1. Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics
Quick Quiz
Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics

2. Virtue Ethics
Aristotle uses the distinction between intrinsic and instrumental goods to find
a way to combat militarism is ancient Greece.
the best or highest good for humans.
who is a friend and who is an enemy.
inner peace while maintaining the military.
honor without economic failure.

3. Virtue Ethics We seek happiness, according to Aristotle, only
as a means to goodness.
as a means to a virtue-filled life.
as an end, meaning, as a way to escape reincarnation.
for the afterlife, never as an end in this life.
for its own sake, and never as a means to something else.

4. Virtue Ethics
Aristotle says that “the good of an eye is seeing, and the eye is good if it sees well.” He then reasons, by analogy,
we can all see how nature makes things good.
a good human will see, and see well.
a good human will reason, and reason well.
a good human will always use the power of sight for a good cause.
we can test a moral theory only by its unique function.

5. Virtue Ethics Aristotle’s Ethics are called Nichomachean because …
Nichomachea means flourishing
Nichomachea means virtue-filled life
Nichomachis is Aristotle’s home town
Nichomachum is Greek for “good”
Nichomachus compiled Aristotle’s notes

6. Virtue Ethics
Rational animal is a better definition of humans than featherless biped because
‘Featherless biped’ is a mere biological definition
Rationality is better than Featherlessness
Animality is better than bipedalism
It tells you more about what is important to know about humans
It’s not; featherless biped is better (most unique)

7. Virtue Ethics
Aristotle’s view of happiness is weird because he thinks it …
depends on friendship
is an activity, not a condition
belongs to adults, not children
is mysterious to happy people
is a road, not a destination

8. Virtue Ethics For Aristotle, being moral is …
more important than being happy
only important if you value it
only important as a means to happiness
part of happiness, but not the most important part
part of happiness, and the most important part

9. Virtue Ethics
For Aristotle, if you grew up in a crack house, you will need
Proof of what actions are moral
Proof of what actions are immoral
No proof because unhappiness teaches morality
To study something else; proof can’t make up for lack of experience
To study something else; bad people are not fit students of ethics

10. Virtue Ethics Which of these virtues is most important? Temperance
Courage
Prudence
Generosity
Wit

11. Virtue Ethics Moral virtues are: Multi-track dispositions
Established by nature
Habits learned in childhood
Never lost once established
Difficult to retain

12. Virtue Ethics
If you returned that Bee Gees CD to your sister on time, but found it very difficult to do so, you are
Continent
Incontinent
Vicious
Virtuous
Malicious

13. Virtue Ethics
If you tried to return that Bee Gees CD to your sister on time, but failed because “it’s just soooo good!”, you are
Continent
Incontinent
Vicious
Virtuous
Malicious

14. Virtue Ethics Moral virtue is better than intellectual virtue because
It is more god-like
It depends less on “things”
Its pleasure is more constant
It isn’t better; it is too stressful and so involves hardship
It isn’t better; it depends on others and so isn’t self-sufficient

15. Answers 1. Title slide 2. B 3. E 4. C 5. E 6. D 7. B 8. D 9. D 10. C