Proposal: The Cost of Supererogatory Acts

Proposal: The Cost of Supererogatory Acts

In life, sometimes, people perform some actions that are above and beyond duty. Such actions require self-sacrifice and compromise of beliefs, principles, and even morals (Heyd, 1). Supererogatory involves the performance of more than what is asked for even though they are not morally required, and those acts have costs that should not limit our desire to sacrifice for others (Sachdeva, n.d).  Russell Jacobs argues that as people try to make self-sacrifice for others, it is their duty to respect their own intrinsic self-worth for some acts that are too costly to remain our duty to perform (Jacobs, 96). The primary question in this paper would can the cost and consequences if supererogatory acts limit people’s sacrifice for what they believe is right. In the novel the Boxer and the Saints, Gene Yang use two characters, Bao and Vibiana, to show the extent people are willing to sacrifice for what they believe is right (Yang, n.d). The book focuses on the fight between Christians (Vibiana and missionaries) and anti-Christians (boxer movement) lead by Bao in China. With the intrusion of Christian missionaries, some Chinese are converted and denounce Chinese believes and values. New converts like Vibiana are threats to Chinese traditions even though she finds comfort and love with her new Christian family (Bucky, 50). For Vibiana, she is ready to act above and beyond her duty to protect her Christian faith. She is prepared to die as a cost of her supererogatory act and faith in Christianity. For Bao and his group, they are willing to kill and even die to eradicate Christianity from China to restore Chinese believes and traditions. They are not scared of the cost and consequences of their supererogatory acts. Based on Jacob’s and Yang’s articles, perhaps self-sacrifice does not serve as the limit on our moral obligation for whatever someone believes is right.

Annotated Bibliography

Bucky Carter, James. “A Necklace is Still a Chain: A Review of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.” Language Arts Journal of Michigan 29.1 (2013): 13.

In his article, Bucky provides a review of Yang’s paper on Boxers and Saints. A critical analysis of the introduction of Christianity in China is provided. Further, the review provides insight into the fight between Anti-Christianity and Christian believers in China. Bucky’s review is related to the theme of the proposal in that it mthat Vibiana and Bao offer for what they believe. Vibiana is ready to face the risks and even die to fight for her new faith and the Christian family. Even though she is not obligated to die for other Christians, she considers self-sacrifice as her moral obligation. Similarly, Bao, through his Anti-Christ group, fights to the point of death to retain Chinese traditions that had been eradicated by Christianity. With references to the content of the review, this article review is fit for use to compile the final essay.

Heyd, David, and Heyd, David. Supererogation. Cambridge University Press, 1982: 1-50 Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=9eE8AAAAIAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=+Supererogation&ots=0TfpaCNDtE&sig=mogb_PPFh_3Mld2s7eOhR6zGny8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Supererogation&f=false

Heyd gives an analysis of various definitions and principles of supererogation. It is noted that supererogation refers to duties that are more than required or demand. In the context of Boxer and Saints, such an act can be understood to be acts that an individual does over and above his religious, cultural, or moral duty. Heyd’s article related to Jacob’s article by stating that supererogatory acts are associated with an individual’s character, intention, motives, or emotions. Bao motives in Jacob’s article is to fight for and retain Chinese believes and traditions that had been eroded by Christianity. On the other hand, due to characters installed in Vibiana by Christian faith, she is willing to fight for Christian religion despite the cost. Heyd article contents worthy information uses in the topic discussion.

Jacobs, Russell A. “Obligation, supererogation and self-sacrifice.” Philosophy 62.239 (1987): 96-101.

Obligation, supererogation, and self-sacrifice is an article authored by Jacobs Russell. In the article, Jacobs tries to argue out the idea that self-sacrifice or risk serves as the limit on our moral obligations. First, the author borrows arguments from Elizabeth Pybus, who stated that no action could be morally praiseworthy but not morally needed. Elizabeth states that no action can be termed to be above and beyond the moral obligation. Jacobs aligns himself with Pybus’s view, and he notes that at some point, self-sacrifice may be a moral obligation for the good of others. This article forms the basis of the final paper topic, and it is the foundation of self-sacrifice as a moral obligation. It will be used to argue out the point that the risk of self-sacrifice forms the limit on people’s moral obligation.

Sachdeva, Sonya, et al. “The role of self-sacrifice in moral dilemmas.” PloS one 10.6 (2015).

This article provides an analysis of the role of self-sacrifice and its moral dilemmas. It argues that acts that are not demanded from individuals are not their moral obligations to fulfill. It notes people are at liberty to choose to undertake such actions considering their consequences. According to the reading, self-sacrifice risks forms the limits of our moral obligations. The author argues that there is no point in sacrificing self-worth for a duty you are not obligated to. In the paper, the consequences of self-sacrifice on acts that are above and beyond duty are given consideration and priority. This article forms part of the important documents that will be used to argue out the topic of subrogation and self-sacrifice.

Yang, Gene Luen, and Lark Pien. Boxers & Saints.

Yang provides an insight into how individuals can sacrifice for a course they believe in above and beyond their moral obligation despite risks of self-sacrifice. In the novel, Boxer and Saints, Yang shows how the protagonist Bao forms a group of boxers to fight for their beliefs in Chinese traditions, values, and cultures that were being eroded by Christianity. The antagonist, a young new Christian convert, Vibiana, is ready to offer self-sacrifice at whatever cost to protect her faith and new beliefs. Both characters are not limited by the risks involved in their sacrifice; instead, they feel morally obligated to act in protection of what they believe is essential. Yang provides a clear example of how far individuals may be willing to go despite the consequences, and this is an affirmation of Jacobs’s argument.