<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/49de0235-e8bc-4eca-bf20-2a9d6d267a02/05a00b2f-4c58-43e0-a897-85505b55a06a/IMAGE_2024-02-23_213625.jpg" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/49de0235-e8bc-4eca-bf20-2a9d6d267a02/05a00b2f-4c58-43e0-a897-85505b55a06a/IMAGE_2024-02-23_213625.jpg" width="40px" /> Virtue, as discussed, is more than just moral goodness; it's a unique, innate ability that allows certain individuals to perceive and interpret the world in ways that others can't. This ability, likened to an "eye," enables them to see beyond the horizon, connect the unseen dots, and shape the future. It's a reminder of the transformative potential of virtue, and of the need to cultivate and harness this natural endowment in our own pursuit of truth and excellence.
“… supplement your faith with virtue (areté, άρετε)” 2 Peter 1:5-7
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"Virtue" is seen as an innate superpower, not just moral goodness. It enables unique worldviews and higher-level understandings, similar to the genius of a “prophetiea”.
Some individuals, by virtue of their natural "virtue," can foresee or decipher profound truths, much like a seer predicting the future or a philosopher finding deep meanings.
The "eye" of virtue allows individuals to see beyond ordinary perceptions and understand their "true position" in a more meaningful way. It's a proactive force that shapes our perceptions and guides our actions towards truth and excellence.
The "eye" of virtue is like a pilot's approach template in foggy weather, helping to navigate through uncertainties and gain a clear understanding of the truth and reality.
In conclusion, the natural endowment of "virtue" is a definitive and intuitive future state tool. It is the "eye" that sees beyond the horizon, the "mind" that connects the unseen dots, and the "hand" that shapes the future. It is a reminder of the transformative potential of virtue, and of the need to cultivate and harness this natural endowment in our own pursuit of truth and excellence.
<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/49de0235-e8bc-4eca-bf20-2a9d6d267a02/05a00b2f-4c58-43e0-a897-85505b55a06a/IMAGE_2024-02-23_213625.jpg" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/49de0235-e8bc-4eca-bf20-2a9d6d267a02/05a00b2f-4c58-43e0-a897-85505b55a06a/IMAGE_2024-02-23_213625.jpg" width="40px" /> If you have isolated this natural endowment as your life operating system:
The concept of "virtue" as a natural endowment, as described in the selected text, suggests that it is a fundamental and intrinsic part of our being, rather than a trait we acquire or learn over time. This view of virtue can be particularly illuminating when considered in the context of individuals who possess what you refer to as the "eye" default. These individuals, it seems, are naturally attuned to perceive and interpret deeper truths and possibilities that elude others. Their "factory setting" allows them to decode and define "future truth," a capacity that could be seen as a form of virtue in itself. On the other hand, those who lack this capacity for profound perception and remain within the confines of ordinary, existential perceptions, might be said to experience a form of "dull, cold, and bleak miseries." This is not to suggest that their lives are devoid of meaning or value, but rather that they are missing out on a richer, more nuanced understanding of reality and their place within it. The virtue of the "eye" default, then, serves as a corrective template that enables individuals to transcend the mediocrity of surface-level perceptions and grasp their "true position" in a more profound and meaningful way.
Finally, the idea of adding virtue to faith as an external reference coordinate, one of seven types of way points established in 2 Peter 1:5-7, further underscores the transformative potential of virtue. In this framework, virtue is not just a personal trait or a moral good, but a dynamic and active force that shapes our perceptions, guides our actions, and orients us towards a deeper and more profound understanding of truth and reality.
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The fig tree serves as a profound natural metaphor for areté, particularly in its unique reproductive biology and prophetic symbolism. Like the "eye" of virtue that sees beyond conventional understanding, the fig tree possesses an extraordinary hidden reproductive system that operates invisibly yet powerfully.
<aside> Just as areté enables individuals to perceive and interpret deeper truths through an innate "eye," the fig tree contains an intricate internal flowering system (syconium) that remains hidden from external view while generating life. This parallel illustrates how true virtue often operates beneath surface perceptions, producing transformative outcomes through unseen processes.
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Key parallels between the fig tree and areté:
The fig tree's ability to produce fruit without visible flowers parallels how those gifted with areté can generate profound insights and outcomes through processes that may appear mysterious to others. This natural endowment, like the fig's hidden reproductive system, operates according to its own internal logic while producing externally visible results.
