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Nussbaum on the Place of Luck in Moral Dilemmas: A Case Study of the Tragedy Agamemnon

Author(s)

Yuchun Zhou

Affiliation(s)

China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Abstract

This paper takes the ancient Greek tragedy Agamemnon as its research subject, starting with an analysis of Agamemnon’s moral choices. It compares Socrates’ and Aristotle’s views on "goodness" and luck, and centers on the theories in Martha Nussbaum’s The Fragility of Goodness to clarify why we should acknowledge the role of contingent luck in moral dilemmas. The study finds that although Agamemnon falls into a moral dilemma between family and the city-state due to bad luck, and his moral failure stems from non-subjective factors, he still bears responsibility. This is because the practice of "goodness" requires the joint action of virtue, external goods, and luck; however, the contingency of luck can hinder the achievement of happiness, while bad luck can temper virtue. In conclusion, Nussbaum reveals the limitations of human life and the fragility of "goodness": moral luck serves as a touchstone to test virtue, and people must strive to uphold virtue in dilemmas to pursue happiness.

Keywords

Nussbaum; Agamemnon; Luck; Moral Dilemmas; Fragility of Goodness

References

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