Virtue Ethics
a) Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics.
Virtue ethics is one of the three most popular approaches in normative ethics, the other two being deontological and teleological. Virtue Ethics dates right back to Plato and Aristotle (Aristotle in particular), who was a student of Plato whom went on to be a teacher of Alexander the Great.
Virtue ethics rejects ideas such as moral relativism and situation ethics, as virtue ethics asks how you can be a better person. Not what the right thing to do is. Virtue ethics first started with Aristotle and his ideas of 'Eudaimonia' and the 'Golden Mean'.
Eudaimonia is Aristotle's idea that everybody's aim in life is for a full and happy one. It is happiness, contentment, and fulfilment; it is the highest of good and the best kind of life, because we desire it for its own sake. The idea of this eudaimonistic ethics is that it reverses the relationship between virtue and rightness.
Jeremy Bentham's ideas of utilitarianism would accept the virtue of kindness but only because it is likely to create consequences that would gain him utility. Therefore the virtue is only justified because of its consequence. But in eudaimonist virtue ethics these virtues are acceptable and justified because they create the elements of eudaimonia; such as wellbeing happiness etc. Alasdair MacIntyre looked at writings of the ancient Greeks, and saw the stories of Achillies and Odyessus; which show morality that 'you are what you do'. You don't judge someone on who they are; you judge them on their actions. He argued that other ethical ideas and terminology are too farfetched from ordinary peoples' lives.
Aristotle argued that when we do something, we do it to gain an end and the ultimate end is good. Therefore if practice our virtues we can become happy and live fulfilled lives. There are twelve moral virtues which fall between to vices. Vices are two extremes, for example there is a vice of deficiency for something and a vice of excess. The virtuous mean or 'Golden Mean' is the mid-way point or balance between each vice. Therefore the between Shamelessness (a vice of deficiency) and Bashfulness (a vice of excess), the mid-point of 'Golden Mean' wound be Modesty. Therefore if you don't have enough modesty you would become shameful, and if you have an extreme of modesty, you become bashful. Hence his ideas of the virtues lay between to vices. However, Alasdair MacIntyre explained that many virtues are not a mid-point, as they are good in themselves like; faithfulness, loyalty and compassion. Aristotle believed in two types of virtue, one being intellectual virtue; in which you developed by training and education. Secondly moral virtue; where you acquire them by habit; Rosalind Hursthouse argued that we are not born with moral virtues we have to gain them through habit. Virtuous people are most common amongst adults, as throughout life we learn and pick up habits. Either way we know how virtuous we are depending on how we respond to situations, by acting virtuously and doing virtuous things, we become virtuous.
a) Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics.
Virtue ethics is one of the three most popular approaches in normative ethics, the other two being deontological and teleological. Virtue Ethics dates right back to Plato and Aristotle (Aristotle in particular), who was a student of Plato whom went on to be a teacher of Alexander the Great.
Virtue ethics rejects ideas such as moral relativism and situation ethics, as virtue ethics asks how you can be a better person. Not what the right thing to do is. Virtue ethics first started with Aristotle and his ideas of 'Eudaimonia' and the 'Golden Mean'.
Eudaimonia is Aristotle's idea that everybody's aim in life is for a full and happy one. It is happiness, contentment, and fulfilment; it is the highest of good and the best kind of life, because we desire it for its own sake. The idea of this eudaimonistic ethics is that it reverses the relationship between virtue and rightness.
Jeremy Bentham's ideas of utilitarianism would accept the virtue of kindness but only because it is likely to create consequences that would gain him utility. Therefore the virtue is only justified because of its consequence. But in eudaimonist virtue ethics these virtues are acceptable and justified because they create the elements of eudaimonia; such as wellbeing happiness etc. Alasdair MacIntyre looked at writings of the ancient Greeks, and saw the stories of Achillies and Odyessus; which show morality that 'you are what you do'. You don't judge someone on who they are; you judge them on their actions. He argued that other ethical ideas and terminology are too farfetched from ordinary peoples' lives.
Aristotle argued that when we do something, we do it to gain an end and the ultimate end is good. Therefore if practice our virtues we can become happy and live fulfilled lives. There are twelve moral virtues which fall between to vices. Vices are two extremes, for example there is a vice of deficiency for something and a vice of excess. The virtuous mean or 'Golden Mean' is the mid-way point or balance between each vice. Therefore the between Shamelessness (a vice of deficiency) and Bashfulness (a vice of excess), the mid-point of 'Golden Mean' wound be Modesty. Therefore if you don't have enough modesty you would become shameful, and if you have an extreme of modesty, you become bashful. Hence his ideas of the virtues lay between to vices. However, Alasdair MacIntyre explained that many virtues are not a mid-point, as they are good in themselves like; faithfulness, loyalty and compassion. Aristotle believed in two types of virtue, one being intellectual virtue; in which you developed by training and education. Secondly moral virtue; where you acquire them by habit; Rosalind Hursthouse argued that we are not born with moral virtues we have to gain them through habit. Virtuous people are most common amongst adults, as throughout life we learn and pick up habits. Either way we know how virtuous we are depending on how we respond to situations, by acting virtuously and doing virtuous things, we become virtuous.
