1. From Aristotle to the 21st century
VIRTUE ETHICS
From Aristotle
to the 21st century

2. The Goal of Human Existence
Eudaimonia
Flourishing, Happiness
A Lifelong Pursuit, accomplished
Rationally, through theoretical wisdom and contemplation
Functionally, through practical wisdom and politics

3. The Goal of Human Existence & Eudaimonia
Aimed at the “perfect happiness” which is the perfect activity
An excellence in any activity in accordance with the nature of that activity
Thus, “Human happiness is the activity of the soul in accordance with perfect virtue (excellence).”

4. The Virtues Intellectual Virtues Moral Virtues
Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence
Taught through instruction
Moral Virtues
Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance
The result of habit
Not natural or inborn but acquired through practice
Habit or disposition of the soul (our fundamental character) which involves both feeling and action
“Those strengths of character that enable us to flourish” (Hinman)

5. The Virtues
Defined / understood in terms of spheres of human experience
Fear of important damages
Courage
Bodily appetites and their pleasures
Moderation
Distribution of limited resources
Justice
Attitude to slights and damages
Mildness of Temper
Adapted from Martha C. Nussbaum, “Non-Relative Virtues”

6. The Doctrine of the Mean
Proper position between two extremes
Vice of excess
Vice of deficiency
Not an arithmetic median
Relative to us and not the thing
Not the same for all of us, or
Any of us, at various occasions
“In this way, then, every knowledgeable person avoids excess and deficiency, but looks for the mean and chooses it”

7. The Mean

8. Virtues and the Mean Defined through Reason
Education, contemplation, reflection
Balanced with Other Virtues:
To have any single strength of character in full measure, a person must have the other ones as well.
Courage without good judgement is blind
Courage without perseverance is short-lived
Courage without a clear sense of your own abilities is foolhardy
“The virtuous person has practical wisdom, the ability to know when and how best to apply these various moral perspectives.”

9. Virtues and Community Virtues are defined and lived in community
Sharing a common identity and story
Modelling the Virtues
Importance of Moral Exemplars (Saints and Heroes)
Practicing the Virtues – Habit is Crucial!
Reinforcing the Virtues

10. What makes one group virtuous and not another?
Inner-City Gangs
Common values
Models
“Virtuous” actions
Codes of honor

11. Ku Klux Klan? Focused Live tradition Stories and Models Common enemy
“The family is the strength of our nation.”

12. The Christian Church?
The Taliban?
The Scouting Movement?
Your school?
Your friends?

13. Are the virtues the same for everyone?
People are very different.
But we face the same basic problems and have the same basic needs.
Everyone needs courage as danger can always arise.
Some people are less well off, so we will need generosity.
Everyone needs friends so we need loyalty.

14. Strengths of Virtue Ethics:
Importance of the Person, Motive, Heart, Conscience
Connection to Community
Realization that morality is not defined by moments but by a long-term process
Allowance for gray areas, varying contexts, different levels of moral maturity and life contexts

15. Weaknesses of Virtue Ethics:
Dependence on strong communities
Not easily applied to ethical issues or to give us practical solutions
Demands time
Can be turned into a really poor duty- based ethics
Might be taken as situational ethics

16. Group Question
You are driving down the icy highway, and the person a few hundred feet in front of you spins out of control, hitting other cars and finally going off the highway. The car rolls a couple of times before it lands upside down in the ditch. Traffic comes to a halt, and you are in the vehicle closest to the wreck. You notice that there is no movement from the car. You smell gasoline and notice that there is a spark or two coming from the overturned car’s engine.
1. According virtue ethics, how should you act in this situation? Explain/Justify your answer using terms such as the golden mean.
2. Knowing your own personality and behavior, how would you probably act? Did you get the same answer?