送交者: apate 于 2004-12-29, 18:30:20:
回答: Exactly, though I must say I disagree with Xiao in many aspects. 由 PhonyDoctorPhD 于 2004-12-29, 17:13:38:
as soon as virtues become "selling points" for generating venues ($$$), the salespersons are on the verge of violating high standards of moral codes.
(college admission and finacial assistance are of course partially based on intellectual virtues, but such offers are not "charge-free" so to speak. rather, such offers come hand in hand with obligations as well. the recipient has to maintain good standing in academic performance.)
the fundamental question - and indeed a time honored one ever since the famous dialogue between Plato and Protagoras - is whether or not virtues are teachable. the Lius clearly intend that the answer is yes and attempt to prove it. theirs, however, is just one-sided argument. human affairs are such that they are often constrained by contingencies, such as luck. and if teachable, the techniques are hard to be univeralized.
in a sense, then, one line of thinking in order to critique the Lius is how they have (or haven't) tried their best to downplay the role of mere luck in their so-called educational achievement. it is at once a practical and ethical question.
(i heard a joke about how one person happily bought a baby guinea pig to raise as a pet, but saddly the animal grows into a fatty whitist big swine. no offense meant. just a joke about how even businessmen should need to obey basic moral codes by telling the truth.)