Epics
Epikie ( ancient Greek : ἐπιείκεια epieikeia, fairness , forbearance , in Homer's ἐπιεικής 'decent, due, proper, appropriate, benevolent, suitable, legal, decent, benevolent') is a virtue that, according to Aristotle ( EN V, 1137 a 31 - 1138 a 3) helps people to behave ethically in difficult life situations, even if they cannot comply with higher-level norms.
This is about moral behavior in cases for which no laws exist or in specific situations that the legislature could not foresee. In borderline cases, it is possible that the existing law describes a criminal act in general, but the perpetrator can present an eminently important aspect that is not listed in the wording of the law. If necessary, the intervention of the perpetrator with regard to the fact that the legislature was not aware of this unique aspect at the time when the law was drafted can lead to an acquittal or to a reduction in the sentence. The legal standpoint of the epikia therefore does not contradict the existing laws, but nevertheless deviates from them in the interests of justice .
Epics is part of an individual ethic and a virtue for Catholic social teaching . In the course of the history of theology, epics has been defended in a broad sense; B. with Thomas Aquinas († 1274) - as aequitas , Philipp Melanchthon (1497–1560) and Alfonso Maria de Liguori (1696–1787).
further reading
- Anil-Martin Sinha, Franz Wiedemann: The meaning of the epics in Aristotle for medical action. In: Würzburg medical history reports. Volume 22, 2003, pp. 105-112.
Web links
- Epikie in the moral dictionary on stjosef.at