1-5