theme 1 - virtue ethics Flashcards
1
Q
What does virtue ethics consider?
A
- what virtues make a person good
- virtue ethics focuses on the character and virtues rather than actions
2
Q
What is the primary focus of virtue ethics?
A
- character (ethos) and the flourishing of human character rather than the rights and wrongs of specific actions
3
Q
What are virtues?
A
- good / positive traits / characteristics such as kindness, patience, friendliness
4
Q
What are vices?
A
- bad / negative traits / characteristics such as greed, selfishness, jealousy
5
Q
What does virtue theory concentrate on?
A
developing a person’s virtues and reducing their vices
6
Q
According to virtue ethics, what would a person of good character do?
A
- automatically do good actions
7
Q
What is the deontological approach to lying?
A
- the action of lying is always wrong
- deontology focuses on the morality of actions themselves
8
Q
What is the teleological approach to lying?
A
- lying can be either good or bad depending on the consequences
- teleology assesses actions based on their outcomes
9
Q
What does a virtue ethicist focus on regarding lying?
A
- what lying says about a person’s character
- focuses less on the actions / consequences
10
Q
What key question does virtue theory ask?
A
- ‘What sort of character do I have?’
11
Q
What is the outcome of developing virtues and reducing vices according to virtue ethics?
A
- becoming an ethical person
12
Q
What does virtue theory identify?
A
- moral exemplars (role models)
13
Q
Give an example of a moral exemplar.
A
- Martin Luther King
- he is noted for virtues such as compassion
14
Q
What can we develop through practice according to virtue theory?
A
- virtues
15
Q
Who was Aristotle? How did he inspire Virtue Ethics?
A
- an ancient Greek philosopher
- virtue theory is grounded in his book ‘Nicomachean Ethics’
16
Q
What did Aristotle reason out in his ethical philosophy?
A
- a set of virtues that he claimed will help a moral agent to be a successful member of their community
17
Q
How many moral virtues did Aristotle identify? How can they be developed?
A
- 12 moral virtues (qualities of character)
- developed through habit / practice
18
Q
What is the Greek word for a person’s manner of behavior according to Aristotle?
A
- Hexis
19
Q
What does the Greek term ‘arête’ mean?
A
- virtue
- It conveys moral excellence, intellectual excellence, and physical excellence (excellence of virtue)
20
Q
Example of friendliness excess and deficiency?
A
- deficiency: cantankerous (grumpy)
- excess: obsequiousness (flattery, fawning)
21
Q
What is eudaimonia?
A
-eudaimonia refers to human flourishing (state of being happy, healthy or prosperous) or being virtuous, leading to happiness
22
Q
What does eudaimonia signify in terms of success?
A
- eudaimonia signifies ‘wellbeing’ in the sense of being successful or fulfilled
23
Q
What is the societal implication of achieving eudaimonia?
A
- achieving eudaimonia would lead to a better society
24
Q
How is eudaimonia achieved according to Aristotle?
A
- eudaimonia is achieved by cultivating a virtuous disposition through virtuous action
25
What type of theory is Aristotle's virtue theory?
- aristotle's virtue theory is a holistic philosophy with a social context
- end result is to enable people to live together
26
What does cultivating virtues involve for Aristotle?
- cultivating virtues involves balancing the two extremes of excess and deficiency, each extreme brings an associated vice
27
What does Aristotle say about the difficulty of being good?
- Aristotle states that it is no easy task to be good, as finding the middle in everything is challenging
28
What are the two extremes to avoid in developing wittiness?
- boorishness
- buffoonery
- boorishness refers to being dull or uninteresting, while buffoonery refers to being overly silly or ridiculous
- therefore wittiness is the golden mean (middle way) between the two extremes
29
What is the outcome of achieving the virtue of wittiness?
- happiness and being a successful member of a group
30
How can one develop the virtue of wittiness?
- with practice
31
What must be done to learn virtues?
- they must be cultivated (developed) carefully
32
What does Aristotle compare the development of virtues with?
- it is compared to a sketch that develops into a picture
33
How are moral virtues acquired?
- through habit and developed through practice
34
How are intellectual virtues developed?
- by education
35
What are the four cardinal virtues identified by Aristotle?
- temperance, courage, wisdom, justice
36
What is the collective outcome of virtuous behavior?
- justice
37
What type of person does Aristotle describe as the sophron?
- naturally lives in the mean without effort
38
What type of person does Aristotle describe as the enkrates?
- strong enough will power to live in the mean despite temptation
39
What type of person does Aristotle describe as the akrates?
- weak and cannot live in the mean (a weak willed person)
40
Who is considered the greatest advocate of virtue according to Aristotle?
- the philosopher
41
According to Aristotle, who are the greatest advocates of virtue?
- those who pursue love and wisdom
42
What does Christianity encourage in relation to virtues?
- christianity encourages the development of virtues
43
In which biblical passage does Jesus promote specific virtues?
- sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
- chapter 5 ‘beautitudes’ (beautiful attitudes)
44
In which biblical passage does Jesus promote specific virtues?
- 'Beatitudes' - short for beautiful attitudes
45
What do the Beatitudes encourage?
- positive transformation of the inner character (virtues)
46
How many virtues does Jesus specifically highlight in the Beatitudes?
- 8 virtues
47
What are the 8 virtues that Jesus specifically highlights in the Beautitudes?
- poor in spirit
- mourn
- meek
- hunger and thirst for righteousness
- merciful
- pure in heart
- peacemakers
- persecuted for the sake of righteousnes
48
What does 'poor in spirit' mean?
- poverty of any sense (physical, mental, spiritual), those who have their rights taken from them
49
What does 'mourning' refer to?
- experiencing any kind of loss (not just of a person)
50
Define 'meek'.
- a gentle disposition or character, self-control
51
What does it mean to be 'hungry and thirsty for righteousness'?
- seeking a just outcome
52
How is 'mercy' defined?
- forgiving and generous in spirit
53
What does 'pure in heart' signify?
- sincere and selfless
54
Who are considered 'peacemakers'?
- work for peace
55
What does it mean to be 'persecuted for the sake of righteousness'?
- standing up for what you believe is right and being prepared to suffer for moral or religious principles
