Moral: Aristotle virtue ethics 6, justice Flashcards
What is justice according to Aristotle?
Justice is the disposition to act justly and desire justice.
How is justice defined in comparison to other virtues?
Justice is defined in terms of just acts, unlike other virtues.
What is the nature of Aristotle’s account of just acts?
Aristotle’s account of just acts is largely deontological.
What does justice in the wide sense encompass?
Justice in the wide sense refers to what is legal and virtuous.
What does justice in the narrow sense refer to?
Justice in the narrow sense refers to fairness.
What is the principle of justice as fairness?
The principle that each person receives their ‘due’.
What is meant by unjust treatment?
To be unjustly treated, the unjust action must be against your wishes.
Can someone treat themselves unjustly according to Aristotle?
No, you cannot treat yourself unjustly.
What constitutes an unjust state of affairs?
An unjust distribution that may not have resulted from an unjust action.
What defines an unjust act?
An act that results in injustice; if involuntary, it is merely unjust.
What is the difference between possessing justice as a ‘complete virtue’ and simply having all the virtues?
Justice as a ‘complete virtue’ involves the disposition to act justly, not just the possession of various virtues.
What does acting unjustly indicate about a person’s character?
Choosing to act unjustly indicates bad character.
What is the aim of justice in rectification?
To correct injustice and compensate the victim.
Fill in the blank: Justice is concerned with goods, e.g. money, safety or _______.
suffering.
What is a strength of Aristotle’s approach to justice?
Justice does seem to be an area where a deontological approach is quite appropriate.
What is a weakness of Aristotle’s approach to justice?
Is a deontological approach too rigid?
How does Mill’s approach to justice differ from Aristotle’s?
Mill’s approach is teleological, focusing on utility, while Aristotle’s is deontological.
What does Mill value fairness for?
Fairness is valued for utility, not simply for itself.
What is a similarity between Mill and Aristotle regarding justice?
Both see justice as a special category.
What does Aristotle suggest about unjust choices?
An unjust choice makes you an unjust person.
What does Aristotle mean by just states of affairs?
Just states of affairs are conditions where fairness is upheld in distributions.
What does Aristotle’s justice concern in terms of distributions?
Justice concerns the correct distribution of goods in any situation.
