5 Moral Character Development Flashcards
At the heart of Aristotle and Aquinas’ ethical theories is the conviction that ethics is fundamentally related to what kind of persons we are.
True
On the assumption that what
kind of person one is constituted by one’s character, the link between moral character
and virtue is clear. We can think of one’s moral character as primarily a function of
whether she has or lacks various moral virtues and vices.
True
The virtues and vices that comprise one’s moral character are typically
understood as d______s to behave in certain ways in certain sorts of circumstances.
dispositions
These dispositions are typically understood as relatively stable and long-term. Further, they
are also typically understood to be robust, that is, consistent across a wide-spectrum of
conditions. We are unlikely, for example, to think that an individual who tells the truth to
her friends but consistently lies to her parents and teachers possesses the virtue of honesty.
True
Etymologically, the term “character” comes from the ancient Greek term charaktêr, which initially referred to the mark impressed upon a coin.
True
The term charaktêr later came to refer more generally to any distinctive feature by which one
thing is distinguished from others.
True
the term _______is typically used to refer to the particularly moral dimension of a person.
character
Along this general line, in contemporary usage
character often refers to a set of qualities or characteristics that can be used to
differentiate between persons.
True
Aristotle’s discussion of moral character, and virtue in particular, is the most influential treatment of such issues.
True
Aristotle most often used the term ēthē for
character, which is etymologically linked to “ethics” and “morality” (via the Latin equivalent mores).
True
For this reason, his discussion will be used as a
beginning point.
Aristotle
it is an excellence of an ax if it is able to cut wood.
example of excellence
The Greek word used by Aristotle and most commonly translated as virtue is aretē, which is perhaps better translated as
goodness or excellence
is a quality that makes an individual a good member of its kind.
excellence
Aristotle, for instance, sometimes speaks of a good moral character as
“human excellence” or an “excellence of soul” (Nicomachean Ethics I.13). The idea
here is the same as with the axe—having a good moral character helps its possessor
operate well and live up to her potential, thereby fulfilling her nature.
True
