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Question 1

Aristotelian virtue ethics main claim

Answer 1

A morally good life is one where humans fulfil their function through exhibiting good character (virtues)

Question 2

Eudaimonia

Answer 2

Living well, flourishing. It is the highest good and all other activities are done for the sake of Eudaimonia

Question 3

Aristotle’s function argument

Answer 3

P1: The function of a human is whatever humans can do that non-humans cannot

P2: Humans can grow and reproduce but so can plants and non-human animals.

P3: Humans can move and perceive but so can non-human animals.

P4: Only humans can reason; plants/non-human animals cannot.

C1: Therefore, using reason is the function of a human.

P5: A good X is one that fulfills the function of X well.

C2: Therefore, a good human is one that uses reason well.

P6: Virtues are qualities of something that allow it to fulfill its function well.

C3: Therefore, in order to be a good human, we need to have particular virtues

Question 4

Aristotle’s argument for virtues being character traits/dispositions

Answer 4

P1: Virtues are part of the soul, and so they must be either a passion, a faculty or a character trait

P2: Virtues can’t be passions because
(1) just having/not having a particular passion doesn’t make you a good or bad person but having/not having virtues does
(2) we don’t choose our passions, but virtues are related to the choices we make

P3: Virtues are not faculties because we have these naturally but we have to acquire virtue.

C1: Therefore, virtues are states of character.

Question 5

The doctrine of the mean

Answer 5

To be virtuous is to feel feelings and perform actions in the right way at the right time (virtues are the mean between vices)

What the mean is will depend on the person, the circumstance etc

Aristotle thinks that ethics is ‘uncodifiable’

Not all wrong emotions/actions involve an excess or deficiency of something - some are just wrong.

Question 6

The role of education/habituation in the development of a moral character and the skill analogy

Answer 6

We are not innately/naturally virtuous.

We acquire good moral character by practicing them.

It helps if you are educated well morally as you grow up.

Good role models can act as exemplars that you can follow/imitate.

Habituation by itself is not enough though - acting morally is not acting robotically: it still requires thought/reflection.

Becoming virtuous is like acquiring a skill

Question 7

The relationship between virtues, actions and reasons; the role of practical wisdom.

Answer 7

Practical wisdom is the reasoning we use to make changes in the world; to make choices.

It requires:
(1) general knowledge of the good
(2) particular knowledge of how to achieve that good
(3) good reasoning skills
(4) willpower.

Practical wisdom does not consist in a set of rules: it will be context-dependent.

It cannot be taught and cannot be captured in rules, it requires experience

It is related to being virtuous

It is what helps us to identify how to achieve our virtuous ends.

It is required for an action to be fully virtuous

It requires virtue, since it needs to have a morally good aim/end.

Question 8

Voluntary action

Answer 8

Where two conditions must be met:
(1) The control condition (it is done intentionally by the agent and not compelled externally) and
(2) the epistemic condition (the agent must be aware of the non-moral facts about what it is she is doing).

Question 9

Involuntary action

Answer 9

An action that is either:
(a) done under compulsion or
(b) is the result of ignorance and is regretted.

Question 10

Non-voluntary action

Answer 10

The result of ignorance but is not regretted.

Question 11

The relationship between Eudaimonia and pleasure.

Answer 11

Pleasure is distinct from the eudaimonia in several ways and Pleasures can be good or bad, depending on the activity that they are part of.