Virtue Is the Pursuit of Appropriate Objects of Aim

 

Virtue consists of the pursuit of appropriate objects of aim, not the pursuit of  the external objects of our desires -- Grant Sterling.

# Section 4 [“Core Stoicism”], Insight: The Aims vs Desires Revolution

## **The Core Revolutionary Distinction**

### **Sterling's Breakthrough**

```

Virtue = pursuit of appropriate objects of aim

Vice = pursuit of objects of desire

```

**This completely transforms how we understand virtuous action.**

## **What Are Appropriate Objects of Aim?**

### **Sterling's Examples (Th 26)**

- **Life** (our own, or others')

- **Health** 

- **Pleasure**

- **Knowledge**

- **Justice**

- **Truth-telling**

### **The Key Insight**

These are **appropriate to aim at** but **not genuinely good** - they're externals/indifferents that become **rational targets** for our will.

## **The Practical Revolution**

### **Conventional Approach**

```

"I want my child to be healthy" (desire)

"I want to succeed at work" (desire)  

"I want justice in society" (desire)

Result: Attachment, anxiety, potential unhappiness

```

### **Sterling's Virtue Approach**

```

"I aim at my child's health" (appropriate aim)

"I aim at excellence in work" (appropriate aim)

"I aim at justice in society" (appropriate aim)

Result: Rational action, no attachment, guaranteed good feelings from virtue

```

## **How This Changes Everything**

### **The Emotional Liberation**

```

Desires create: Attachment, anxiety, disappointment potential

Aims create: Clear action, good feelings from virtue, outcome indifference

```

### **The Action Clarity**

```

Desire-based: "Am I getting what I want?" (focus on outcome)

Aim-based: "Am I pursuing what's appropriate?" (focus on virtue)

```

## **Applying This to Life Contexts**

### **Parenting Context**

```

Inappropriate: Desire child's success, happiness, compliance

Appropriate: Aim at child's development, education, character formation

Action: Provide guidance, structure, love - regardless of child's response

Result: Virtuous parenting without attachment anxiety

```

### **Work Context**  

```

Inappropriate: Desire promotion, recognition, job security

Appropriate: Aim at service, excellence, knowledge, justice

Action: Perform tasks excellently, treat colleagues fairly - regardless of outcomes

Result: Virtuous work without career anxiety

```

### **Relationship Context**

```

Inappropriate: Desire others' love, approval, specific responses

Appropriate: Aim at truth-telling, kindness, justice, loyalty

Action: Express care, honesty, fairness - regardless of others' reactions

Result: Virtuous relationships without attachment drama

```

## **The Systematic Application**

### **Daily Decision Framework**

```

1. What circumstances am I in?

2. What are the appropriate objects to aim at here?

3. How do I pursue these aims through rational acts of will?

4. Am I aiming or desiring? (Check emotional attachment)

5. Act excellently toward aims, indifferent to outcomes

```

### **The Aim Categories Applied**

#### **Life-Aimed Actions**

- **Self-preservation** without life-clinging

- **Protecting others** without controlling their choices

- **Supporting community wellbeing** without political attachment

#### **Health-Aimed Actions**  

- **Caring for body** without vanity or health anxiety

- **Supporting others' health** without medical control

- **Creating healthy environments** without perfectionism

#### **Knowledge-Aimed Actions**

- **Learning and teaching** without intellectual pride

- **Seeking truth** without being right

- **Sharing wisdom** without conversion attachment

#### **Justice-Aimed Actions**

- **Fair treatment** without forcing others to be fair

- **Standing for right** without outcome guarantee  

- **Correcting wrongs** without anger or vengeance

## **The Virtue Feelings Connection**

### **Sterling's Promise (Th 17)**

```

"If we correctly judge and correctly will, we will have appropriate positive feelings as a result"

```

### **The Mechanism**

```

Pursue appropriate aims → Exercise virtue → Experience good feelings

No desire attachment → No disappointment possible → Guaranteed positive experience

```

### **The Daily Reality**

**Every moment you're pursuing appropriate aims through rational will, you experience the satisfaction of virtue - regardless of external outcomes.**

## **The Complete Life Transformation**

### **From Desire-Driven to Aim-Directed**

```

Old life: Constantly wanting outcomes, anxious about results, happiness dependent on externals

New life: Constantly pursuing appropriate aims, satisfied by virtue, happiness guaranteed

```

### **The Sterling Promise Fulfilled**

```

"Perfect continual happiness possible" - because it comes from virtue (pursuing appropriate aims)

"Actually in our control" - because we control our aims and willing

"Simply judging correctly" - including judging what's appropriate to aim at vs desire

```

## **Integration with Previous Protocols**

### **"Not Have a Life" + Section 4**

```

"Not have a life": Eliminates conventional value system and desire attachments

Section 4: Provides positive content - what TO pursue (appropriate aims)

Result: Complete value system replacement - from desire-based to aim-based living

```

### **The Complete System**

```

Discipline of Desire: Eliminate desires for externals ("not have a life")

Discipline of Action: Pursue appropriate aims (Section 4)

Result: Pure virtue life with guaranteed happiness

```

**This is the complete revolution: transform from a desire-based life (seeking external goods) to an aim-based life (pursuing appropriate objects through virtue) - guaranteeing both excellent action and continuous positive feelings.**