Virtue Ethics

Question 1

What is virtue theory?

Answer 1

Virtue theory is concerned with human character and how to define good people and the qualities which make them good. Unlike most ethical theories, it is right character before right behaviour. Once you have become a moral character, you will do the right thing.

Question 2

When and where was Aristotle writing about virtue ethics?

Answer 2

350 BCE in Athens

Question 3

What is Aristotle’s work called?

Answer 3

Nicomachean Ethics

Question 4

What did Aristotle argue?

Answer 4

Whenever we do something, we do it to gain an end, and that the ultimate end of all ends is the chief good, the greatest good.

Question 5

What is eudaimonia?

Answer 5

Human flourishing. The goal of life thar everyone should pursue, achieved through a life of virtuous action.

Question 6

What is Greek for virtue?

Answer 6

Arête

Question 7

How many moral virtues are there?

Answer 7

12

Question 8

What are the two vices?

Answer 8

Excess and deficiency

Question 9

What is the mid point?

Answer 9

Where all the virtues lie. The golden mean. To cultivate them we must find the mean.

Question 10

How do we know how virtuous we are?

Answer 10

By how we spontaneously respond to situations

Question 11

What are the vices of courage?

Answer 11

Cowardice and rashness. Eg if an old woman was being mugged by someone bigger and stronger than you, it would be rash to confront them and cowardly to do nothing. Calling for help would be the golden mean.

Question 12

What are the vices of liberality?

Answer 12

Illiberality and prodigality. Eg prodigality would be buying a whole pub drinks when you need that money to pay rent. The golden mean is giving when you can to those in need

Question 13

What are the vices of civility?

Answer 13

Surliness and obsequiousness. (Attentive to a excessive degree)

Question 14

What are the vices of good temper?

Answer 14

Spiritlessness and irascibility.

Question 15

What are the superior and subordinate aims?

Answer 15

Aristotle beloved every action is directed towards an aim. Getting up in the morning is subordinate to earning a living. We do one thing to accomplish a greater thing. Ultimately, everything is subordinate to supreme good,happiness

Question 16

What did Aristotle believe the best happiness was?

Answer 16

Contemplation.

Question 17

How can virtues differ?

Answer 17

He did not believe in a platonic good beyond our world. Different cities had different ideas of the ends to which they aimed. The supreme happiness or eudaimonia is one for the community, not just an individual.

Question 18

What are the cardinal virtues?

Answer 18

Created in Christian writing. Prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. They are related to each other and are needed for each other.

Question 19

What are the five intellectual virtues?

Answer 19

Prudence, intuitive excellence, wisdom, scientific knowledge and craft.

Question 20

What did Aristotle say about putting your character first?

Answer 20

“If we can just focus on being good people, the right actions will follow, effortlessly”

Question 21

What did Aristotle say your character is developed through?

Answer 21

Habituation

Question 22

Who is Elizabeth Anscombe?

Answer 22

She initiated the modern revival of the virtue theory. She challenges both deontological and teleological ethics because they take no account of emotions or moral psychology. She was critical of moral theories which seemed prepared to allow any moral act of any kind if it brought about some good end.

Question 23

Why does Anscombe criticise other moral theories?

Answer 23

They are part of an idea of ethics that no longer survived, from a time when people still believed in a law giver (God). Thinking about ethics in terms of obligations to such rules was no longer necessary.

Question 24

What did Anscombe propose instead?

Answer 24

We should think about the idea of virtue and human flourishing. Some further research is necessary to understand what we really mean by virtue.

Question 25

What did Alasdair MacIntyre think about modern morality?

Answer 25

It has suffered a catastrophe and has lost sights of its roots. Modern philosophers have thrown the baby out with the bath water. We have lost moral wisdom

Question 26

Quote from MacIntyre about modern ethics?

Answer 26

“We have… lost our comprehension… of morality”

Question 27

What writings did MacIntyre turn to?

Answer 27

Ancient Greek. Great heroes like Achilles and Odysseus show a vision of morality, you are what you do. To judge a man is to judge his actions.

Question 28

What three questions does Keenan summarise virtue theory as?

Answer 28

Who am I?
Who ought I to become?
How do I get there?
Virtues provide a way of estimating character, and suggest a direction in which you should go in order to become a better person.

Question 29

Why is self knowledge central?

Answer 29

By knowing and understanding ourselves, we can practise to be better. Keenan likens this to good parenting.

Question 30

What are more important than moral laws?

Answer 30

The judgements of virtuous people.

Question 31

What does MacIntyre say about community?

Answer 31

Virtues are understood from within a community who live in a certain way. Took this idea from the idea of the Christian community, a community developing and learning to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Like the Buddhist Sangha where monks seek to live good and virtuous lives.

Question 32

Why was prudence important to both Aristotle and Aquinas?

Answer 32

We must think practically and realistically. Our goals must be achievable.

Question 33

How does MacIntyre intend to understand the good life?

Answer 33

Understanding the people of the modern world- the manager, the aesthete and the therapist.

Question 34

What does Philippa Foot think?

Answer 34

Philosophers have neglected the subject of virtues and vices. She argues virtues are beneficial in as much as human beings do not seem to get on well without them. Just as people need strength and health, they need virtues. Virtues are a corrective against temptations.

Question 35

How do virtues relate to a person’s innermost desires?

Answer 35

Foot uses the example from the novel ‘a single pebble’. “His action, which could have been mulled over in his mind, showed a deep, instinctive love of life”

Question 36

What examples does foot use to describe being virtuous as demanding?

Answer 36

If you are tempted to steal it shows your weakness in lack of virtue. If you are tempted to steal to save your impoverished family, you are virtuous by resisting it.

Question 37

How can the virtues be seen in practise with the allegory of the good and bad government in Siena?

Answer 37

The city of Siena was governed by secular authorities distinct from the church, so it reflects an idea relevant to secular ethical thinking in the modern world. Both scenes have a corresponding government which is depicted through figures of the virtues and vices and some scenes of governance. The virtues are shown to be not just for those in government, but every citizen. Dire consequences follow if people’s hearts are governed by vices rather than virtues.

Question 38

How can we apply virtue theory?

Answer 38

You must look at the upbringing, education and general behaviour of people on a day to day basis. To simply look at a moral dilemma is to miss a crucial element of the work of the theory. Nevertheless, it is thought that good actions will come from the virtuous person:that charitable acts follow from charity

Question 39

What are the strengths of virtue theory?

Answer 39

Virtue theory encompasses all aspects rather than particular actions. Virtue theory provides an alternative route for drawing on the tradition of moral philosophy. It avoids the pitfalls of ethical systems that adopt moral absolutes without indicating his people can learn to be moral in the way the absolutes suggest. It is an alternative ethical model that fits Christian ethics as it focuses on the kind of person we should be

Question 40

How is virtue ethics criticised?

Answer 40

• Romantic nostalgia of ancient values. MacIntyre is in danger of misplaced nostalgia. Modern philosophers have more to contribute to ethics than MacIntyre suggests
• Virtue theory does not provide answers to specific moral dilemmas such as euthanasia, nor does it provide a list of intolerable acts such as murder which we might want to condemn outright. Ethical theories are though to provide such guidance but virtue theory does not do that.

Question 41

How is virtue ethics different from teleological and deontological ethics?

Answer 41

Virtue theory brings a focus on human growth rather than a focus on legislation and judiciary of morality, the focus on what is right or wrong. It is concerned with how people can become moral, rather than simply what is moral an immoral. Other theories might judge actions or choices, but they do not offer suggestions about hope people may become better at being good.
Although arguably virtues supplement rather than replace deontological ethics

Question 42

What problems are there with virtue ethics as a view of human nature?

Answer 42

Virtue theory requires some sense of an idea about what human beings should be like, what they should be becoming, and from that idea the virtues are drawn. If human nature is more diverse than virtue theorists suggest then there is a difficulty. Just as MacIntyre tends to think in terms of the importance of community and tradition in agreeing on the virtues, in an increasingly diverse society with more attention being paid to different lifestyles and distinct personality types, it might be that a single list of virtues and vices is not suitable. They are flourishing in different ways. The kind of community in which people are united in a common project of character development envisaged by MacIntyre might be unrealistic in a modern diverse world.

Question 43

Virtue ethics and religion?

Answer 43

Virtue ethics is closely associated with religious traditions. Aristotle’s idea of virtue ethics was embraced by Aquinas and has gone on to remain prominent in current Christian thinking.
Both Buddhism and Hinduism are concerned about the nature of the person, their motivations and intentions as much as their acts