Virtue Ethics. Return to Virtue The moral vacuity of duty-following The moral vacuity of duty-following A good person should want to do the right thing.

Virtue EthicsVirtue Ethics

Return to VirtueReturn to Virtue

The moral vacuity of duty-followingThe moral vacuity of duty-following

A good person should want to A good person should want to do the right thing not do the right thing not just do just do their dutytheir duty

The need to motivate moral actionThe need to motivate moral action

Why should we care about doing Why should we care about doing our duty?our duty?

What is Virtue EthicsWhat is Virtue Ethics

The important thing is to The important thing is to be a good be a good personperson

(as opposed to doing the right thing (as opposed to doing the right thing or achieving a good outcome)or achieving a good outcome)

A virtue ethics is interested in A virtue ethics is interested in finding the characteristics that make finding the characteristics that make someone a good personsomeone a good person

EndsEnds

Every action has a goalEvery action has a goal““Every skill and every inquiry, and similarly Every skill and every inquiry, and similarly every action and rational choice, is thought to every action and rational choice, is thought to aim at some good; and so the good has been aim at some good; and so the good has been aptly described as that at which everything aptly described as that at which everything aims.” aims.”

(1094a)(1094a)

EndsEnds

Every action has a goalEvery action has a goal A hierarchy existsA hierarchy exists

Eg.Eg. Bridle-maker < bridles < Bridle-maker < bridles < horsemanship < warhorsemanship < war

Most ends are Most ends are instrumentalinstrumental Some (one) ends are Some (one) ends are finalfinal

EndsEnds

There is one goal for all actionsThere is one goal for all actions““So if what is done has some end that we want So if what is done has some end that we want for its own sake, and everything else we want is for its own sake, and everything else we want is for the sake of this end; and if we do not choose for the sake of this end; and if we do not choose everything for the sake of something else everything for the sake of something else (because this would lead to an infinite (because this would lead to an infinite progression, making our desire fruitless and progression, making our desire fruitless and vain), then clearly this will be the good, indeed vain), then clearly this will be the good, indeed the chief good.” the chief good.”

(1094a)(1094a)

EndsEnds

There is one goal for all actionsThere is one goal for all actions Aristotle can’t prove this, but he Aristotle can’t prove this, but he

believes it believes it He has a candidate final endHe has a candidate final end

EudaimoniaEudaimonia

‘‘Happiness’ is the one goal for all Happiness’ is the one goal for all actionsactions

an overall-condition of a person’s lifean overall-condition of a person’s life Not a mental stateNot a mental state

1.1. The end for which everything is The end for which everything is pursuedpursued

2.2. unconditionally completeunconditionally complete

3.3. self-sufficientself-sufficient

EudaimoniaEudaimonia

Justified in terms of our characteristic Justified in terms of our characteristic activityactivity““But perhaps saying that happiness is the chief good But perhaps saying that happiness is the chief good sounds rather platitudinous, and one might want its sounds rather platitudinous, and one might want its nature to be specified still more clearly. It is possible nature to be specified still more clearly. It is possible that we might achieve that if we grasp the that we might achieve that if we grasp the characteristic activity of a human being. For just as characteristic activity of a human being. For just as the good – the doing well – of a flute-player, a sculptor the good – the doing well – of a flute-player, a sculptor or any practitioner of a skill, or generally whatever has or any practitioner of a skill, or generally whatever has some characteristic activity or action, is thought to lie some characteristic activity or action, is thought to lie in its characteristic activity, so the same would seem in its characteristic activity, so the same would seem to be true of a human being, if indeed he has a to be true of a human being, if indeed he has a characteristic activity.”characteristic activity.”

EudaimoniaEudaimonia

Justified in terms of our characteristic Justified in terms of our characteristic activityactivity

Our capacity to reason sets us apart from Our capacity to reason sets us apart from all other species.all other species.

So our characteristic activity (So our characteristic activity (ergonergon) ) consists in using reason.consists in using reason.

Thus our use of reason is the key to our Thus our use of reason is the key to our distinctive happiness (eudaimonia).distinctive happiness (eudaimonia).

We live a happy (eudaimonic) life only if We live a happy (eudaimonic) life only if we use reason with great skill. we use reason with great skill.

EudaimoniaEudaimonia

Justified in terms of our Justified in terms of our characteristic activitycharacteristic activity

Aristotle’s ideal life - one viewAristotle’s ideal life - one view Ends by telling us that the best kind of life Ends by telling us that the best kind of life

is the life of contemplation.is the life of contemplation. Not many people think this is so desirableNot many people think this is so desirable It doesn’t match what he tells us elsewhere – It doesn’t match what he tells us elsewhere –

describing a practical and active life.describing a practical and active life.

EudaimoniaEudaimonia

A happy life is a life lived virtuouslyA happy life is a life lived virtuously Happiness requires the excellent Happiness requires the excellent

use of reasonuse of reason Excellence in the use of reason is Excellence in the use of reason is

virtuevirtue Virtues are character traitsVirtues are character traits

VirtuesVirtues

AreteArete ‘‘Excellence’Excellence’ A functionalist conceptA functionalist concept

““For just as the good – the doing well – of a For just as the good – the doing well – of a flute-player, a sculptor or any practitioner of flute-player, a sculptor or any practitioner of a skill, or generally whatever has some a skill, or generally whatever has some characteristic activity or action, is thought to characteristic activity or action, is thought to lie in its characteristic activity, so the same lie in its characteristic activity, so the same would seem to be true of a human being, if would seem to be true of a human being, if indeed he has a characteristic activity.”indeed he has a characteristic activity.”

(1097b)(1097b)

A Virtue: CourageA Virtue: Courage

We all recognise and value courage, but We all recognise and value courage, but there are problemsthere are problems Were the hijackers on 9/11 brave?Were the hijackers on 9/11 brave?

Is someone reckless of all danger Is someone reckless of all danger courageous?courageous?

Bill MaherBill Maher

““[s]taying in the [s]taying in the airplane when it airplane when it hits the building, hits the building, say what you want say what you want about it, it’s not about it, it’s not cowardly.” cowardly.”

The Doctrine of the The Doctrine of the MeanMean

AristotleAristotle

We can experience fear, confidence, desire, We can experience fear, confidence, desire, anger, pity, and generally any kind of pleasure anger, pity, and generally any kind of pleasure and pain either too much or too little, and in and pain either too much or too little, and in either case not properly. But to experience all either case not properly. But to experience all this at the right time, towards the right objects, this at the right time, towards the right objects, toward the right people, for the right reason, toward the right people, for the right reason, and in the right manner – that is the mean and and in the right manner – that is the mean and the best course, the course that is the mark of the best course, the course that is the mark of virtuevirtue

The Doctrine of the The Doctrine of the MeanMean

DeficiencyDeficiency MeanMean ExcessExcess

CowardiceCowardice CourageCourage FoolhardinessFoolhardiness

MiserlinessMiserliness GenerosityGenerosity ProfligacyProfligacy

InsolenceInsolence RespectRespect ObsequiousneObsequiousnessss

CallousnessCallousness CareCare PityPity

ProblemsProblems

Still can’t tell us what is the right Still can’t tell us what is the right thing to dothing to do

No idea how to resolve conflictsNo idea how to resolve conflicts Doesn’t cover enough cases for a Doesn’t cover enough cases for a

moral theorymoral theory