Virtue Ethics
- Created by: MattyLew
- Created on: 17-05-18 14:31
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- Virtue Ethics
- Aretaic branch of moral philosophy
- Agent Centred morality (emphasises character rather than duties or consequences)
- Rather than asking 'what I ought to do in these circumstances - ask what is the good life for me as a human being? What kind of person should I want to become? How do I achieve both of these goals?
- Goal of EUDAIMONIA - meaning human happiness, flourishing and fulfilment 'the good life'
- assumed everyone wanted this - and it was the highest form of good because it sought for it's own sake and nothing else
- Agent Centred morality (emphasises character rather than duties or consequences)
- Feminist Interpretation
- Carol Gilligan
- argued virtues are gender specific
- F: caring/loyalty, compassion
- M: justice/fairness, courage
- suggested androgyny was the best way to realise one's potential as a human
- F: caring/loyalty, compassion
- argued virtues are gender specific
- Carol Gilligan
- History
- In the West, VE was the prevailing approach to ethical thinking in the ancient and medieval periods
- 1. Socrates - held that virtue is a knowledge of good and evil which is required to attain the ultimate good (Eudaimonia)
- 2. Plato - discusses the Four Cardinal Virtues in his 'Republic' e.g. Justic
- 3. Aristotle - influenced by Plato he developed VE
- 2. Plato - discusses the Four Cardinal Virtues in his 'Republic' e.g. Justic
- 1. Socrates - held that virtue is a knowledge of good and evil which is required to attain the ultimate good (Eudaimonia)
- New Testament: the Gospels promoted the virtues, in Paul's letter to the Galatians he describes the virtues as accepting God's grace + "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance....Against such things there is no law"
- Christian Virtues could protect against the seven deadly sins - based on a poem by a Roman Christian Emperor
- Aquinas: Feels we can achieve eudaemonia,in the afterlife by fulfilling our telos. We need to use virtues, but also need help from God's grace because of Original sin.
- Aquinas' Cardinal Virtues: prudence, justice, temperance and courage
- Aquinas: Feels we can achieve eudaemonia,in the afterlife by fulfilling our telos. We need to use virtues, but also need help from God's grace because of Original sin.
- Christian Virtues could protect against the seven deadly sins - based on a poem by a Roman Christian Emperor
- Early Modern Period: Aristotelianism grew unpopular in the West instead Utilitarianism,deonotlogy and NML ruled.
- Returned to prominence in Western philosophical thought in the 20th century
- Anscombe
- 'Modern Moral Philosophy' 1958
- Argued against the idea morality cannot exist with God, the law giver
- human flourishing does not require a God
- preferred VE as it focused on the entire human including emotions + friendships
- human flourishing does not require a God
- Argued against the idea morality cannot exist with God, the law giver
- 'Modern Moral Philosophy' 1958
- Foot
- 'Virtues and Vices' 1978
- Ethics is not just about dry theorising, but practically making the world a better place
- Suggested goodness should be seen as the natural flourishing of humans as living beings
- + a virtue is only virtuous if used to the right end e.g. loyalty to hitler is not virtuous
- Suggested goodness should be seen as the natural flourishing of humans as living beings
- Because: interest in self-development,rejection of problems associated with other moral theories, focus on more practical moral philosophy, secular + suitable for a pluralistic society
- Macintyre
- 'After Virtue' 1981
- criticised 'quandary ethics' where thoeries are tested by looking at unlikely dilemmas (e.g. SE)
- ethics had become a 'bizarre lose-lose game that many had simply stopped playing'
- ethics should be more practical; tell us how to live our lives in our own context
- Different societies have different values
- Virtues = internal goods. food/clothes are External goods, but still needed.
- ethics should be more practical; tell us how to live our lives in our own context
- Anscombe
- In the West, VE was the prevailing approach to ethical thinking in the ancient and medieval periods
- Aristotle asks: What makes people happy? What do good people possess? = distinct virtues that should be recognised and nurtured in ourselves and honoured within others
- 11 Virtues
- The Golden Mean -observed that every virtue seems to be in the middle of two vices; a Deficiency and Excess.
- Cowardice - COURAGE - rashness
- Unambitiousness - PRIDE - ambition
- We use our human reason, to judge every situation and make a choice which is a balance between extremes
- Phronesis = practical wisdom which humans develop over time
- Cowardice - COURAGE - rashness
- Two Types of virtue: Intellectual (developed by training and education) and Moral (developed by habit)
- Arete: a skill which one becomes excellent at over time
- The Golden Mean -observed that every virtue seems to be in the middle of two vices; a Deficiency and Excess.
- 11 Virtues
- Aretaic branch of moral philosophy
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