“Ignorance of universal principles (e.g., justice) is vice, not involuntary error.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 1
(Translated by W.D. Ross)
Big Idea
Life’s like a video game with non-negotiable rules 🕹️:
- Vice = Ignoring the “justice” button → You’re not glitching, you’re hacking.
- Mistakes = Accidentally pressing pause → Fixable with a quick reset.
Real-Life Scenarios
🏫 Group Project Chaos
→ Vice: “I didn’t know fairness mattered!” → Hog all credit → F grade + no friends.
→ Virtue Hack: Split tasks equally → Teacher praise + team high-fives.
🎮 Online Gaming
→ Vice: “I didn’t know spawn-killing was toxic!” → Get banned → Deliberate rule-breaking.
→ Ethical Play: Revive teammates → Leaderboard legend.
📱 Social Media
→ Vice: “I didn’t know bullying was wrong!” → Post mean memes → Account nuked.
→ Integrity Move: Report hate speech → Mod status unlocked.
What You Can Do
- The “Universal Principles Test”
Before acting, ask:
→ “Would a 5-year-old know this is unfair?” (If yes → You’re choosing ignorance.) - Moral Settings Journal
Track daily choices:
Day 1: Pretended not to see cafeteria line-cutter → Vice alert 🚨
Day 3: Called out racist joke → Justice XP +10 ✨ - Role Model Challenge
Study 1 person you admire (IRL or fictional):
→ How do they never “plead ignorance” to basic decency?