applications

• theft:

  • VE response: prohibited
  • HOWEVER, there is the question of whether it would be allowed in a modern context
  • theft is always a base act - it is impossible for it to be correct, “one is always in error”
  • Aristotle is even more hardline than Aquinas - Aquinas permits in the case of a starving man; we cannot ask Aristotle if he would forbid stealing in this context
  • virtue of justice includes an aspect of fairness e.g. distribution of gain + loss between two people, where the loss has occurred through theft; therefore forbids theft
• lying: (pt1)

  • VE response: unclear
  • virtues of honesty, truthfulness, courage + justice → seem to forbid lying + lying can more easily become habitual
  • HOWEVER: truthfulness is about how you present yourself in the context of socialising with others, so the mean is neither to exaggerate nor underrate yourself
  • truthfulness = synergy of different virtues: honesty, courage, temperance, high-mindedness, friendliness + just resentment
• lying: (pt2)

  example: mad axe man turns up to your house looking for your friend who is hiding in your house: you tell him you don’t know where he is

  • virtues of friendship, loyalty + honour you should show your friend
  • justified in telling a lie if you are truthful + honest, lying becomes the mean
• embryo research:

  • VE response: permitted
  • offers opportunity to increase human well-being + develop virtues of courage + vision
  • similarly to situation ethics, VE has a focus on ‘actual’ persons over ‘potential’ persons - key virtue of compassion: focus on those whose well-being is destroyed by disease
• designer babies:

  • VE response: prohibited
  • individuals could be bred for specific character traits e.g. excessive aggression in a soldier - character traits of potential humans in the future may not match Aristotle's understanding of the mean
• abortion: (pt1)

  • VE response: unclear
  • Aristotle = if parents have too many children, abortion should be brought about “before sense + life have begun”: 14 days, ‘potential’ babies
  • abortion is a matter for the rules of the city-state
• abortion: (pt2)

  Rosalind Hursthouse suggestions:

  • nothing to do with rules or rights: acting within rights ≠ acting virtuously
  • nothing to do with whether the foetus is a person: we know too little biologically to be sure of its status
  • reasons for abortion should not be trivial e.g. worrying about appearance, giving up job
  • virtuous woman traits = e.g. “strength, independence, responsibility”
• voluntary euthanasia; assisted suicide:

  • VE response: unclear
  • if a person is in a state where they can no longer achieve eudaimonia, further living would seem pointless - may be accepted as the courageous option
  • sometimes enduring pain might be equally courageous
  • Aristotle regards murder as an “action that can never be justified”; suicide is a cowardly act, going against the virtue of courage + also goes against the virtue of justice as it deprives society of useful citizens
• voluntary euthanasia (pt2)

  example: case of ‘Amour’

  • follows an elderly couple; wife suffers 2 strokes - paralysed, can’t talk, severe dementia; both are going through immense suffering
  • she says she wishes to die; husband kills her
  • competing virtues = virtue of love [killing her is not murder + is granting her wish for death]; virtue of justice [not killing her + sharing the pain]
• capital punishment: (pt1)

  • VE response: unclear
  • Aristotle never mentioned capital punishment, it was the norm in his time
  • virtue of justice - altruistic so interests of society need to be considered - execution of murderers may be justified on the grounds that they pose a threat to the security of society
  • justice requires people to possess many of the other virtues e.g. courage + temperance
• capital punishment: (pt2)

  • aspect of Aristotle’s understanding of justice is concerned with putting things right when a loss had occurred as a result of unfair dealing - so he might’ve viewed death penalty as the most appropriate way of restoring the balance required by justice
  • Aristotle might also have taken into account the motivation behind particular acts of murder - callous acts motivated by greed = demand restoration of justice through the ultimate punishment
• use of animals for food; intensive farming: (pt1)

  • VE response: prohibited - in a MODERN context
  • hierarchy of souls - Aristotle himself would’ve had no ethical problem with eating meat
  • generally unclear how Aristotle would have reacted to the modern methods of intensive farming
• use of animals for food; intensive farming: (pt2)

  • consideration of virtue of compassion: compassion cannot be compartmentalised to talk JUST about humans - you are either a compassionate person or not - factory farming animals is not remotely compassionate (drugging of chickens to encourage abnormal growth, rendering them immobile; cruel discarding of male chicks through suffocation)
• use of animals for food; intensive farming: (pt3)

  • intensive farming also has a focus on profit despite the cruel measures: vice of greed
  • meat production perpetuates the problem of global hunger: unjust
  • therefore, in a modern context, virtue ethics would discourage this
• use of animals in scientific procedures [animal testing]; cloning: (pt1)

  • VE response: permitted - Aristotle considered it compatible with being a virtuous person, however there are many objections
  • Aristotle himself used animals in his scientific research - would’ve regarded such procedures as compatible with a virtuous character
  • unique characteristic in humans = reason - using animals in scientific procedures extends our intellect = increases our knowledge = virtuous
• use of animals in scientific procedures [animal testing]; cloning: (pt2)

  • benefits include the ability to develop drugs to control diseases e.g. HIV; same with animal cloning - has the potential to improve health for both
  • compassion directed towards humans may suggest using animals for such research is morally good
• use of animals in scientific procedures [animal testing]; cloning: (pt3)

  • HOWEVER: big objection = animal pain is not always properly controlled - can lead to researchers being cruel; a person of good character would at least insist control of pain: minimum requirement of compassion that should be felt for animal suffering as well as for human beneficiaries of research
  • others would feel animal testing = not compassionate at all; no animal consent; alternative technologies exist that are at least as effective as the use of research on animals
• use of animals in scientific procedures [animal testing]; cloning: (pt4)

  • Rosalind Hursthouse = animal testing is unnecessary - the benefits are out of proportion to the suffering they cause
• blood sports:

  • VE response: prohibited
  • difficult to find arguments against blood sports in Aristotle’s writing as hunting was a common Greek pastime + source of food
  • participation in modern blood sports suggests some lack of consideration for humans as well as animals - could give negative outlook on those taking part
  • virtue of temperance → experiencing pleasure at the expense of others is not conductive to developing good character
• blood sports: (pt2)

  • some argue it shows the vice of callousness (Rosalind Hursthouse)
  • others argue they are courageous e.g. matador facing enraged bull (Roger Scruton) → HOWEVER: this is REASONED courage: matador aware of risks + likely outcome of death of bull
  • there are many sports that are courageous e.g. mountain climbing, karate - none of which involve being callous to animals
  • showing REASONED courage by killing or maiming animals in blood sports would seem more callous than courageous
• animals as a source of organs for transplants:

  • VE response: permitted - again there is debate surrounding this but the same arguments are used to support
  • compassion shown to humans who survive through organ transplants; Aristotle’s approval of scientific research; emphasis on development of useful knowledge
  • HOWEVER: virtue of concern for humans is outweighed by the callousness towards animals + those who oppose it