History Analysis / VirtueViceCodification

* Faith. A complicated virtue, covering the inclination to form opinions or beliefs about the non-empirical domains of existence, to find value in things that have no obvious utilitarian value, to trust that things beyond ones control are not actively malevolent, and that there are answers and reasons for everything. Listed as highly controversial because conclusions about non-empirical matters are intrinsically subjective, and some believe that there is no intrinsic moral value in believing in things that cannot be proven. When faith refuses to acknowledge empirical evidence it is no longer faith in its uncorrupted sense, but rather irrationality. Even a [[OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions purely materialistic scientist]], however, must have faith that the scientific method and empirical evidence can allow further understanding of the universe[[note]]IE, that one is not living in Descartes's CuckooNest run by a malevolent djinn seeking just to screw with us, and [[GravityIsOnlyATheory despite our incomplete understanding of gravity]] it can still be trusted to behave according to rational, predictable patterns which can someday be fully understood.[[/note]], and that this knowledge has value beyond the practical. Morality itself is also a subjective value, and morality based purely on empirical evidence tends towards becoming a ColdEquation focused on [[TheNeedsOfTheMany providing the most benefit]] at the [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans most efficient price]]. See reverence, hope, and trust which have similarities, but are more narrow in focus.

* Reverence. Near-synonym to respect, but with strong ties to faith and obedience. When linked to religion, it carries the suggestion that certain concepts and figures have more than only their worldly face value. This includes purely moral principles, like mercy, which some may argue have very little worldly face value. However, promoting reverence as a virtue is often justified by the contentious idea that ethics are not inherently possible without a higher power at work, and that divine figure must always be deferred to, even feared.

* Benevolence. If regarded as a virtue, it would be a virtue that simply instructs us to be good. Not only is this self-implied, but it undermines the point of defining morality in terms of virtue in the first place.

* Equality/Egalitarianism - An extremely controversial societal virtue due to UnfortunateImplications. The simple fact is that some people are always going to be better at a given thing than other people, whether you are talking about singing or making money. While many people conflate the two concepts, fairness and egalitarianism are in fact often mutually exclusive. In the simplest scenario, one can only give all people an equal chance to succeed [[TallPoppySyndrome by penalizing those with advantages or giving unfair advantages to the less able]] and one can only be truly fair [[SocialDarwinism by allowing unfettered exploitation of any advantage]]. In reality, there are situations where equality is preferable to fairness, and in others, fairness dictates that people can only be equal in the sense that the same rules apply to everyone.

* Hope. In many ways a winning point of capitalism. Capitalism ''works'', to put it simply. And extremely well, at that. No other political system has generated as rapid scientific advancement and financial growth as capitalism (particularly in conjunction with value liberalism). This usually has a positive effect on the average citizen's outlook, except in periods of financial stagnation or recession.

* [[BlindObedience Obedience]]. The unswerving dutifulness to political or familial authority. Deeply problematic for reasons that should be obvious to anyone who has studied any contemporary history whatsoever. History is ripe with examples of mass slaughter (wars included) and other crimes against humanity resulting simply from people being obedient to an immoral authority. Obedience ceases to be good the moment the authority toward whom it is exercised ceases to be so.