Aristotelian virtue ethics

How does virtue ethics differ from utilitarianism and deontology

It is agent centred-not act centred

What you want to do is relevant to morality

What is a virtue

A trait of character or mind that helps us achieve a good life (flourishng)

Virtues are a part of who you are

The golden mean

What does it mean to be virtuous

Doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, in the right amount, toward the right people

Aristotle held a teleological view, what is teleological?

the universe and everything in it has a goal or purpose

Instrumental goods

Humans require a host of conditions in order to grow into what they’re intended to be all along

e.g health, wealth, friendship

Why is pleasure not an adequate definition of ‘good’

Pleasure is too subjective e.g others may not enjoy what you do

What does Aristotle say a good life is

One lived in accordance with reason, so the function of a human is to reason- this is what eudaimonia is

The mean + vice

* Aristotle claimed that we need to use our wisdom to decide what the mean of every good characteristic is
* Too much or too little would result in vice (immoral characteristics)

How does habit help us to become virtuous people?

We have to practice being virtuous. It is through habitually acting in a courageous way that we become courageous- not through being told what to do.

e.g practicing a musical instrument you will be able to play it better

What is true morality

Wanting to act virtuously

What is eudaimonia

Flourishing, the final good, happiness(not the same as pleasure)

The final good

* Must be a final end
* Must be self-sufficient (nothing added to it)
* Must be the life we all want
* Must be related to us as human beings

What are ruled out factors for eudaimonia, and why?

* PLEASURE-a life only seeking pleasure is a ‘bovine existence’
* WEALTH-this is only a means to an end
* HONOUR-this is a respect bestowed by others so not self-sufficient
* GOODNESS-being good alone is not a guarantee of a good life, a good person could be experiencing misery

Vicious person

* The worst person
* Desires to do wrong
* Does wrong
* Takes pleasure from evil

Incontinent person

* Desires to do good but does not have the will to do good
* Gives into desires as they are weak
* Dissatisfied with themselves

Continent person

* Has the desires to do wrong but overrides them through reason
* Does the right thing but it is a struggle because the desires and the act conflict

Virtuous person

* Desires are to do good
* Satisfy desires by doing good
* Take pleasure from it

Doctrine of the mean

* A virtue will be the mean between the vices of deficiency and excess
* e.g COURAGE excess vice is rashness, deficiency vice is cowardice

Phronesis

Knowing how to direct people to doing what is right

What is a moral exemplar

Someone who already has virtue

ISSUES-circularity

* Aristotle defines a virtuous act as one performed by virtuous people- this is clearly circularly
* FOR EXAMPLE if we want to know what the courageous thing to do is, we should look to courageous people- doesn’t make sense

Aristotle’s response to circularity issue

This is too simplistic an account of the virtuous person- a virtuous person involves more than just virtuous acts, they achieve eudaimonia, which includes having time to exercise reason/ contemplation

HOWEVER this is still circular as someone who reaches eudaimonia is flourishing, meaning they are choosing virtuous acts

ISSUES- clashing/ competing duties

A man whose wife is in unending suffering, and he helps her die, this seems like the kind, charitable act

HOWEVER the just act would be to act courageous and live with/ share her suffering- in either case there will be a residue of pain

ISSUES-sufficiency

Aristotle has the doctrine of the mean but ‘too much’ or ‘too little’ are not quantities on a single scale.

Other things that are issues are right time, right object, right person, right motive, right way- doesn’t help with helping e.g how often should we get angry/ how we should get angry

Aristotle’s response to sufficiency issue

* He never intended the doctrine of the mean to be helpful in this way- ‘the mean is determined by practical wisdom’-BUT practical wisdom doesn’t offer guidance e.g what if i don’t have practical wisdom
* Also guidance is not the same as rules

ISSUE-eudaimonia

Someone could be extremely virtuous e.g selfless, charitable, kind, courageous

BUT they suffer from loneliness, depression, illness, poverty

They are virtuous but it is not contributing to eudaimonia, they are contributing to the moral good, but not their INDIVIDUAL GOOD