M14: Virtue Ethics and Natural Law

Eudaimonia

Why do the right thing according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics

Beatitudo

Why do the right thing according to Thomas Aquinas’ Natural Law Ethics?

Duty

Why do the right thing according to Immanuel Kant’s Deontological Ethics

It is fair and equitable

Why do the right thing according to John Rawls’ Justice as Fairness

Aristotle

Ancient Greek Philosopher and scientist born in the Stagira

Plato’s student in Plato’s Academy in Athens

Teacher of Alexander the Great

Telos

Means, goals, ends, or purpsoe

Eudaimonia

According to Nicomachean Ethics, this is the highest goal (telos) of human life, one which is final, self-sufficient, and attainable in one’s life.

Ergon

Function

Can achieve eudaimonia if done in an excellent way

Instrumental good

Desired for the sake of something else

Money, power, physical beauty

Intrinsic good

Supreme end of every act

Desired for the sake of itself; this is what we call happiness

Non-rational nature and rational nature

Man has two ergons (function)

Non-rational nature

Appetitive, vegetative

Rational nature

Intellect and character

Moral and Intellectual Virtue

Two kinds of human virtue

Intellectual virtue

Refers to the faculty which man is able to do what he ought to do

Two kinds: Philosophic wisdom (sophia), and practical wisdom (phronesis)

Philosophic wisdom

Consists in life of contemplation, is superior to practical wisdom

Moral virtue

Being able to be what one ought to be

State of character, concerned with a choice lying in a mean (mesotes), determined by the rational principle by which a man of practical wisdom (sage/wise) would determine it (Arete or virtue)

Habitual use of reason to choose the mean in actions and passions

William Sahakian

Enumerated the 12 Aristotelian moral virtues with 24 vices

Deficiency and excess

Two corresponding vices in a virtue

Insensibility

Deficiency of temperence

Irascibility

Excess of gentleness

The Golden Mean

Do just the right thing, do not do too much or too little

Thomas of Aquino

Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church

Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers

God

Final happiness constitute only in this Perfect Good

is the Perfect Goodness

Beatitude

Supernatural union with God

Cardinal Virtues

Indicative of human goodness

Prudence, justice, temperance, and courage

Prudence

Kind of intellectual aptitude that enables us to make judgements that are consonant with our proper end, the human good

Temperance

Has a twofold meaning; (1) a kind of moderation common to every moral virtue; (2) it concerns the moderation of physical pleasures

Courage

Restrains the desire for that which is difficult to attain or avoid (irascible appetite)

Justice

Governs our relationships with others; concerns community welfare

Denotes a sustained or constant willingness to extend to each person what he or she deserves

According to Aquinas, everyone who is a member of a community stands to that community as a part to a whole

External, Natural, and Positive Law

The three kinds of law according to Thomas Aquinas

Eternal Law

Made by God through his omnipotence for all things and promulgated by dispositions ordained to them

The world is ruled by Divine Providence, hence the whole community is governed by Divine Reason

Natural Law

Made by God through His goodness for man as rational creatures and made known by human nature

Rational creature is subject to Divine Providence; it has a share of Eternal Reason

The way for man to reach the highest and final end, the giving glory to God

Positive Law

Civil law made by men in the society through political legislation for themselves and promulgated by public announcements

Dictated through practical reason and speculations

Product of human reason that leads to specific and particular demonstrations of certain subject matters

The Nature of Preservation of Life

Man in as much as every substance seeks the preservation of its own being, according to its nature

Nature of Man and Animals

There is in a man an inclination to things that pertain to him more especially, according to the nature which he has in common to other animals

Nature of Man’s Reason

There is in a man an inclination to good, according to the nature of his reason, which nature is proper to him