Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)

Question 1

Overall, what did Aristotle believe regarding human function?

Answer 1

The end of human action is flourishing, and you can do this if you perform your function well.

Question 2

The distinctive end of human beings is to be rational. But what is frequently missed from this?

Answer 2

The significance of ergon - putting reason into practice

Question 3

What happens if you put things into practice?

Answer 3

By putting things into practice (habituation), this leads to reason (what you are meant to do, allowing you to flourish)

Question 4

Aristotle saw ‘happiness’ as the goal in life, but argues that pleasure doesn’t lead to happiness. Why?

Answer 4

The value of pleasure is determined by the value of the activity performed. For example. taking pleasure in immoral activities would be considered as wrong.

Question 5

What does Aristotle argue ‘The Good’ is?

Answer 5

Good for everyone
Eudaimonia - haing a good quality of life and being morally good people

Question 6

What do virtues do?

Answer 6

Help us fulfil our function.

Question 7

What are intellectual virtues?

Answer 7

Virtues of the mind (e.g., ability to understand, reason, make sound judgements)

Question 8

What are moral virtues?

Answer 8

Link with moral character of agent. They are not innate, but acquired through practice and repetition (e.g., playing musical instruments)

Question 9

Why did Aristotle believe that it is important to strike a balance between extremes to make acts virtuous?

Answer 9

It focuses solely on choosing the right way to act with appropiate degree of love, honesty, etc.

Question 10

What is the distinction between passions, capacities and states of character? (developing a moral character)

Answer 10

• Passions: bodily appeptites, emotions (cannot be chosen)
• Capacities: faculties we naturally have (e.g., sight, mathematical ability)
• Virtues: dispositions to act (freely chosen and developed out of habit)

Question 11

Why does Aristotle believe that choice is about deliberation?

Answer 11

Focuses on reasoned thought on how to achieve an end [the virtuous person chooses to act virtuously]

Question 12

Provide some strengths on Aristotle’s virtue theory.

Answer 12

• Offers flexible moral guidelines
• Takes account of whole person forming judgement about moral worth (e.g., whether to undervalve family/community in the same way)
• Enables to develop moral education

Question 13

Provide some criticisms on Aristotle’s virtue ethics.

Answer 13

• Idea of eudaimonia ~ cannot be calculated and is too idealistic
• Problem with moral relativism ~ lacks universal application
• Bases virtue theory on function argument (that to do well you need to fulfil your function)

Question 14

What does MacIntyre add to the argument?

Answer 14

• Virtue theory is still the best option for defining moral behaviour, as society can still be confused about moral behaviour
• He believes that we live in an emotivist culture, where moral decisions depend on how we feel

Question 15

For MacIntyre, what are the two types of good?

Answer 15

• Internal good: good specific to an activity itself and achieved within in
• External good: something of moral value, resulting from the practice of a good

Question 16

Philipa Foot is very critical of duty-based ethics. What does she argue?

Answer 16

We should return to Greek Ethics (advocate virtue) ~ virtues may be ussed to a bad end
[wise person directs their will to what is good and a good is something both intriniscally ad extrinisically good]