Virtue ethicists

Question 1

Alasdair Maclntyre

Answer 1

wrote After Virtue (1981) Argued that meta-ethics has left us in a ‘moral vacuum’- the study of ethics had been drawn away from its social and historical context

He proposed a historical approach to ethics ‘its narrative context’- should reflect how ethic has developed

Question 2

Maclntyre rejects

Answer 2

quandary ethics (discussion about ethics based pun unrealistic dilemmas). Focus should be on specific situations whig ethics helps us to understand ‘what sort of person i need to be’

Question 3

what did Macltyre argue

Answer 3

that virtues change oover time because we value different things as people- need to appreciate social and historical context

Question 4

what did Maclntyre think of his archetypes (bureaucratic manager, rich aesthete and therapist)

Answer 4

they have become dominant in modern society- obscure true virtues. All three use people, money or materialism as ways of manipulating other for their own self interest

Question 5

Best type of role model- Maclntyre

Answer 5

philosopher

Question 6

Maclntyre and Aristotle

Answer 6

Maclntyre and Aristotle’s
o He saw the key to Aristotle’s theory was that the virtues such as truthfulness, courage and justice were essential virtues to maintain not only a good, moral character but esp the integrity of a community.
o He developed Aristotle’s virtues through the concepts of internal and external ‘goods’.

Question 7

internal good

Answer 7

actions that were obvious and direct e.g. giving money to poor

Question 8

external goods

Answer 8

those produced ‘out of the moral act’, like inspiring someone to behave morally

Question 9

Phillippa Foot

Answer 9

wrote Virtues and Vices (1978)

Within which she argues that Aretaic ethics does not guarantee happiness- but does play a part in achieving it

Question 10

who was Foot

Answer 10

founder of oxfam- believed ethics was about improving the world for others

Question 11

difference between foot an Aristotle

Answer 11

o Foot believed that wisdom is both a moral and intellectual virtue.
o Foot believed that anyone can achieve wisdom as long as it does not rely on social status, political power or intellectual power.
o Foot developed Aristotle’s idea of the sophron by distinguishing between the moral hero (ones who’s good intentions may not be pure) and the moral saint (one who does good and intentions are pure).

Question 12

Foot- planks

Answer 12

she believed that humans are like planks of wood. They warp in the sun and rain (life bends us out of shape) Therefore virtues acts as weights (correctives) that help restore the shape of the wood.

Question 13

foot on being virtuous

Answer 13

those who have to work hard to be virtuous are more virtuous on those who don’t
. if there was a homeless person and a wealthy person, it would be far more virtuous for the homeless person not to steal, than the wealthy person. Resisting temptation says much more about the strength of someone’s virtue.

Question 14

Foot quote

Answer 14

➢ ‘It is primarily by his intentions that a man’s moral dispositions are judged’

Question 15

Maclntyre quote

Answer 15

➢ ‘Moral judgments are linguistic survivals from the practices of classical theism which have lost the context provided by these practices.’

Question 16

Elizabeth anscombe

Answer 16

Elizabeth Anscombe
She criticised other theories for being so focused on autonomy forgetting that there is a social aspect of morality that binds the community. She also believed that our society is becoming secular and that is why we cannot rely on the idea of reward and punishment and the divine law.

Question 17

Martha Nussbaum

Answer 17

Martha Nussbaum
She interprets Aristotle’s virtues as absolutes. She believes that the relativist approach is incomplete with Aristotle’s theory. Many modern philosophers disagree with this

Question 18

Alasdair Maclntyre

Answer 18

Alasdair Maclntyre
He believed that context was the key to understanding everything. He thought that virtues changed over time hence VE was more applicable and practical than other ethical theories. For example Homeric virtues like physical strength became Athenian virtues like friendship. Internal and external goods.

Question 19

Phillipa Foot

Answer 19

Phillipa Foot
She beleieved in making the world a better place not dry theorising ethics. She was a modern virtue theorist because she believed virtues weren’t just good for individuals but for society.

Question 20

Michael Slote

Answer 20

Michael Slote
He believed rather than eudaemonia, human strive for their well being. He argues that virtuous motives are not only necessary but also sufficient for human well-being.

Question 21

Ben Franklin

Answer 21

Ben Franklin

He was a utilitarian virtue theorist and believed the best way to be utilitarian was the practice of the virtues