Virtue and its Complications

Today's discussion about virtue, ethics and morality was interesting to me as it reminded me of my American Public Policy class from high school.  The focus of my class was the constitution, and different principles which shaped its creation and application today.   One of the subjects we discussed at length was what rules and expectations helped to create the "best" society.  We also questioned whether or not the United States had created the best system in accordance with these ideas, or whether we still could learn from the example of other cultures.  It seems to me that America today has, in its governmental system at least, differentiated itself from Benjamin Franklin's concept of Virtue Ethics as discussed today, and rather focused upon John Locke's ideas of natural rights.  Today, one hears much about the protection of such "inalienable rights,"  as can be seen with the formation and continued application of the Bill of Rights.  We came to the conclusion that, rather than focus upon the discovery of universal principles which govern the world, it would be more beneficial to our society to protect the individual from possible outer forces which could inhibit the ability for the individual to leave a life of their own liking, all the same seeking to protect individuals from one another. In many ways, this concept focuses upon the individual to the greatest extent, and the common good to a secondary extent.  I am not sure if this is precisely how Benjamin Franklin would have intended it.  While he did seem concerned with the individual's ability to improve him/herself, he was also very concerned with the virtue of mankind as a whole, and in many ways America today has drawn away from that idea.   Overall, I found it very interesting to see these two different courses I have taken tie so nicely together.  Making those connections helped me to question and draw even more from today's lecture.