virtue ethics

Question 1

who comes up with virtue ethics?

Answer 1

aristotle

Question 2

what class was aristotle and how did his society shape him?

Answer 2

upper, he lived in a world of great thinkers warriors and the founders of democracy

Question 3

what is a’s efficient and formal cause?

Answer 3

efficient - who brought us into being
formal - what a thing is (its essence or form)

Question 4

what does a say all other ethical theories are, which he isn’t?

Answer 4

action centred - concerned with a single action
he is agent centred - concerned with the person doing the action

Question 5

why is a hollistic?

Answer 5

he cares about looking at the whole

Question 6

what does a believe the function of ethics is?

Answer 6

to be a good person

Question 7

give a quote from a that sums up his ethics

Answer 7

‘we’re enquiring not to know what ve is but in order to become good’

Question 8

what does a distinguish between?

Answer 8

things that are good as means and things that are good as ends

Question 9

define ‘means’ and ‘ends’

Answer 9

means - method of achieving something
ends - final cause (purpose) being eudaimonia

Question 10

define eudaimonia

Answer 10

contentment or good living

Question 11

what do a’s ethics centre on?

Answer 11

the virtues that shape the human character and behaviour

Question 12

when does a believe you will achieve eudaimonia?

Answer 12

when you have fulfilled the virtues

Question 13

what does a believe a good life is?

Answer 13

one lived in harmony and co-operation w other ppl

Question 14

what does a compare being a good person to ?

Answer 14

acquiring skills, it requires practice and habbit

Question 15

give a quote from a about acquiring virtues

Answer 15

‘we acquire virtues by doing virtuous acts’

Question 16

give a quote from a emphasising how practice is key in enhancing the virtues and therefore becoming a good person

Answer 16

‘we learn to play the harp by playing the harp - in the same way we become just by doing just acts’

Question 17

what does a say will happen if you stop practising the virtues?

Answer 17

you’ll forget them and becoming a good person will be harder to reach. eg if you stopped playing the piano, over time you’d get rusty - you need maintanence

Question 18

according to a, whose capable of becoming a good, virtuous person?

Answer 18

everyone, but only few will actually make it as their background and society can influence them

Question 19

who were the gentlemen philosophers?

Answer 19

they went to a’s academy and carried his teachings on.

Question 20

what did a believe about souls?

Answer 20

men and women have different souls, women were inferior and cant go to heaven

Question 21

nowadays what would we say being a good person depends on?

Answer 21

wealth, environment, upbringing

Question 22

what does a say we must use our reason for?

Answer 22

to do well, for a its not just thinking but its practical, u must act

Question 23

what is the ultimate good according to a?

Answer 23

exercising our rational capabilities in the persuit of eudaimonia

Question 24

how does a say we can work out a virtue?

Answer 24

moral agents need to find the balance between 2 vices, avoiding excess or deficiency in any virtue

Question 25

what does a say we must use our practical wisdom for?

Answer 25

working out what virtue is suited to each situation n ind

Question 26

what does a say we must use our intellect to do?

Answer 26

work out what virtue to apply and when , its agent centred so there can be no rules or maxims

Question 27

whats the golden mean?

Answer 27

the balance of the 2 vices, this is the best way to live as extremes are unhelpful

Question 28

name some virtues, their vices of excess and deficiency

Answer 28

courage - voe- rashness - vod - cowardice pride - voe - arrogance - vod - unambitious wittiness - voe - buffoonery - vod - humourlessness

Question 29

what 2 types of virtues are there and what do they entail?

Answer 29

intellectual - you need education they're learned through instruction rather than habituation. only gentlemen can access them as only they have the opportunity to learn. eg wittiness - comedy clubs moral - developed by habit or practice. being compassionate to the less fortunate helps develop virtue of compassion

Question 30

what does aristotle describe the golden mean as?

Answer 30

'the quality of excellence'

Question 31

why isn't the mean always in the centre?

Answer 31

if you had self indulgence and self deprivation, you would lean more towards elf deprivation, you cant eat cake 50% of the time or you'd be unhealthy. some things simply cant have a mean in the centre

Question 32

why do some actions not have a mean?

Answer 32

they are intrinsically bad, eg rape

Question 33

name some summarised criticisms of ve

Answer 33

if a virtue has no explicit mean who decides where it goes? at what point does the virtue become a vice - its not prescriptive, no rules as its agent centred

Question 34

what is a role model and why are they important?

Answer 34

a person whose virtuous character and actions serve as a guide for others to emulate important because ve has no rules and is agent centred so they give a rough guideline on how to act we should aim to become virtuous like they are

Question 35

if the role model is mlk what virtue does he show?

Answer 35

courage

Question 36

what did st paul say that showed jesus as a model of virtue?

Answer 36

'he will produce this kind of fruit in us...love' - if ur devoted to god, it'll encourage the developments of the virtues

Question 37

what do the christian youth movement often wear that indicate j is their role model?

Answer 37

bracelets saying wwjd

Question 38

what does the concept of rm's do that can criticise ve?

Answer 38

allows immoral people to perceived as rm's. eg hitler, stalin and hussian had virtuous traits such as courage but they shouldn't be seen as figures to replicate

Question 39

what did philippa foot attempt to do?

Answer 39

update ve - said its not important if eudaimonia's achievable but that we strive for it and better ppl in the process

Question 40

when did foot say virtues are virtuous?

Answer 40

when used in the correct way in order to bring about a good outcome, so we cant use hitler etc as rm's

Question 41

whats a criticism of foot?

Answer 41

she arguably uses an action centred theory, not agent centred

Question 42

what did macintyre say people attitudes today are based off?

Answer 42

emotivism (moral statements just express our feelings) and therefore meaningless.

Question 43

what did macintyre say virtues can be?

Answer 43

anything as long as they suit the community. - he said morality should be seen in terms of human purpose

Question 44

what did taylor say about christianity?

Answer 44

it opposes us reaching eudaimonia he argues theres no point striving to be good if all you have to do is sit back and relax to go to heaven. ve+christianity doesnt fit

Question 45

what did hursthouse say ve will do?

Answer 45

not tell u what to do but teach you how to think bcs its agent centred. teaches u the skills in order to do the right thing, it cant be prescriptive as it doesn't know what situation you'll face, u must use ur practical reasoning

Question 46

name some weaknesses of ve

Answer 46

wolfe argues if everyones virtuous, there'd be no excitement itw, we need negative traits so we can admire the positive ones - some virtues can be used to incorrectly perform immoral actions, can the actions of courageous jewish soldiers be seen as developing courage..? you cannot have a virtuous individual help commit genocide

Question 47

name some strengths of ve

Answer 47

no rules, more freedom - appeals to secular and religious morality - atheist can aspire to be like j w out believing he was SoG -Develops practical wisdom, enabling individuals to use reason and judgment to navigate complex situations, rather than relying on strict formulas. Cultivating virtues like kindness and fairness benefits individuals and creates more harmonious, ethical societies