“Richards argues that parents do not have a “further obligation to ensure that their children have some particular set of positive virtues, beyond the ones already mentioned” (p. 174). Explain what Richards means by “the ones already mentioned,” and what sort of “further set of positive virtues” he has in mind. Show that there are some positive virtues that are worth attempting to cultivate in children.”
Within Society, there are minimal requirements that people need to fulfil in order to be capable of living among it. Without them, society would have no structure, no minimal ‘entry requirement’ and would cause a dramatic shift in the way we live. These traits should be common to everyone and parents should have no further obligation to cultivate any new or unique traits in their children (p. 164). Richards argues that when these minimal qualities are properly instilled in the child, the parent has completed their job in bringing up their child to successfully live and thrive in today’s society. However, there are also traits, according to Richards, that the children should be given themselves to enhance their ability to be a part of society. This essay will focus on two characteristics that Richards forgot to mention – Respect and Forgiveness. It is obvious that certain traits are essential for being a decent
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The merit of forgiveness is learned from the early stages of a child’s life maternally. But often it is not until their adolescent years when forgiveness plays a part in their lives and they must choose whether to forgive someone or not. Richards says that the “obligation of parenthood is to equip the child to live in society with others” (p. 169) and, in order to live in a society that we admit is not perfect and makes mistakes, we must be able to forgive it for its faults, and the faults of the people within