Ethical theories tend to suggest a set of principles or rules than all human beings are bound by. Utilitarianism – the greatest good for the greatest number Situationists – the thing that causes the most loving consequences Natural law – what is the right purpose for a human

Virtue theory is different from these approaches It concentrates on the idea of the human character and asks how you can be a better person. Ethikos – concerned with the ethical character of an individual rather than the individual actions. It is neither teleological nor deontological. Because it does not focus on actions or rules. It is concerned with the personality of the person. Their moral character.

DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS THE MOTIVE DETERMINES THE MORALITY DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS THE MOTIVE DETERMINES THE MORALITY TELEOLOGICAL ETHICS THE END RESULT DETERMINES THE MORALITY TELEOLOGICAL ETHICS THE END RESULT DETERMINES THE MORALITY VIRTUE ETHICS IT IS THE STATE OF THE PERSON MAKING THE ACTION WHICH IS IMPORTANT VIRTUE ETHICS IT IS THE STATE OF THE PERSON MAKING THE ACTION WHICH IS IMPORTANT ACTION MOTIVE END

Most theories concentrate on defining principles by which we should act. Virtue theory is interested in defining good people and the qualities that make them good. Utilitarian's and deontologists think that right behaviour comes BEFORE right character. Virtue theory puts this the other way round – right character comes BEFORE right behaviour. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT CHARACTER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ACTIONS. Virtue ethics is non-normative. It does not give laws to follow rather identifies the correct character to have and assumes that the person with the correct character will act correctly.

1.Every human action has an aim. 2.There are superior and subordinate aims in life. 3.The end aim of humans is happiness. 4.There are three types of people in society. 1.Politician, hedonist and Philosopher 1.The best is the philosopher because they use the intellectual virtues and can understand the best aims to reach EUDAMONIA. 2.The importance of virtue is explained through their use today – cardinal virtues/vices 3.Aristotle understood virtue relatively as all societies are different. 4.The philosopher is the best for understanding how society can advance.

We should be less concerned with action and consequences and much more concerned with the character of the moral agent. The question “what is it right or obligatory to do?” is not the only question. “How should we be?” Matters too because it is only by becoming better people that we will do the right thing. While other ethical theories concentrate simply on the process of moral decision making, virtue theory is concerned about the process of how to become a moral person. Once you have become a moral person – you will do the right thing.

Ancient Greek philosophy is dominated by two philosophers. These men are called the fathers of philosophy. Both were crucial in the development of western and middle eastern thought for the last two thousand years. Their reach includes, mathematics, philosophy, ethics, politics, aesthics and many more.

Plato points to the sky – highlighting his concern with the metaphysical realm that can only be discovered through philosophical investigation. Aristotle points to the ground – highlighting his concern with the physical realm that can be discovered through science. Metaphysical – the realm beyond the physical. The TRUE reality.

Aristotle’s science shaped his ethics. “Good” he said can also be defined in terms of either; outcome (teleological) or motive where the reasons for the action define its being good or otherwise) deontological Teleological Right action/ person

For Aristotle something is “Good” if it fulfils its purpose. A good knife is one which is sharp and which cuts well. What type of theory does this make virtue ethics? this is based on his idea of CAUSE and PURPOSE Unique ?

Aristotle posited four causes for anything and everything. EFFICIENT CAUSE – the agent that brings something about. The carpenter MATERIAL CAUSE – the matter from which the thing is made from. The wood of a chair. FORMAL CAUSE – the kind of thing that something is. The chair shape. FINAL CAUSE – the goal or purpose that a thing moves towards. To sit on

Because everything has a final cause it is possible to tell what is “good” by looking at what the purpose of a thing is. It is good because we have achieved the final purpose. Aristotle believed the final purpose of a person was eudaimonia Good for Aristotle therefore, is anything that helps a person achieve eudaimonia. This is the basis for roman catholic morality and the key ethical theory of NATURAL LAW What’s that then?