This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On Duties (De Officiis), which presents a largely Stoic view on ethics, virtues, relationships, and duties or moral obligations

Specifically it examines the different ways in which human beings are related to each other - from belonging to the same human race or species, to being members or fellow citizens of the same political community, to being members of the same local community, to being family or friends with each other.

Each of these types of relationships - which can be understood in terms of concentric circles - involves some duties of beneficence (one form of the virtue of justice) between people. Which of them has a higher or more stringent demand upon us? Cicero views the state or political community as having the highest, but also includes family as well.

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Broadcast on:

12 Dec 2022