Virtue Ethics

Group 4
Name of members:

Aiza Handi
Qazmawatee Berik
Luchie Sacdalan
Fadrzria Aming
Narcima Callon
Mirha Talawi
Al-fahad Banez
Myra Jalad
Nurwisa Junaid
Abnel-Rahman Undain
 Virtue Ethics
• Virtue ethics not only deals
• Virtue ethics is a person
rather than action based: it
looks at the virtue or moral
character of the person
carrying out an action,
rather than at ethical duties
and rules, or the
consequences of particular
actions.
with the rightness or
wrongness of individual
actions, it provides
guidance as to the sort of
characteristics and
behaviors a good person
will seek to achieve.
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Example and teaches of Virtue Ethics

Example: Virtue ethics teaches:

o Honesty o An action is only right if it is
o Courage an action that a virtuous
o Compassion person would carry out in the
o Generosity same circumstances.
o Fidelity o A virtuous person is a person
o Integrity who acts virtuously
o Fairness o A person acts virtuously if
o Self-control, they "possess and live the
o and prudence virtues“
o A virtue is a moral
characteristic that a person
needs to live well.

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 The philosopher of virtue ethics
ARISTOTLE

o Virtue ethics is a philosophy developed by Aristotle and other

ancient Greeks.
o It is the quest to understand and live a life of moral character.
o This character-based approach to morality assumes that we
acquire virtue through practice. By practicing being honest,
brave, just generous, and so on, a person develops an honorable
and moral character.
o Aristotle follows Socrates and Plato in taking the virtue to be
central to a well-lived life.

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 Type of Virtue Ethics
Intellectual
the intellectual virtues include: scientific knowledge (episteme), artistic or technical knowledge
(techne), intuitive reason (nous), practical wisdom (phronesis), and philosophic wisdom
(sophia).

• scientific knowledge is a knowledge of what is necessary and universal. It arrives at

eternal truths by means of deduction or induction. 
• Artistic or technical knowledge is a knowledge of how to make things, or of how to
develop a craft. A skill involves production according to proper reasoning.
• Intuitive reason is the process that establishes the first principles of knowledge.
This virtues helps us to grasp first principles from which we derive scientific truths.
• Practical wisdom is the capacity to act in accordance with the good of humanity and help
us to .pursue the good life generally.
• Philosophic wisdom is the combination of intuitive reason and scientific knowledge.

The intellectual virtues help us to know what is just and admirable, We might wonder what
value the intellectual virtues have, then, since knowledge is useless without action. First, the
intellectual virtues lead to happiness, and so are ends in themselves. Second, the intellectual
virtues help us determine the best means to the ends

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 Type of Virtue Ethics
Moral
• For Aristotle, courage, temperance, and liberality are examples of moral virtues;
wisdom, which guides ethical behavior, and understanding, which is reflected in
scientific endeavor and contemplation, are examples of intellectual virtues.
• According to Aristotle, moral virtue is a disposition to behave correctly and a
middle ground between the vices of insufficiency and excess.
• The supreme good, according to Aristotle, is an action of the reasoning soul in
conformity with virtue. For the Greeks, virtue is synonymous with perfection.
• Aristotle implies by calling character excellence a condition that it is neither an
emotion, an ability, nor a simple predisposition to behave in specified ways.
Rather, it is the fixed state in which we find ourselves when it comes to feelings
and behavior.
• Aristotle believes that a gentle person should be upset about some things (for
instance, injustice and other sorts of mistreatment) and be willing to defend
himself and those he cares about. In Aristotle's opinion, failing to do so would
reveal the unirascible person's morally defective character

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 Importance of Virtue Ethics

o Virtues are important because they are the basic qualities

necessary for our well being and happiness.
o It will lead to better communication
o Understanding and acceptance between us and our fellow man.
o It gives us a guide for living life without giving us specific rules
for resolving ethical dilemmas.

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 The (3) three main theories of ethics
• Virtue ethics ( Aristotle version)

• Consequentialism (John Stuart Mill’s version)

• Deontology (Immanuel Kant version)

 DEFINITION AND COMPARISON

Virtue ethics
 
● Virtue ethics stresses the importance of inner character traits of an individual
such as honesty, courage, faithfulness, and integrity... as the key to ethical
thinking rather than the manner or outcome of the action like deontology and
consequentialism.
● Modern Aristotelians believe that ethics should be concentrating more on how
to develop their ethical characteristics and traits as they should live their lives
in order to have a good disposition so that moral behavior becomes natural.
● Aristotle (384–322 bc) focuses more on what makes a good person rather than
what makes a good action. He believed virtue holds the key to one’s happiness
and does lies in the Golden mean between two extremes, for example,
truthfulness is the mean between boastfulness and understatement. Though
there’s no standard for the golden mean since each individual has their own
perception of the mean. Hence, Golden Mean is a guide to live in moderation,
but it is not a standard of morality.

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 Consequentialism (Utilitarianism)
• In consequentialism, an action is asses depending on the degree of
the results. In other words regardless if an action is morally right or
wrong it will always depend on the action’s ‘utility’ or usefulness.
• John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) argued that not all forms of pleasure or
happiness are equal. For him, the aim of ethics is the greatest
pleasure (happiness) for the greatest number. One good example is
utilitarianism where if an act is more likely to bring the greatest good
for the greatest number, then it is right if not means wrong.
• Recent utilitarian theorists have advises taking into account the desire
for personal interest. This approach has become widely used in areas
of applied and professional ethics and concludes that there should be
equal consideration of interests. Though still not accepting that all
have the same or equal interests (eg. animals), but all should be
treated with respect.

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 Deontology 
● Deontology refers to a group of normative ethical theories that focuses on moral duties and
rules. As opposed to consequentialism, they are termed as non-consequentialist, since some
actions are naturally right or wrong, regardless of consequences.
● Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) believed that the people not including God are morality
imposed by the higher power because they were rational beings. Kant proposes that moral
duty could be determined by the use of reason about the act in question. This categorical
imperative exists in several versions, the two best-known beings are the following:

● (1)‘Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should
become a universal law’
○ To simplify, a person can only dictate an act that applies to him/her if it applies to
everyone also or an act should demand a universal reason to become moral. 

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● (2)‘Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in
your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a
means, but always at the same time as an end’
 
○ This means that all people must be treated as ends in
themselves and not as a means to an end. No matter what the
circumstances do not use someone even it’s for their
betterment. In contrast, a consequentialist doesn’t believe it is
wrong to use people as means if the ends justify the means,
lying is allowed.

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 Comparison of ethical theories
by Rosalind Hursthouse "Virtue Theory and Abortion”
  Consequentialism Deontology Virtue Theory

Example Mill's utilitarianism Kantian ethics Aristotle's moral theory

Abstract description An action is right if it An action is right if it is An action is right if it is

promotes the best in accordance with a what a virtuous agent
consequences. moral rule or principle. would do in the
  circumstances.
 

More concrete The best consequences A moral rule is one that A virtuous agent is one
specification are those in which is required by who acts virtuously,
happiness is rationality. that is, one who has and
maximized.   exercises the virtues. A
virtue is a character trait
a human being needs to
flourish or live well.
 

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