1.8 Virtue Ethics

Question 1

Define virtue

Answer 1

behaviour showing high moral standards

Question 2

What is another term for virtue?

Answer 2

• excellence
• arete

Question 3

What type of ethical theory is virtue ethics

Answer 3

Character based

Question 4

What are character based ethics

Answer 4

ethical theories which focus on the character of the individual

Question 5

Who proposed virtue ethics?

Answer 5

Aristotle

Question 6

What is Aristotle’s main work?

Answer 6

Nichomachean ethics

Question 7

Where does the term virtue stem from?

Answer 7

Greek work arete meaning virtue, excellence

Question 8

What does virtue ethics emphasise?

Answer 8

virtues and vices of character

Question 9

Finish Aristotle’s quote: “Excellence then is not an act …

Answer 9

“it is a habit”

Question 10

What does the quote excellence is not an act, it is a habit, mean?

Answer 10

virtues are practiced

Question 11

Why is VE culturally relativist?

Answer 11

It focuses on virtues prized by socieities at different times and cultures

Question 12

How is VE also teleological?

Answer 12

It focuses on eudaimonia

Question 13

What is eudaimonia?

Answer 13

supreme happiness

Question 14

What is the highest form of happiness according to Aristotle?

Answer 14

theoria - contemplation

Question 15

What is the function argument?

Answer 15

human good is a function of the soul in accordance with virtue

Question 16

What kind of souls do we have according to aristotle?

Answer 16

rational

Question 17

Finish Aristotle’s quote: “an activity of the soul …

Answer 17

in accordance with virtue

Question 18

Finish Aristotle’s quote: “thus the good life is …

Answer 18

in which we exercise reason well

Question 19

What are moral virtues?

Answer 19

virtues developed through repition, practice and emulating virtuous people

Question 20

Examples of moral virtues

Answer 20

• courage
• temperance
• liberality
• patience
• truthfulness
• modesty
• wittiness

Question 21

What are intellectual virtues?

Answer 21

virtues related to the mind which will help to calculate the golden mean

Question 22

Examples of intellectual virtues

Answer 22

• scientific knowledge
• practical wisdom
• intelligence

Question 23

What is the doctrine of tje mean

Answer 23

finding the middle point between the extremes of excess and deficiency

Question 24

What is a problem with the golden mean?

Answer 24

the golden mean is relative to the individual

Question 25

What is the excess and deficiency of courage

Answer 25

recklessness and cowardice

Question 26

What are the three types of people according to Aristotle?

Answer 26

• sophron
• enkrates
• akrates

Question 27

who is the sophron?

Answer 27

someone who lives in the mean without effort

Question 28

Who is an enkrate

Answer 28

someone who is tempted but has the power to live within the mean

Question 29

Who is an akrate?

Answer 29

someone who cannot live without being overcome by temptation

Question 30

What are the 4 cardinal virtues

Answer 30

• justice
• prudence
• fortitude
• moderation

Question 31

What did Aristotle teach about theft

Answer 31

that it was a ‘base action’

Question 32

What actions did Aristotle say were always wrong?

Answer 32

• murder
• theft
• adultery

Question 33

What does McIntyre argue about virtue ethics

Answer 33

It is a realistic ethical theory as it allows for spending money and time on oneslef