Ethics (and Morals)

Virtue & Character

 What is Virtue Ethics?
• De-emphasizes
– intentions
– consequences
– rules
• Emphasizes the person
who is acting
• Inquires whether the
person is expressing
good character
 The question is…
• Not:
What should I do?
• But rather:
What sort of person should
I be?
How do I build good
character?
 What is character?
• The Sum of All Our Traits
(virtues & vices)
• Virtues are Character traits
which…
• Enable us to act well
habitually
• Require the right kind of Moral Character is the
first essential in a man.
inner attitude & motivation ~George Washington

• Cannot be detected from

the outside
 How do we acquire virtue?
• Practical wisdom
– Comes from observing human affairs
carefully
– Comes from remembering how our
actions & the actions of others have
played out
• The more we develop a virtuous
character & acquire practical
wisdom
– The greater chance we will act well in
life
• Good actions from from good
character
• Good character is essential to
human happiness
Aristotle and Virtue Theory
The Golden Mean

The ratio of the following

distances is the Golden Ratio:
(foot to navel) : (navel to
head)
 Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics
• Seeks to develop individual
character
• Assumes good persons will
make good decisions
• Be a ‘good’ person
 Aristotle &Happiness

• Happiness = eudaimonia
• Happiness is not a result or end
• Happiness is not something we look forward
to after toil and suffering
• Happiness is a way of life, made possible by
virtuous living
• Happiness is an activity of the soul in accord
with perfect virtue.
 Virtue &Habit
• For Aristotle, virtue is something
that is practiced and thereby
learned—it is habit (hexis).
• This has clear implications for
moral education, for Aristotle
obviously thinks that you can
teach people to be virtuous.
• Role models become very
important
 Virtue As the Golden Mean
• Aristotle says virtue involves finding the proper
balance between two extremes.
– Excess: having too much of something.
– Deficiency: having too little of something.
• Not mediocrity, but harmony and balance.
• The Mean varies from person to person
• There are many ways of behaving & thus many ways
to be happy
 A Virtuous Life Means Balance
Take one of the cardinal virtues away, then one
happens?

At school?
• Competence
• Teamwork
• Social justice
• Mellowness of heart
 Examples
Emotion: fear
• Vice-deficiency = rashness
• Vice-excess=cowardice
• Virtue-mean=courage

Action: giving money

• Vice-deficiency=stinginess
• Vice-excess=prodigality
• Virtue-mean=generosity
 The Greek’s 4 Cardinal Virtues
Courage and Temperance Prudence:
2 that regulate emotion: knowledge of one’s good or
Justice: purpose (telos)

giving each their fair due knowledge of precise ethics