Transcript Ethics - Check Out Philosophy

Virtue Ethics
What duty do we have
to assist others in need?
Ethics of Care:
Perspective on moral
issues that emphasizes
close personal
relationships and moral
virtues such as
compassion, love, and
sympathy.
Virtue Ethics
What duty do
we have to
ourselves?
Virtue Ethics

Consequentialist &
nonconsequentialist
moral theories are
concerned with
action, and attempt to
answer the question,
“What should I do?”
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics, by
contrast,
attempts to
answer the
question, “What
should I be?”
Virtue Ethics
Ethical theory that see the
primary focus of ethics to be
the character of the person
rather than the person’s
actions
Virtue Ethics
Is this hammer a
good hammer?
Is this lawnmower a
good lawnmower?
Virtue Ethics
What attributes or
virtues make this
a good hammer
and good
lawnmower?
Virtue – A trait of
character that is to
be admired
because it is a
component of
excellence
Virtue Ethics
What makes a person a good
person?
Virtue Ethics
What is the
purpose or goal of
our lives?
Happiness
Human Flourishing
Living Well
Living the good life
Human excellence
Virtue Ethics
Cultivation of
virtue is the way
to achieve
human
flourishing
To Aristotle, a virtue is
a stable disposition to
act and feel according
to some ideal or model
of excellence.
It is a deeply
embedded character
trait that can affect
actions in countless
situations.
Virtue Ethics
Aristotle distinguishes
between intellectual and
moral virtues.
Examples of intellectual
virtues.
--Wisdom
--Prudence
--Rationality
Examples of moral
virtues.
--Fairness
--Benevolence
--Honesty
--Loyalty
--Conscientiousness
--Courage
Virtue Ethics
Intellectual
virtues can be
taught, but
moral virtues
come about only
as a result of
habitual
practice.
Virtue Ethics
Moral virtues
occupy what
Aristotle calls
the “Golden
Mean”--a
balance
between two
extremes.
Virtue Ethics
For Aristotle, the
Golden Mean
expresses a
fundamental truth:
the virtuous--and
happy--life is a life
of moderation in
all things.
Virtue Ethics
Which flower is a better flower?
The one that is healthy
The one that flourishes
Why Should I Be Moral?
Because of who
we become