Virtue Ethics

Question 1

Virtue

Answer 1

A disposition which is to be valued

Question 2

Eudaimonia

Answer 2

that which is the good for humans, defined variously as: happiness, complete well-being, flourishing

defined finally as the intellectual virtue of theoria - (scientific) contemplation

Question 3

The Function Argument

Answer 3

Everything has a function and goodness consists in performing one’s function well. The human good is a function of the soul in accord with virtue.

Question 4

What is virtue in a human?

Answer 4

the habit of choosing the mean between the extremes
virtuous person: one who has cultivated all the virtues and fully developed the habit of choosing the golden mean

defined by the natural characteristics of the human soul

Question 5

The function of humans

Answer 5

The exercise of reason/the rational part of the soul

Reasoning well is how humans attain goodness and that entails exercising virtue for their entire lives.

Question 6

The two aspects of the human soul

Answer 6

rational and non-rational

Question 7

Types of virtues

Answer 7

intellectual
- the rational soul has intellectual virtues

moral
- the non-rational soul has moral virtues

Question 8

examples of moral virtues

Answer 8

courage, patience, modesty, temperance

Question 9

examples of intellectual virtues

Answer 9

• theoretical virtues (e.g., maths, physics, philosophy)
• practical virtues (e.g., understanding, judgement, practical wisdom)

intellectual virtues contribute most to the good life, as they are under the control of reason

Question 10

What must a virtuous person do?

Answer 10

• know what he/she is doing in any situation, and not act through ignorance
• choose to act virtuously

Question 11

The doctrine of the mean

Answer 11

Specific virtues lie between two extremes. A virtuous person must seek the middle way, between the two vices of excess and deficiency

Question 12

Strengths

Answer 12

• holistic: the whole personality is considered
• anthropocentric
• allows for moral judgement (focuses on phronesis and allows humans to judge what the mean is)
• does not make the claim that there is a perfect solution for every moral problem, but instead equips people to deal with these problems
• has a teleological focus of eudaimonia
• doctrine of the mean means virtue ethics is flexible with regard to situations and persons
• sees human emotions as important

Question 13

Weaknesses

Answer 13

• ignores cultural relativism
• circular
• only good for individual morality, and not for politics and governments
• Function Argument commits the Fallacy of Composition
• anthropocentric
• people need laws in order to have an understanding of what they should and shouldn’t do - some will refuse to act virtuously
• virtuous people can be dull, and most people admire the kind of character that does not conform to rules or common ideas of virtue

Question 14

phronimos

Answer 14

the man of practical wisdom who is best qualified to define virtuous behaviour in any situation, his practical wisdom having been acquired by constant practice and habit

Question 15

the ‘nested’ hierarchy of the soul

Answer 15

Each level of the hierarchy has all the characteristics of the lower degrees, so humans possess all the functions and capabilities of plants and animals (e.g. nutrition, growth, movement, sense perception) and possess rationality in addition to those

Question 16

altruism

Answer 16

love of others, as opposed to egoism (love of self)

Question 17

anthropocentric

Answer 17

human-centred

Question 18

function

Answer 18

greek: [ergon] ‘work’, or ‘accomplishment’

something is ‘good’ if it fulfills its function

Question 19

temperance

Answer 19

the virtue of self-control in the field regarding pleasure and pain
excess: licentiousness (too much pleasure and lack of restraint)
deficiency: insensibility

Question 20

courage

Answer 20

the virtue in the field of fear and confidence
excess: foolhardiness
deficiency: cowardice

Question 21

justice

Answer 21

a virtue that concerns not just legality, but the whole system of law, rule and custom

1. distributional - proportional distribution of goods in a community
2. rectifying - restoring the distribution of gain and loss between two people

considers the good of others as an end in itself, and therefore an altruistic virtue

Question 22

friendship

Answer 22

Aristotle discusses three kinds of friendship, based on usefulness, pleasure and goodness

• altruistic virtue
• friendship based on goodness is the perfect type of friendship that exists between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue

Question 23

virtue and intention

Answer 23

• it is not possible to be virtuous by accident
• the agent must have a proper intention
• a proper intention does not include desire, wish or opinion
• one can only intend something which one has the power to do

Question 24

moral virtues

Answer 24

virtues of character that are habits developed through practice and which emphasise the ‘Golden Mean’

Question 25

non-rational soul

Answer 25

refers to emotions and appetites (not irrational) consists of two aspects: nutritive (excellence of the body) and character (courage, patience, modesty etc.)

Question 26

Soul

Answer 26

The form or blueprint of the body. The souls of plants, animals and humans form a 'nested' hierarchy.

Question 27

Theoria and why it is the highest order good for humans

Answer 27

- reason/intelligence is the highest aspect of human life - contemplation of the world leads to the greatest happiness, as it conforms to the highest virtue, and it is intrinsically good

Question 28

intellectual virtues

Answer 28

virtues pertaining to aspects of human thought that can be taught and are controlled by reason