Virtue Ethics

Question 1

Eudemonia

Answer 1

a centred state of being healthy happy and prosperous

Question 2

Virtual ethics - purpose

Answer 2

A person becoming better

Question 3

Ancient Greece [Background] Believed in Polis what was that ?

Answer 3

is a City state , Warrior city [ eg Sparta] independent city state

Question 4

Athenians what where they

Answer 4

Bothered about thinking , developed democracy

Question 5

Influential poet [Homer] Poetry , [books theodicy] Use of Trojan Horse

Answer 5

Use of Trojan Horse - out of ships , soilders when in horse ,horse into city , night cmaeout attacked and destroyed city

Question 6

Sokrates

Answer 6

‘I know that I know nothing’ [ Grand father of philosophy] , questioned people in city of Athens

Question 7

Plato

Answer 7

Student of Socrates
Agreed with everything Socrates said
Wrote the book republic
Footnote to Plato , Descartes rote about 2 and half thousand years etc
He was a rationalist , Argues everything exists by thought of God and [exists by thinking about him], reason and Logic , thinking

Question 8

Aristotle

Answer 8

Student of Plato , generally disagreed with Plato , Socrates
He is an Empiricist have to have knowledge based on senses [ Proved ,logical reason ,with verification ,Proved logcally [ Rationally] or Empirically

Question 9

Aristotle

Answer 9

4 causes [ Efficient [ Characteristics ], material[ what its made of ] , final [ Purpose], formal creator]

Final cause for Aristotle is Eudemonia

bases for Virtue ethics , Aquinas nicked 4 final cause
When Aquinas pinched 4 causes -the most efficient cause of Universe is God , Final cause is to unite with God , in Heaven follow 5 primary precepts.
We can lookat how God [EF] has created Us , understand our purpose , there be united with God. Eg Genitelia , reproduction , shouldn’t use contraception etc.

Question 10

Philosopher references

Answer 10

Alistair Malcntyre , Philipha Foot

Question 11

Virtue [ arete

Answer 11

Positive characteristics that suggest Moral excellence

Or Goodness

Question 12

Vice

Answer 12

Negative characteristics that suggest weakness in immorality

Question 13

The Doctrine of the Mean [Golden Mean]

Answer 13

The desirable Mean that is positioned between two extremes of two vices one of defiencey one of excess

Question 14

Agent centred

How does this link to Aristotle

Answer 14

ethical approaches which are centred on the development of a person not on the morality of what they’re doing.
as he rejects other philosophers such as Aquinas , Fletcher , Kant[ ‘Do ones duty ‘], as they’re focused on doing things [ Eg doing the most loving thing , agape love]
Aristotle believes most important thing is BEING A GOOD PERSON , look at at qualities makes a good person eg [ humble ] you have to question if your a good person , not about individual like [ Bentham] ,comared to his approach which is Holistic point of view.

Question 15

A.J Hare

Answer 15

Any moral decision , Abortion , euthanasia there just emotive statements and with the VP is meaningless

Question 16

Bentham’s Approach / Comparison to Aristotle

Answer 16

Nazis when doing experiments eg on twins , jews come up with Ground Breaking results , he believes tis is good because eventually the consequence’s is doing the greatest good for the greatest number .
Aristotles purpose is Eudemonia so the point of Virtual ethics is to become a good better person