Virtue Ethics

• Virtue is a term which is equivalent to the Greek word arete which means excellence.
• Human excellence in ancient Greek philosophy did not include moral

  virtues.
• The achievement of happiness is the end goal of human life.
• Virtue ethics is defined as a person-based ethics which looks at the moral character of the person carrying out a particular action.
• It is necessary for virtue ethics to focus on helping people become good members of society.
• Virtue ethics does not focus on following rules but the development of good traits which will help the person make decisions in life.
• One of the advocates of virtue ethics was Plato. In the Republic, he discussed key virtues, namely, wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice.
• Aristotle came up with the first description of virtue ethics in his book

  Nichomachean Ethics. Aristotle believed that when people have good character traits, they can also control and manage their emotions.
• Aristotle and Plato are considered virtue ethicists.
• Plato was influenced by his teacher, Socrates, in conceptualizing virtues. Plato emphasized the necessity of virtues to achieve happiness.
• “To know the good is to do the good.” if one is wise, all the other virtues will follow. This is Plato’s virtue of wisdom.
• Aristotle was not contented with jut knowing what is good. Aristotle

  believed that an individual needs to practice virtue to be really virtuous.
• Wisdom for aristotle was just a way of acquiring the virtues.
• Aristotle was not in favor of the unity of virtues; it does not follow that if one is virtuous, the individual will achieve happiness.
• Virtue ethics helps shape the individual’s character.