A 6 page essay that summarizes the major points from Cicero's treatise on obligations. The writer argues that this brilliant philosopher's observations on what constitutes honorable and useful behavior remains applicable as a useful guide to the modern reader. Cicero divided his text into three books. The first book deals with his thoughts on honorable acts, the second on useful and the third addresses conflict between honorable acts and seemingly useful acts. In his introduction to his translation of On Obligation, P.G. Walsh points out that Cicero insisted that that conflict only existed between honorable acts and "apparently" useful acts, as "Cicero argues throughout that the intrinsically useful is identical with the honorable" (xxiii). This examination of On Obligation summarizes Cicero's major points in this text before providing discussion. No additional sources cited.
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guide to the modern reader. Cicero divided his text into three books. The first book deals with his thoughts on honorable acts, the second on useful and the third addresses
conflict between honorable acts and seemingly useful acts. In his introduction to his translation of On Obligation, P.G. Walsh points out that Cicero insisted that that conflict only existed between
honorable acts and "apparently" useful acts, as "Cicero argues throughout that the intrinsically useful is identical with the honorable" (xxiii). This examination of On Obligation will summarizes Ciceros major points
in this text before providing discussion. In Book I, Cicero outlines the parameters of acts and behavior that he considers to be honorable. This topic is broken down into
four subdivisions, which are the four cardinal virtues. The first of these virtues is wisdom, which Cicero equates with the scholars search for truth, which in turn promotes happiness
and useful knowledge. However, Cicero also emphasizes that the search for knowledge and truth should not distract the citizen from service to the community, "...praise for moral excellence accrues entirely
to an active life" (9). In discussing the second cardinal virtue, justice, Cicero also encompasses the topic of injustice. Cicero states that the "primary function of justice
is to ensure that no one harms his neighbor unless he himself has been unjustly attacked" (9). In addition to this injunction, Cicero argues that everyone should be concerned
with observing the common good and that good faith provides the foundation for justice. He breaks injustice down into subcategories, that which is inflicted due to fear, greed, and ambition
for power and the injustice that occurs because people stand aside and relinquish their civic duty. In other words, Cicero faults the person who stands by, observing injustice and does