VIRTUE
ETHICS
Learning Objectives
Articulate What Critique
1. virtue ethics is 3. Virtual Ethics
Brief Introduction Make use of
2. to Aristotle
4. Virtual Ethics
Virtue Ethics
A right act is the action a
virtuous person would do in
the same circumstances.
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is person rather than
action based: it looks at the virtue or
moral character of the person
carrying out an action, rather than
at ethical duties and rules, or the
consequences of particular actions.
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics not only deals with the
rightness or wrongness of individual
actions, it provides guidance as to
the sort of characteristics and
behaviours a good person will seek
to achieve.
Virtue Ethics
Virtue Ethics deals with broader
Ethical question, “What kind of life
should I live?”, “What is a good
life?”, and “How can I be consistent
in my moral actions?”.
Who is
Aristotle?
What did
Aristotle do?
Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers
who ever lived and the first genuine scientist in
history. He made pioneering contributions to all
fields of philosophy and science, he invented
the field of formal logic, and he identified the
various scientific disciplines and explored their
relationships to each other. Aristotle was also a
teacher and founded his own school in Athens,
known as the Lyceum.
Where did
Aristotle live?
Aristotle, after his father's death in 367
BCE, joined the Academy of Plato in
Athens. After Plato's death, he moved
to Turkey, Lesbos, and Macedonia,
where he tutored King Philip II's son,
Alexander. He returned to Athens in
335 but fled to Euboea, where he died.
Who were Aristotle
students?
Aristotle's most notable student was
Alexander the Great, a military genius
who conquered Greece, North Africa,
and the Middle East, and his most
significant philosophical student was
Theophrastus who became the head of
Lyceum.
How many works
did Aristotle write?
Aristotle wrote 200 treatises and other
works, but none survive in finished
form. His thought was conveyed
through approximately 30 works,
including lecture notes and draft
manuscripts edited by Andronicus of
Rhodes. Their abbreviated style makes
them difficult to read.
How did Aristotle influence
philosophy and science?
Aristotle's original, profound, and
systematic thought shaped Western
Scholasticism, influencing theology and
worldview of the Roman Catholic
Church. His ethics have inspired virtue
theory and are influential in
metaphysics, political philosophy, and
science philosophy, focusing on human
well-being and character development.
Virtue Theory
Ethical theory that emphasizes an
individual's character rather than following
a set of rules.
It needs the following:
• Choice
• Understanding
• Knowledge
“ IF WE CAN FOCUS ON
BEING GOOD PEOPLE, THE
RIGHT ACTIONS WILL
FOLLOW,
EFFORTLESSLY”
Proper Functioning
Everything has function and a thing
is good to the extent that it fulfills
its function, and bad to the extent
that it doesn't.
to Aristotle, the proper function of
human beings involves cultivating
and applying their rational
capacities to achieve a life of
excellence and fulfillment to live
virtuously, which means that the
human being must live a life in
accord with reason.
How to be Virtuous?
Having Virtue just means doing the
right thing at the right time, in the
right way in the right amount,
toward the right people.
Examples of Virtues
Courage
the quality of being ready and willing to face negative
situations involving danger or pain.
Honesty
It entails showing respect towards others and having
integrity and self-awareness.
Generosity
the spirit and action of freely and frequently giving to
others.
Examples of Virtuous
Justice
generally refers to the fair and impartial treatment of
individuals.
Temperance
a virtue that involves moderation, self-control, and
balance in one's actions and desires
Assertiveness
the ability to express oneself effectively and stand up for
one's rights without being aggressive or passive.
Examples of Virtuous
Compassion
a deep feeling of sympathy and concern for the suffering or
misfortune of others.
Fairness
the quality of treating people equally and impartially.
Wisdom
the ability to apply knowledge and experience in a
thoughtful and insightful way.
Examples of Virtuous
Self-Control
the ability to regulate one's thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors. It involves consciously managing impulses, desires,
and reactions to achieve long-term goals.
Prudence
a virtue that involves making wise and practical decisions.
It entails considering the consequences of one's actions, weighing
options carefully, and acting with foresight.
Virtuous as Practical Wisdom
As practical, practical wisdom is an “aiming”
virtue. It posits ends or an end to be achieved
through the actions that it guides. It is akin to
cleverness, but unlike cleverness, which can
be used with bad aims as well as good,
practical wisdom implies good aims.
LEARNING VIRTUE TO OTHERS,
MORAL EXEMPLAR
Moral exemplars define right acts. In
the strongest version an act is right
because the virtuous individual would
do it. In a weaker form, the fact that a
virtuous individual would act in such a
way is merely confirmatory.
EUDAIMONIA, EUDEMONISTIC LIFE
The condition of human flourishing or of
living well.
For Aristotle, Eudemonia is the highest
human good, the only human good that is
desirable for its own sake rather than being
the sake of something else.
Moral Character
-From Greek "charakter"- refers to a person's moral
dimension.
-A person’s moral character depends on whether one lacks
certain moral virtues or vices or whether someone intends
to do good or bad.
-A person is responsible for developing his or her
character. He has the obligation to decide what he wants to
be.
-It states that ethics is tied to our personality or character.
Moral Character
Moral Character
Question: What moral character
does a burglar have?
Reactive Attitudes.
Reactive attitudes are natural human reactions to others, which
indicate their moral nature.
Can be positive: Moral praise, thankfulness, and affection.
Can be negative: Moral Blame, Resentment, and Blame
The purpose of doing something, even if not carried out, is still
wrong. A person could be responsible for some action (done or
not) even if no other person held him/her accountable.
Sometimes, do you Ovethink?
Sometimes, do you Overreact?
Sometimes, do you not care?
Reactive Attitudes.
Reactive attitudes are natural human reactions to others, which
indicate their moral nature.
Can be positive: Moral praise, thankfulness, and affection.
Can be negative: Moral Blame, Resentment, and Blame
The purpose of doing something, even if not carried out, is still
wrong. A person could be responsible for some action (done or
not) even if no other person held him/her accountable.
Only play from 0:00 to 2:06
Recap of What
you’ve
Learned