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    8 views14 pages

    Julia Annas - Applying Virtue To Ethics

    Uploaded by

    diego

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Sour of Appi Phiep hy {be 10.1 pp 12103 Applying Virtue to Ethics JouA ANNAS ‘vsrRact Vome eh i smatins tan © Be incapale of proving pido for an Inia’ aan are ohare! ore df sho hw vet et de ride idanc for ein aa mac tection ta, aie ie my acount otha ah fy iecamar act for th fore fay a obit eis no longer surprising — I hope —to find vite in the context of epi piso. Inthe a few sear her hat bn a masive rie treatin vite ts Vit ees ico fat east in Anglophone counties) well exablished a third approach to cis, ong the tinal plilesopical approaches of uaraniin an Kaas thor. “Twenty yar ago veto ethics had «set daper ate back of trdutions to tis, ‘ow it fly fa the tntcrenm. Ad ir hat spread fiom a place da theoreti ‘cusionn to res of apple che, View ha evap for in best ‘hi, Bicties, medical ethic, engineering ethics and other elds f appli ethic. ‘And ite his exis place inte wider ctr, apuin at es tn Anglophone ctues Ia book on etic pubis a 1985 the power Berard Win wots, “The word “vtwe™ has forthe most pare oquled come or otherwise undesinble sspctiine and ew now ct except lwopers "Thi ino lange re; ve he st {huey years there hus been an everfaster-moring wave of icerest in vtwe AONE looper and alt fe society guncral and use ofthe virtue words has become que Grins Tate UR, the Jubilee Cente for he stay of Carat and Vite, oated {he Unkenty of Biaingham, toe virtues endl or bets abou tea, among people ‘a any difeene contexts, witout Hndiag Willams peobem. Indeed Wiliams went 00 tm add tate hoped tat ih ts proper measing establed fou] wil come back Saco reapectable we’ Ta. ‘ut inmyoxperice there fen sil «dou, or psa Intec suposed to be about wat we shuld do, wha’ right and wrong co do? Andis the poit of an tha theory eo be n theory tha we can apply to guide us or tell ut wha’ ight and ‘wrong wat we ought do? Many Peon take ths for granted, ot then they are psc a to rt how ue ca be app in ec. Fame cca theues ate cer out hic this is about moral rules then fwe want fo Know what we stud ye ‘seta rl If tise about prodocag the sina of some god, then we wae te eno what todo we can sppiy roe calevlaton sch ae catenins Ba if thc about ve, when ve want to now wha to do, what do we apy? Inde, virtue doen't soa ie the kind of thing you em apply. Ke sods He an el of character dat ou i to Fee athe than a tool you ca use to work out what ‘you utr do. sounds eather than away of geting round te easy eal woe 2 Jae Arma noundsto some peopl ikea optional ext Ethie, they old about dong height «hing, and tha’ whi importa for ws to ge ight Tey be ce Foe ws ao tobe ‘eraour abou ths thought gos, but that sound He someting hat i woud be good foro be, ater dan something reguite. Ad surely ding the it hing is eq t's, ao otanal? ‘Wel virtue now commonly toe found in vatous feds of appli ethics 681 bln by looking ade broader etc! petre ates thn starting wit mpd ethics Miedo need vee lobe whot we appli ethical decision to elu make ar coicet sn the eal word. Ba ven what Te fst id his my seem aly A in ethical theory thee ie no shortage Of people who in onc way oF another keep making td ‘ening the objection that wre ccs eannx rove something that we need for a ‘cial theory to be ay god. The 'ction pane’ -We enn sande eta ow ‘o apy them, this goes and we lean cone anal and ws leary how 0 P87 ‘at bat we ear about tee and then Wa? ‘We ato’ nao make prosress ntl we tke closer lon what vite Tht jin become men fy age abou ren li, bo becaute ance we eat get ‘ore peste abou wha irae we find that thee ar ever oles hat vie ean ay Fe theory. Vite ethic fay cornmen these days but you wil find tha ete uber of difercat Kinds of ehcal theory that go under che heading of vrtoe eis “There's inte ns ltarian they, eet cented vr ethics and exempt toe ‘eines. Dring fom history of ees tere Henn vite eis, Kaan vitae ‘tics Neticean Virtue whic and odes. Obvious I'm no golng vo go ough a ‘ofthe. As, gven this Ist you may be wondsing whether tue might be toa pible 4 notion 20 plant tht prety snuchan)fom fei theory can make sea Forman tere ra central scoot of vit and a central account of vtec, sd tha’ wh I'm ocsing on This the nerAmoclan scout of vin, wch Is Simurinstracue to Arstoe's own account but does bring wt tall Fristoe’. ‘orn theary. For example, ons cent etre of Aristo’ on aco ove i it sled cine of the mean ba neo Atetian scent nt commited ht, (eto many other ars of Acsto’s owe ec Noo Aisttean rte hasbeen by {rhe nai Kd of vite debated in piesophy td an as beens for nea he ecndee So is 2 goad place to start fom ‘When we str thik sernaly aboot wha ie yw do best cst with de fama What ie franco o hav virtue? [ee forber to have vice, Wha athe? Beavery (courage, generosity, fimess, modesty, paence and sn, IF you find ie sole to fru on vrei the sac this of the Ia tne you though someone tees geneous or fir of (ore commen wforanatey) ungenesous or unfi We bak of peopl ll dune a terms of tues and vices tel stigness,pcinee, Hovnga veto io’ junta mrtr of ating cerain as. Tcoul at down and ete lange cheque fore good cane, bu his might at be ot of enero. ne want te Inpees someon oF wo avoid tx, of co rele feellags of gull about someting Someone observing me might wel sy hat hat wat w generous ching to oy but hey ‘would be wel-adise to fe fm this that Is generous Generosity ate of [Guricter- Pewter of te Kind of pera Tam Thi ui, smmetig e a ‘recognise well ere having a prec accoubt of what characte Sak i i tt Appbing Vr Bice 3 How can I become braein uch away that beac is harass ofme, consti ofthe ind of perros I anThe wr since Aro, and is never buen betered, Iabination, a procs of aenng. Beeming brave isan ongoing proces of earning, whic start in uldnood snd continually fe Ines espesicace and the aby ‘deal with exerence in ways the intligety appreciate What's worth sd whi not Thi wha Set leare Fm parents, teachers an the wider clare, and hes Tam tdrstond ant ppl foe pest eerily prot whet arn ty wwe een by ding. So by heme I worry about wctes Im geneous enous Pe steady leat, by sing broaghe up, fo be generous to some degree T ve been Tnlatete by whae Ise lared from my pent my sco surounding clare TThave to tke up the ely ofall hr and eal wath for mel abiaaton au mee ute bali, despite Yaviousplosophee’atempe 0 show ‘hac thas tobe, Rater serrisingly (a est eo me) rang piosaphers have become suspicious the very dea of fabitaton.Recely some eal pups ave buen influenced by work in psychology (especly by autor of popular books uch s Dane Kabcman) and hak that Aestosan (and neo Arson) babvaton i drestened ‘by chims tated on empirical workin psychology. One isthe chim that ow thinking en ‘be understood ip term of systems Sem 1, which automaticly generates ale ‘one and fel an Sytem 2, whic i ocasonlly prodded into coor nr etin. Is the coscious Sytem 2 which ara nalons ico belies a ipl Into ohunary aeson* The ater chim, seed particule in the work of Jonathan rast and Joshon Greene, i tha che automase stem, the ane response for fst thinking wich mais vc of ie and heii, so afc, emotional sytem We thus hae “autmate emotional response’ which carry on coniual alough oa time ome our onto conscous reasoning intervenes” Hubiuation and virtue ofthe Arotelian and neo-Arttelan hind cetely don’ titer the autommt, mindlss System 1 or the conscioulyintervesng System 2, Vive ‘viously nds abt, but equal Isnt a mate of comelouly contol bd ‘irecing youself al the tin, an annoying sundeck 0 all yur activity But vitae is alone hee Think ofa preat cancer pani performing a saat Tee preformance a mater of conscious rection, or of instinctual efx? Obviously i’ eer ss more complex Is no accident, then, dat seme phlosopes (ching Inset hae pike up from ancient pilasopy the ea thatthe strate of va ke caer mating ke te structure of practical sl ke plying the piano You oe learn from ober people but You eed oleae Row fda foe your. ‘5 god jut ning your teacher, a tat would een You loa eone of our teaches, ‘You fuse to understand what youve kart for yourself and apply a your om Hs nobody ee no edurvion and no backround can make youn good peeeme, and ‘ily wis ery and enero. we seeped mine ha ring he poner mere matter if te hai vs should reflect hat thi = ie of thought ich end in tnng that playing te ne scoring gone must ao be a ante of mere abl Vic ke practical a bent mater of ute. Ifthe mere can tat we have esti fat nd show systems sf thinking reaes a problem forthe exitence of vrs equally eater problem foethe exence of pectic a, Ara ewe ate ot ity ong ge wp the Mee har there ae skilled dancers computer programmers cat mechanic, pianists and 4 Faia dee tears lear that an adequate acount fl wl ne to rfl heen of the ‘wosysters ands wll an adequate necount of roe, Neither is merely minds abi, thr i a constanly busy conscious presence in ue ace. Faneusly thinking ‘consciously about a sie acy meres wth doing it "Thi fa fiely bare shtch by way of eding wan importante of vee thar ie ‘racial when we ink about scaly applying vie in ou ec! Test ide our Secon Ie rounde spe aad wit a fst, but wen we see ln the cote thinking sour vie ne can soe how mportan ei. Avr as ered wat 2 stunt of some ind. I ent ja be eae isthe asract The tobe bra here fat no in fending of this dog tacking me, fr exemple ¥ cn’ jst be generous — Thave actual wre «cheque, get to hep someone, and s0on< Bot — and ies sarprising hw many eel piesoters miss ths — vrei not defined neem a nds of saat. We might think har aver is surely defined by fighting fo = aved ‘aus, and ds what Ted to defend myel agit the dg, snl what sales need ‘when they ae ightinginsrnien, May children growing up ina variety of sce chink fist tha braver is deine by actions in a kind of suaton pied ty personal nis sacha occur a war, ports and the adventres of ston heros: Bu then Sey fn te couree ie shown in situtone that ave etely ferent A secrily deed perin may show great courage in dong rnple as in poblle forthe fst time, Someane may show greet beaery by defending an unpopular opinion in ates ewig Yo the situation of shots om a ta could not bees ike siting a able Ina mesting or ying to cope with Ine of mobi Bot we donot Sn dita ac courage in all ee uy dierent sation And we do ner come 10 tik dat Someane is brave in standing wp fran option in 2 mectng by thinking of previous ‘uations in which weve found someone toe brave, and then aking what those ‘Swat have in cmon, I we ase vetoes By the ations im which hey are ‘harcoed we euld acer nae them sage Unive satonsaen hae nthng waster Jn common. Once se tink soot i i obvions that we don't ally up sniaies {between shooting om tank, siting in nclings and coping with lac of bly when sve sppreate courage shown in them, mention this obvious pont Eechare aure to ppc ithas been behind snany maguided criss of vieue is. ‘So howl we nderstand what make someone havin ll hese comely dierent ind of sation? What we ate picking up en tthe way the person dal wih the sirastion Wich courage his iy oy oughly ting ar eneing danger edie for {good cause, Suudely with eter virtue, We ooogee general when amilonie Fen heave fora fosndation and when ener ofl hen ot wit sopping, ‘The statis could not have les in cornmen, but we reopsie that the people ate desing wth te station sia way"Tn the are we? may sound vagy ad is ‘nae othe mise dea dat we area mere mater of ye’ of acing. Bvt there ie toting wogwe abot a recoped acre rvs wt let wht png on Th rave person, for examples dating with diferent sivatins fom a deseloped diopo- ‘shin not jn to cvlnte ations interne of wnt wert ging fo, a ending fa, butt acon thy and co fe! in ways sporopiate wo and rains wih this & _reter or laser extent, obo). This disposi hus been developed by ongoing proces af learning, specially Inning to respond t, and to deal itliget with apeience. (The ebony 2 bare bch of the postin aspect of ru which rope equtes fle account} e's tis spostion o respond vad 0 sitions Appbing Vireo Bios 5 in sn inteligent and experienced way whi ie what we arn 10 ea when we een {0 deity ete. But obviously is far heer, and epistemically much mare sky and ‘ventrous 19 da this han att pest to the ibd of ting dane Inthe lation io ‘which the brave erin at In gone focis en the situation express a simpler and Trove comerraveappronch ove gaa doe focus on the vruows person's eons nd mean, ‘Learning ow o use vite terms and wo ae accord its neve ied bv he slain, ote ind af skuation, In which you fst eae to at eal geneous, “our parents mg hak of genecouy vey lined wa, gving ep money and 30 enenly to family member, regarding needs beyond that fine sno Bases af the. You trop within dea of dhe scope of gerry a esponding co the needs of fay Ae you stk ith th? Nor at eran pon you cbr for Yours that ti sed shrunken acon of genezosty, abd that he reasons you hve been sven fe Tiiting to fem ron again what yo have eared about generous rexpane nthe tuations jou Have been generous. Arse sometime ele fos his seoune of ‘eneson te round thi hes weting or an sadence of ce centery BCE me it ‘tens ad vg accounts afsome vas which tony that Kind osiuation, Bats “Ariode who tls ws tha everyone seks the good not what Hee parent i? Tearing 1 be virwows involves enlarging your conception of what the virtue in ‘question i chilren eng thir conepon of courage beyond conic sation 1 ‘Station of endsnce aod coping. The sane proces of enlarging by Ieening occurs ‘wen ee It aboot vires when in other cress expres im dileent ways ‘Courage can be shows in sore cates by ions which om our euive we eink of {tinged or exces, bt we recone we en alo appreciate courage ina Feet ‘World War soldier and a Quaker rusng eo Gah in he Fie Work Wie, Obsouly what fs gencros in one clone can be east and dplay in another, and merely gait a third This nota problem ence we teeta sock these varatans of generosity simpy an xension f the same proces of leaning to be generous o brave incur ov Store, Understanding uve io another cure requis much more by wy of “pd our clr Enowledg than understanding virtues sor on but door ‘ica ferent mechani of understanding” “Those howe to virtue ave sometimes clamed that we len vires within ose society and ele end are then rapped win the wderstanding of them eat we ave lcyot Tis frms ee ass ofthe en that thinking term of he vitae ianhesety oonratve. Hythe ime I efron genrongs Lae am co ome dre renerons So how can I chang? Am T noe imprisoned within the cate i which esx tobe ener? Tie ica surpsingl ecthnt objection to itu eis, but sal fe to or experience, Who has aery the same conepton of moder that he ose wa taught when Joung? As we ages is obins wo Us ha he conception we hae now of modest eeerorty an mat other vires reno those eee up Wb, Olen we ae ‘pallet he though ofthe canestions we had when Young of enersiy ence ttn other vias Sometimes there have change Beene social morer Dave ‘hanged and we Iave eacounteed arguments about waa is ands for expe, nodes. 1 interchanges ae debates with tov whose views of modesty eves and font that prakes mos reflection, and unsurpesing is eamone in prac ‘cite than n more hemoeneous nes, Sometimes people reviedeir understanding ft whac itis to be cus id and o on simpy through inven eteton; there are 8 Gua dees ioncrs who come tunes! withont lp from thei enone hat we ae ust Teron about some tings: Ac eetsn pine note peopl relive that some ater, ‘steal soganded a inierent or entertaining re ruc. Geting others to se cies fv evoel fe beginning of geting the Yo see tat hey are not eatertaning his the ‘reining of forming how we thik sb hore atte, and thi what happened inthe past with dogging tthe orn of erel westment of smal “The ie tot thinking in tre ft vate somehow mal concrete Ings ono sme quarters. This sping, at mecing of phiesophers and deelop~ ‘mental psshologit on ire demon, we beard eam a professor of setae tho had come to think that vue nd ve wee fleveht o Re owen aes dee eated this Wen wea deparoment of English st » US univer which T ill ewe ‘omelet. One profesor whose specialty was Victorian Iteratare std thi she wa thocked that he ured the term nit wah she regarded me zo polluted by Sexism that ‘he refed to ae ty aint she Would soon wse the novo. Obvious she wat ‘nklug of the une of vrme in Viewrianitertor to reer to a diposiion of wormen| to be revaaly chaste and generally to be subordinate eo men in sternite ways. I had rover oer to her hat vite might not be free raped side itor te ‘ore. This sayeth the best ante to olding he we thet ite is conservative jae wo ge out moe Wi can no fous i the ight pce when we ak how we do appr vise when we thin ebay Vie inves the way Ideal wath she prtcl station Ten The Situntion ie? got me to respond i some wg but docs not determine the way pond. And the brave or geneous person does not eespnd by wondering what ‘imilarticschere are betwen thi stun and previous situa. A principled stad in {incting on chaff of rome postion wil anney powefal people, end 20 requis Sourage, The person who ate courageoul ith stanton devs hot do so by warkng ‘uta eis boardroom situation sim othe hike when he ressued ome o¢ ‘ther stustons where she stoned courage. She has developed courage or generosity Ahnu leering how to aad 0 respond and fel, in ther stations but she 108) tlie the vr in the nes ey fren boron sation. How ime throug ‘Saris besten situations, des vite action guidance Work? ‘Whit action gdance? Ie acd by aha dclsion, ad need gdance sto what to do what need? Philteopher fer sy at hs pone tat etion guidance Provided bythe theory cling me what Lo da Is? Do Teed t Be told what to do so that Teun do what Tam tok? Something bis suey gone wrong hes. Hse we come Up ‘psine somting tat pulsophor often demand ota theory of ec, naey that {ie ur actions by tllng what wo 6. Im hear he cect one, then when I Fnpor my elcle deion the unory wil have the rescues to give me he answer an tlle wt odo This sone of the pointe where pikxopty can proced aa Way Chit Jno theory but hopaluly untae about our atl experonee A det ‘ber wat oe need tbe fod what odo by a theory any more than she wants ox needs Tobe ld what todo by prion —for exp, by her mother. Suppose my mothe ‘aretnly wits, and lays etic decison rig. Tet’ al something obvosty ‘wrong alse ny difiese dekioes by always doing what she tel metodo. A ching temo beter iTsove my dict decison by alway dl wha ey theory els me to ‘So That sll aor am al atte, Toi can't be «proper Mind af action guide (This poi tat we might bea a mind when we itl hat we ae suppose to se Appying Vie Bhs 7 ‘or dc deistons by appeal to some theory lie cout-bentt ana the eppeal af ‘whic tha does ve us the answer and tell us what 1 40) "Wat ofthe vita pero’ econ? Hots not sone sl supe ake che fox of somehow having an uncodifale perception of grasp ofthe situation” Such w postion open to about objtins af ebseurtien wy should we spate tae No futsal explanatory account can be given of vituous person's dedson wat? Here of rules Virus ethicists have sometimes rested thse, becmse of hbkng that rls have fo tae the frm of Don't he’, o Help people in eet, — rales dieting the ert o psf an action of etn Kind, Tis would not be ery elf for emo rich are prety abou {rie I shoulda’ ies tu is «He T should belp People in need, but thi relly need? And soon. Tai problem spin ei ‘singing inves certinly iprowes thing When we ak how ayone would be able ‘o apply lke ‘Don ees without nding Farther guidance in aplyng te rake evra te gt stuck depressing fs. We may beste however by the oan tht vious people — te honest and geneous — ace able ro disern wht relevant a ‘lent inthe aston haces diel for appli als which dec vst atin {cic ways. And they do so sethout reeling end appying that Kind of rule — ‘suprising ince, ae weve en, applying virtue nota mater of pking ou certain "ype of situation yt would be if we toughen tems of ules ke Newer i "irc eis make eof tc re? ~~ that ule f the fee Be hones’ “Be enero Byes pals you conse that they are net empty extortion they might ave seemed intro ilereny You ae beng diected co respond 1 his station hones rather thn dishonest or indie. And ths ocses your outs ina way (hat dey are et anging by a lee ‘Don which needs ll ort of free Woek before we ean lo ngthing With Being old be honest, or compassionate oi, far fn being empty es You a prspectie dhe tuaon whi nas ear What Use mos salient agpecs of ae “ow dace ths rit t the vituouspervn's responce to a particular station in ‘whl she bs to make w decision? Here We find the importance of dhe pit that vitae this at eas ofthe neo-Arstoin pe) i deepen. Acguiig the ics iy ‘lead suse an ongoing proces elearning Te rue rules are the means by which tr lens tobe virtuous Someone wha sto hk of nl apply a vite revo ner ‘what dosti etning how to be vious the more mare vrs person wil ave fncrnaied the ul etwas lund and pertaps modied by hel he wl noc have to seal and appl the rule but wil pp it a rest of abieation oat according to it Av aleady ined thi not» mindes abi of eoe-fllawing her i ete abit to mak ingen of wha a een leaned." mate tous ‘eto wspond aod decides in a way eal express te ales be bes leant wo respect "The bet analogy Toei sted in ance theories But independently aeccenble today, is the sequson of petal Hl The ete ha tobe fl xpi ow ‘ea computer problem dance speak Geran, hton a baskball Ashe eas te sil, ‘the ned for explicit gudane, whether fom a person or rom arlene and ‘trcomnes what we omens callacond nature The siled person wil ot ve weal sl apply ale when faced by = tution to which she neode Yo separ but the Jtnmetlae respon aks the font doc becaure heh learned how to engnise and 8 Ju nae ply roles‘The analogy extends alo tthe point thac te person who has cguire 2 kl ‘able eo suri tener and change ot ri what roe inearing the sl, “The vntous person responding to stun Ie tus le the shed athlete ot

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