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• Virtue ethics


  An approach to ethics that emphasizes the virtues or moral character, rather than duties or rules (deontology) or the consequences of actions (consequentialism)
• Virtue ethics has origins from Aristotle to the 21st century
• Why should I be moral?

  Because of my character!
• Confucianism


  A philosophy emphasizing personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity
• Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and politician
• Confucius is widely considered as one of the most important and influential individuals in shaping human history
• Confucius's primary goal


  Order, harmony, peace, & happiness in this life here on earth
• Confucius had only a secondary interest in "transcendental" salvation
• Confucian principles


  • Strong family loyalty
  • Ancestor veneration
  • Respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives
  • The Golden Rule ("Do unto others what you want done to yourself")
• The "four beginnings"


  The seeds of human personality that will naturally unfold to become human activities
• The four beginnings


  • Feeling of Commiseration (the beginning of humanity)
  • Feeling of Shame and Dislike (the beginning of righteousness)
  • Feeling of Deference and Compliance (the beginning of Propriety)
  • Feeling of Right and Wrong (the beginning of wisdom)
• Junzi


  The ideal of the Superior (self-actualized, virtuous, perfected) Person as opposed to the Xiaoren or unrealized, petty, non virtuous person
• Ren (jen)


  Virtue, the positive formulation of the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you), and the negative formulation of the Silver Rule (do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you)
• Yi


  Righteousness, just and appropriate conduct - an objective, absolute, and unconditional moral obligation on all of us to work for universal human well-being, the common good, the general welfare
• Li


  Propriety (proper conduct), including the Rectification of Names (proper use of language) and the Doctrine of the Mean (maintaining balance and harmony)
• The Five Constant Relationships


  • Parent-child
  • Husband-wife
  • Elder sibling-younger sibling
  • Elder friend-younger friend
  • Ruler-subject
• Filial Piety (Xiao, Hsiao)


  Devotion to & reverence for parents & family, the foundation of a well-ordered & civilized society
• Religious Propriety


  Proper practice of traditional rites such as worship of God, veneration of ancestors, Heaven, Earth, spirits, and observance of funeral services & sacrifices in honor of parents
• Wen


  The importance of culture in the creation & maintenance of a well-ordered society, including studying & learning, and the arts - especially music
• Te


  The union of power & virtue, the characteristics of a good ruler (or civil servant): moral goodness, rationality, moderation, benevolence
• Aretology


  Strength-centred ethics that emphasizes virtues (strengths) and vices (weaknesses) of character, asking "What kind of person should I be?" rather than "What should I do?"
• Socrates was the founder of ethical philosophy, trying to help his students develop ideas through question/answer discussion
• Plato's view


  Virtue was the courage to uphold the good despite public opinion, doing something for "the greater good" despite punishment or ridicule
• Aristotle's Golden Mean


  Correct behavior can be found between extremes, with virtues being the middle ground between vices of deficiency and excess
• Aristotle's Ethics


  The Nicomachean Ethics, distinguishing between continent persons (do what is right but not necessarily because they want to) and temperate persons (do what is right because they want to)
• Eudaimonia


  Aristotle's concept of the goal of human existence - flourishing, happiness, a lifelong pursuit accomplished rationally through theoretical wisdom and contemplation, and functionally through practical wisdom and politics
• Aristotle's intellectual virtues


  • Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence
• Aristotle's moral virtues

  • Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance
• The Doctrine of the Mean

  Proper position between two extremes, not an arithmetic median but relative to the individual and the situation
• Virtues are defined and lived in community, with the importance of moral exemplars and the need to practice virtues through habit
• Anscombe's view


  The idea of a moral law without a lawgiver is incoherent, so we should return to the virtues
• MacIntyre's view


  Modern moral philosophy is bankrupt, it must recover the tradition of virtue and the importance of narrative as a "live tradition"
• Foot's view


  Ethics should not be about dry theorising, but about making the world a better place, with virtue contributing to the good life
• Hursthouse's view


  We acquire virtues individually and so flourish, but we do so together and not at each other's expense
• Gilligan's view


  The kinds of virtues one honors depend on the power brokers of one's society, with the 'ethics of care' being important
• Slote's view


  The moral rightness of acts is based on the virtuous motives or characters of the agent, with the motives being all important
• Nussbaum's view


  Justice, temperance, generosity etc. are essential to human flourishing in all societies and in all times, with a relativist approach being incompatible with Aristotle's virtue theory
• The strengths of virtue ethics include the importance of the person, motive, heart, and conscience, the connection to community, and the realization that morality is a long-term process
• The weaknesses of virtue ethics include the dependence on strong communities, the difficulty in applying it to ethical issues or giving practical solutions, the time it demands, and the potential for it to be taken as situational ethics
• What are the main components involved in accounting for labor?

  Recording time worked, analyzing employees' time, allocating factory labor costs, and preparing payroll