Transcript The Ethics of Virtue - Youngstown State University

The Ethics of Virtue
• Virtue ethics date
back to Aristotle
(325B.C.) in his
Nichomachean
Ethics.
• Aristotle’s central
question: “What is
the good of man?”
Supreme Good
• Happiness – supreme good chosen for
itself and never for something else.
• More than a mere truism
• What is the nature of happiness?
• How do we achieve happiness?
Virtue and Function
• Aristotle holds that happiness (or that
which makes someone happy) is tied to
the proper functioning of a thing.
• “good hammer” = that which functions
well at hammering
• What is the unique function of man?
The Function of Man
• Aristotle holds that the unique function
of man is his power of thought.
• Full development of reason will make
man happy
• Life of Reason: “activity of the soul in
conformity with virtue” – clear
judgment that is self-centered
• Rational Principle = Golden Mean
The Golden Mean
• Virtue is the mean between two
extremes relative to the individuals.
• Excess-------Mean-------Deficiency
Rashness-----Bravery-----Cowardice
• The good person is one who habitually
follows the mean.
Contemporary Virtue Ethics
• Virtue (defined): a trait of character,
manifested in habitual action, which is
good for a person to have.
• Examples of Virtues: (Partial list – no
absolute or complete list)
Benevolence, Fairness, Self-Discipline
Self-Reliance , Honesty, Tolerance
Conscientiousness, Loyalty, Justice
Importance of the Virtues?
• Virtuous person will fare better in life.
• Virtues are needed to live well
• We need virtues to live in community
with others
• Necessary to pursue our own ends and
cope with life’s challenges
The Nature of the Virtues
• Are the virtues the same for everyone?
Yes
– All people need virtue just to different
degrees
– Certain virtues will be necessary for some
cultures
– Radical Virtues Ethics: get rid of the notion
of morally right and morally wrong. Use
virtuous and non-virtuous.
Advantages of Virtue Ethics
• Moral Motivation – certain situations
are handled by an appeal to virtue
rather than right action or duty.
– Example: Visiting a friend in the hospital
– Virtue: Friendship, Love, Loyalty
• Doubts about the ideal of impartiality –
relationships with family and friends
are difficult to account for in other
moral approaches.
Problems with Virtue Ethics
• Problem of Incompleteness
• Lie/Don’t Lie →
• Honesty is a virtue →
• What does it mean to be honest? →
• One who follows rules such as “Do not
lie” →
• Why this rule? → Non-virtue
consideration
Problems with Virtue Ethics
(Continued)
• Problem of Conflicting Virtues
– Friendship vs. Justice
• Is there a virtue to cover every
situation? For any good reason given
in favor of doing an action, there is a
corresponding virtue consists of a
disposition to accept and act on that
reason.