Aristotelian Virtue Ethics Flashcards
What is Aristotelian Virtue Ethics?
An Agent centred moral theory, which focuses more on the morality of the persons character instead of the morality of their actions.
What is Eudaimonia?
The one final end of human existence. According to Aristotle, it cannot be achieved without being virtuous.
What is the Function Argument?
All objects have a telos (a function) and that object is considered good when it properly achieves its telos. Since the telos of a human being is to reason, the ‘good’ for a human being is acting in accordance with reason.
What is the Vice of Deficiency?
What is the Golden Mean?
What is the Vice of Excess?
What is the Skill Analogy?
1) You observe the skill (virtue) in others
2) You start to practice the skill (being virtuous) yourself
3) You get better at the skill (being virtuous) over time
4) You have the skill (virtue) independently and no longer need expert guidance.
Why is Education crucial to developing moral character?
It causes us to develop good habits and gives us the means to achieve excellence
What is Practical Wisdom (or Phronesis)?
The thing we need to develop in order to be successfully virtuous.
What does Aristotle believe about pleasure?
He thinks that seeking only pleasure results in a life “fit for cattle,” and that it isn’t the only good, but we can start to get pleasure fro doing good things, which helps us to make those good things habits, so pleasure can be beneficial in helping us achieve eudaimonia.
What is a Voluntary Action?
Where you intended to carry out the act, giving you full responsibility for the act.
What is an Involuntary Action?
Where you have done an act because of an external pressure. If you were not in control of your actions at the time then you have no responsibility. If you regret your actions or were in control then you have responsibility for the action with the possibility for forgiveness.
What are the objections to Aristotelian Virtue Ethics?
Clashing/ Competing Virtues, The Issue of Circularity, Unclear Guidance
What is the Objection from Unclear Guidance?
If Aristotelian Virtue Ethics offers less salient guidance than other normative ethical theories, then this is a problem.
What are the Three Responses to the Objection of Unclear Guidance?
Virtue Rules (Insufficiently action guiding. Hursthouse replies by saying it is just as specific in saying ‘do what is courageous’ then any other normative ethical theory)
Phronesis or Practical Wisdom (If you are virtuous, you will know what to do as virtues help shape our reasoning)
Role Models (Virtue is a skill to develop in the same way that children learn fro parents)
What is the Circularity Argument?
If virtuous people are understood to be people who do virtuous acts, and virtuous acts are understood to be acts done by virtuous people, then it is a circular definition.
What is the Response to the Circularity Argument?
Annas- Virtuous people are not virtuous because of their actual actions, but because of who they are and how their actions are motivated- like a great piano player who has the skill to make great music
What is the argument of whether traits have to contribute to Eudaimonia in order to be virtuous?
In certain, unique circumstances, acts such as stealing, bribing and lying might be for the right reasons, towards the right people, at the right time, in the right place and to the right extent. These traits become virtues overtime as it becomes that it is sometimes right to do these actions (e.g. during war) .But these traits do not contribute to Eudaimonia, so traits that are virtuous and do not contribute to Eudaimonia exist, so how is it that there are things that allow us to be good but don’t let us get into Eudaimonia?
What is Aristotle’s Response to the argument of whether traits have to contribute to Eudaimonia in order to be virtuous?
Things such as stealing, in the context of wars, can contribute to Eudaimonia over time because it allows us to survive and have the chance to flourish.
