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TAGS: Abdul-Baha, Exemplar; Abdul-Baha, Life of (documents); Behaviour; Character; Ethics; Psychology; Values; Virtues
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Abstract:
How personal character and activity can survive negative pressures from the external world, and what can be learned from the example of Abdu'l-Bahá's social action.
Notes:
Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #102, Bosch Bahá'í School (May 2011). Mirrored with permission from irfancolloquia.org/102/fatheazam_goodness.

The Fragility of Goodness:
Hexis and Praxis in the Historical Figure of 'Abdu'l-Baha

by Shahbaz Fatheazam

published in Lights of Irfan, 13, pages 1-21
Wilmette, IL: Haj Mehdi Armand Colloquium, 2012
Abstract: This paper seeks to understand how internal goodness of character or soul may be preserved from interference from the world and how character (hexis) and activity (práxis) may survive the sobering perspective of immense moral failure on the part of a considerable portion of humankind and of its leadership. Such apparent betrayal or dismissal of poetic action as of any practical value is examined through literature and the lessons of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’ in His travels to the West. The conclusion drawn from these sources will attempt to show that good character engaged in social action is of sufficient serious practical importance so as to be able to withstand the strikes made at the root of goodness itself despite the fact that character and activity are intimately connected and therefore vulnerable.
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