Virtue Ethics

What makes virtue ethics different from other ethical moral theories?

Virtue ethics does not have a principle specifying what makes an act right. Instead, it is agent-centered where focus is on the character of the agent, not the act itself.

In Virtue ethics, what is the ultimate aim?

Eudaimonia—the act of flourishing

What are the focus of moral assessment in virtue ethics?

Character traits

What are virtues according to Aristotle?

It is a stable disposition to act involving a complex set of psychological states like beliefs, desires, and emotions. It also involves requires one to act in these ways because one:

1. Has relevant true beliefs about what is good to do

2. Has relevant desires and motivations to the proper degree and strength

3. Perceives the situation in certain ethically sensitive ways

4. Will treat certain kinds of considerations as relevant and even decisive

How else does Aristotle define virtues?

As the mean between the vices of excess and deficiency with respect to the characteristic

Give some examples of virtues?

• Courage—concerned with fear

• Temperance—concerned with appetite

• Generosity—concerned with benefiting others

• Mildness—concerned with regulating anger

Who is the judge that determines the virtuous response that avoids both the vices of excess and deficiency?

The person of practical wisdom. The person who has all of the virtues and reliably does the right thing for the right reasons

Can there be a virtue for every sphere of human experience?

No. Aristotle notes that there is no virtuous mean to be found in the topic of adultery, extortion, etc. as there is no right amount. The virtuous person would not go for these as there is no flourishing to be found in bad activities

What does Aristotle think is necessary for someone to flourish?

• Possessing virtuous character traits as determined by the person of practical wisdom

• Other pre-conditions are necessary like sufficient wealth, health, and good parents

What does Hursthouse do?

She argues that virtue ethics does have a specification of right action and does not fail to provide guidance.

How does Hursthouse claim that virtue ethics does have a specification of right action?

She claims that the fact that the virtuous agent is hard to identify is no worse than finding out what the correct moral rules are (like in deontology) or determining what the overall best state of the world is and what action would most likely bring it about (like in consequentialism)

How does Hursthouse use VE to talk about the permissibility of abortion?

VE does not take itself to solve the problem of abortion by giving a universal answer. Instead it offers guidance on how to use VE to view the moral issue. The resulting approach to this moral issue is highly sensitive to the individuals circumstances.

What does Hursthouse believe about acting ethically using VE?

Given the complexity of the world, she believes that acting ethically requires moral wisdom which can only be gained through education and experience. She also believes we should expect and allow for the possibility of unresolvable conflicts where preference is given to one virtue or good and failing to express some other virtue or good

What does Hursthouse mean when she talks about moral residues?

There are certain cases when using VE to make a decision where the demand left unmet does not go away because it is outweighed. These conflicts can arise when talking about different decisions

Most abortion arguments get stuck up on the argument of womens rights. How does Hursthouse approach it instead?

Whether or not women have rights to their bodies does not matter for the VE. In exercising moral rights, we can sometimes do things that are cruel, selfish, etc. so whether something is morally permissible from the standpoint of some deontological principle does not settle the question of what a person should do in a particular case from the standpoint of VE.