Recap Why was vagueness an issue for Virtue Ethics? What responses to this problem did we discuss last lesson? Do the responses work?

Virtue Ethics Vs Moral Rules Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean provides a complex analysis of virtue. It describes how virtuous acts are in a mean between excessive and deficient response, and that this mean is relative to the situation. It describes how the mean response is the right response, leading to the most appropriate behaviour, which may even sometimes entail an extreme responses. Unfortunately this means that, far from offering clear guidance, the doctrine of the mean suggests that every situation is different and there is no single rule, and for some this is too vague.

Applying Virtue Ethics This means that any discussion about applying Aristotelean ethics becomes a debate about what a virtuous person should do with no clear, definite answer. Aristotle says explicitly that the ‘mean’ in each case ‘can be determined by a person of practical wisdom’ (and indeed it’s practical wisdom he thinks leads to the “mean” virtues we’ve listed previously) but it’s difficult to see how this helps us. If no- one we know has sufficiently developed their intellectual virtues – how do we decide what to do? It seems you need to be virtuous – in order to work out what is virtuous!

Recap Why is circularity a problem for Virtue Ethics? How might some philosophers respond to this? Does the response work?

Criticism 2: Circularity Copy this onto your whiteboard (you can abbreviate it if you wish). Aristotle attempts to answer the question ‘what is a virtuous act’ by pointing to virtuous people. In what way is this circular reasoning?

Response Maybe we can use Eudaimonia to avoid the circle? The virtuous person is one who is flourishing, living the good life. Does this solve the problem of circularity?

Does eudaimonia solve the problem? Mackie: NO!

Does VE have an issue with moral dilemmas? Why did Kant have a problem when it came to clashing duties?

Does VE have an issue with moral dilemmas? Axe-murderer style dilemmas not a problem Virtues can be in the extreme! In this case a deficiency of honesty and an excess of loyalty / justice is appropriate But what about cases where two or more virtues seem to clash?

Euthanasia Virtues of charity and love that may lead us to end someone's life. Virtues of justice that might prevent us from ever taking a life.

Criticism 3 – Competing virtues There are some moral dilemmas where there is more than one virtuous thing we could do. In some situations both options also have negative consequences. Virtue ethics provides no way to choose what the right thing to do in these situations is.

Response: Hursthouse: Moral dilemmas are genuinely difficult – no easy answer Either course of action has a ‘moral remainder’ – an emotional impact that reminds you of the hard decision you made. This is significant for the agent, even life changing A strength of V. E. is that it acknowledges this.

5 minutes Summarise this final criticism and explain the response Hursthouse gives. Do you agree with her answer?

Quick Recap Summarise the criticisms of Virtue Ethics we’ve discussed on your whiteboards in 30 words or less for each. Rank them in order of effectiveness – which one do you think causes the most issues for VE? Which one causes the least? Be ready to explain why.

Revision Recap Complete the VE revision sheet covering all the key AO1 information we’ve been through in this topic. If you complete it, add a spider diagram showing the strengths / weaknesses to the back.