2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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 ?

11. 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

12. 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?

13. Virtue theory clearly has a focus different from teleological and deontological ethics. What virtue theory brings is a focus on human growth rather than a focus on legislation and judiciary of morality, the focus on what is right and wrong. It is concerned with how people can become moral, rather than what is moral and immoral.

14. Rather than thinking of morality in terms of processes and consequences, systems and principles, it is focused on the character of the human being and has been very important in education. It considers the moral project as one which is about the development of human beings rather than simply the legislation or valuation of moral conduct.

15. Other theories may judge actions or choices, but they do not offer suggestions about how people may become better at being good. Perhaps virtue theory needs deontological ethics as well? ‘In are virtues no more than dispositions to obey moral rules?’ Walter Schaller 1990 argues that moral virtues have only instrumental or derivative value’.

16. This means that virtues are not good in themselves. Virtues are good because they cause good things in society. Aristotle would say that virtues are good qualities in themselves. They are praised by society that give the person moral worth. The specific virtue is relative, but virtues in an abstract sense are good. Without them (whatever they are) a person is meaningless.

17. 1.Non-normative 2.Culturally relative 3.Liberal 4.Humanistic 5.Fits in with religion

18. Virtue theory is non-normative. It does not give a prescriptive rule of laws that you should follow. This gives more freedom to the individual and the agent is in complete control of their own morality. People are able to create their own laws for living. Rather than looking for rules it looks at what it is to be human.

19. This freedom is essential for a person to flourish. Without being able to choose what to do and take control of their own lives a person cannot exercise the intellectual virtues and cannot become moral. It is for a person to make the choice to find the right thing to do.

20. Aristotle said that virtues are culturally relative. Virtues are specific to a culture and one set of virtues may not fit correctly with another culture. This means that no one culture is superior to another – all cultures are morally equivalent.

21. This is beneficial for our society because it means that any society in the world can use virtue ethics. They just need to identify their goals for themselves and work out the correct virtues. Examples: can you think of a virtue that is relevant for us today?