Final answer:
Benjamin Franklin's plan for moral perfection omits elements of social status and inherited wealth, instead focusing on self-improvement and personal virtues. His views, influenced by deism, emphasize individual contributions to society's success. The pursuit of his thirteen virtues showcases the essential role of character in defining republican virtue.
Step-by-step explanation:
In his Autobiography, Benjamin Franklin omits the element of inherent or inherited social status and wealth from his plan for moral perfection. Franklin's thirteen virtues emphasize personal merit and virtues such as hard work, sincerity, and temperance. When considering how Franklin would address the situation in which children inherit great wealth, it's plausible to suggest that he would still encourage the cultivation of virtues to ensure that they contribute positively to society. His values, especially regarding self-improvement and social mobility, help define the notion of republican virtue by underscoring the importance of individual character in the success of the republic. Franklin's deism influenced his philanthropic efforts, like founding the Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, and contributing to the establishment of the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital. This belief system downplays the role of divine intervention in daily life, focusing instead on personal morality and the individual's actions. Thus, Franklin's plan for moral perfection and the pursuit of success was more centered on one's efforts and virtues rather than on uncontrollable circumstances such as the luck of being born into wealth.