Isabelle Johnson (asker) Apr 25, 2020:

Thanks everyone! Have a good weekend.

Michael Korovkin Apr 24, 2020:

Nope, Isabelle! My understanding is that the discussion is about two types of vicious acts: the ones whereby you hurt only yourself, versus the ones (still vicious!) that are indeed halmful to others. The relevance to Locke is that it was him who used the terminology (vicious/virtuous), somewhat obsessively, concerning the debate on what then found a wide reflection in law – the suicide.... Are you your own to subject yourself to the most vicious of all vicius acts – a murder (albeit a self–murder), or, since you're a more-or-less vital element of a greater organism - the societal Leviathan – that act is also vicious socially and reprehensible ethically? In many countries suicide is still a criminal offense... Durckheim probably read too much Hobbes&Locke, hence his "vive le suicide!" (joking!). Anyway, to return to the passage: I see it as an exercide (I leave this nice slip of a finger uncorrected!!!) in the study of comparative viciousness of acts (joking again... one is never too careful on this forum!:))

philgoddard Apr 24, 2020:

I think you should go with Cillie's and Michael's answer. Mine is not wrong, but theirs is more authentic.

Isabelle Johnson (asker) Apr 24, 2020:

Hello Michael Thanks for this. I'm not sure I get the relevance of the reference, however, as what's being talked about here is not the difference between virtuous and vicious acts, but acts which harm only the person doing them and those which hurt others.

Michael Korovkin Apr 24, 2020:

standard in Locke is "vicious act" (not "action" though, Cillie)
Have a look at that, for one: bang-on re. your topic:

The Philosophy of John Locke: New Perspectives
books.google.it › books
... so that what counts as a virtuous or a vicious act according to the one may similarly so count as the other.

https://books.google.it/books?id=T4WcCWvhvRUC&pg=PA123&lpg=P...

Isabelle Johnson (asker) Apr 24, 2020:

Thanks Phil and Cillie I'm not sure about either of these, though. Wrongs feels a little too general for me. I was looking for something more 'legal' sounding... And I can't find vicious actions used in this sense in Mill. Perhaps immoral actions might do it. I'll give it some thought.