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Question 1

Aristotle’s main claim

Answer 1

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

Question 2

First issue to Aristotleian ethics

Answer 2

Aristotelian virtue ethics cannot give sufficiently clear guidance about how to act

Question 3

The response to the criticism that Aristotelian virtue ethics cannot give sufficiently clear guidance about how to act

Answer 3

Guidance/learning can still happen without rules - instead it can be done through exemplars / practice. Aristotle never intended for his doctrine to be used as a guide.

Question 4

Counter response to the response to the criticism that Aristotelian virtue ethics cannot give sufficiently clear guidance about how to act

Answer 4

The use of exemplars / practice still doesn’t solve the issue: it still remains unclear how to act

(A) In order to learn from a moral exemplar you need to first identify one, but this can’t be done unless you already understand virtue. So it seems that you are either someone who can’t find a moral exemplar, or, you are someone who can find one but therefore don’t need one!

(B) Even if you could identify a moral exemplar, it is very difficult to learn from their actions. This is because you are different to them, and the situations you face will be different

Question 5

Reply to the counter response to the response to the criticism that Aristotelian virtue ethics cannot give sufficiently clear guidance about how to act

Answer 5

Everyone has the capacity to (a) recognise virtuous people / decision-making and (b) become virtuous

Question 6

Second issue to Aristotelian ethics

Answer 6

The problem of clashing / competing virtues.

Aristotle cannot tell us what to do when the virtues make competing demands on us such that whatever we do requires us to act in a way that conflicts with virtue - there is no way of acting virtuously.

Question 7

Response to the problem of clashing / competing virtues

Answer 7

Virtue is context specific, with no absolute rules. The person of practical wisdom will be able to find the mean for each virtue in that specific situation in such a way that they still respect both virtues. In other words, the fact that both virtues are relevant will mean that each one will look slightly different.

Question 8

Counter response to the response to the problem of clashing / competing virtues

Answer 8

It may well be that while sometimes there is a way to fulfil both virtues, there are nonetheless some situations where it seems that there is no virtuous way out.

e.g a mother having to choose which of her kids to send to a gas chamber

Question 9

Reply to the counter response to the response to the problem of clashing / competing virtues

Answer 9

No option for the virtue ethicist other than to accept that in such rare cases it just isn’t possible to be virtuous, but through no fault of the agent. However this doesn’t stop virtue being relevant in the vast majority of decisions.

Question 10

3rd issue of Aristotelian ethics

Answer 10

A trait need not contribute to Eudaimonia in order to be a virtue; the moral good is not always what is good for the individual. For example, acting courageously and pursuing justice might require me to put my own health/life at risk

Question 11

Response to the moral good is not always what is good for the individual

Answer 11

Virtuous traits do always lead to eudaimonia - the moral good is always good for the individual. Exhibiting these virtues still contributes to someone’s flourishing, even in cases where they make things harder for you in some other way.

Question 12

Counter response to the response to moral good is not always what is good for the individual

Answer 12

If the moral good is what is good for the individual, then this makes virtue ethics (problematically) egoist

Question 13

Reply to the counter response to the response to moral good is not always what is good for the individual

Answer 13

The moral good will, in fact, always be good for you, the individual, but you can avoid egoism so long as your motive isn’t your own good.

Question 14

Fourth issue with Aristotelian ethics

Answer 14

The circularity involved in defining virtuous acts and virtuous persons in terms of each other

(1) an act is virtuous if it is an act that would be done by a virtuous person in this situation;
(2) a virtuous person is a person who is disposed to do virtuous acts

Question 15

circular definition

Answer 15

A circular definition is one that uses the term being defined as a part of the definition.