Aristotelian virtue ethics

• Eudaimonia


  Greek word for happiness or flourishing, the supreme good we should all be striving for.
• The good for human beings


  P1: Everything we do is aimed at some good.

  P2: Each good is also done for the sake of some higher good.

  P3: This cannot go on forever.

  C: Therefore there must be some ultimate good, which everything we do is aimed towards.
• The function argument (part one)


  P1: Every type of person has a distinct function in society, and every part of the body has a distinctive function.

  P2: Therefore human beings must also have a distinctive function.

  P3: Our function cannot be growth (shared with plants), or sentience (shared with animals).

  P4: Being guided by reason is distinctive to humans.

  C: Therefore our function is to live guided by reason.
• The function argument (part two)


  P5: X is good if it fulfills its function well.

  P6: X fulfills its function well if it has the right qualities (virtues).

  P7: Therefore a good human is someone with the right virtues that enable them to live well guided by reason.

  C: Therefore eudaimonia is reached by someone with the right virtues which enable them to live well guided by reason.
• The role of education in the development of moral character

  • Virtue is not innate
  • Character traits are developed over time through learning them as children as practicing them as adults.
  • However being virtuous is more than just a mindless habit since it requires reasoning when we act.
• The skill analogy

  • Aristotle compares developing a virtue with learning a new skill.
  • Both require observation, guidance and practice.
• The doctrine of the mean

  • Virtue lies in between displaying too much and too little of a particular feeling.
  • E.g. courage is the mean between rashness and cowardice.
  • A genuinely courageous person knows when to be brave, when to run away and when to be bold.
  • The mean is relative to the individual and may sometimes be extreme.
• Moral responsibility for voluntary actions

  • Voluntary actions are the only type of action that develop our character and virutes.
  • We bear full responsibility for them.
• Moral responsibility for non-voluntary actions

  • We have no moral responsibility for these acts as they were done out of ignorance.
  • However we can receive praise or blame for our reactions afterwards.
• Moral responsibility for involuntary acts

  • We have no responsibility for straightforward acts done under compulsion.
  • We can be blamed or praised for mixed acts, but the circumstances should be taken into account.
• The role of practical wisdom

  • Practical reasoning skills include the ability to deliberate, understanding situations and cleverness to accomplish our choices.
  • Practical wisdom is not possible without excellence of character.
  • We develop practical reasoning to reach eudaimonia.
• Does virtue ethics give sufficiently clear guidance about how to act

  • Unlike utilitarianism and Kantian ethics, Aristotle's theory does not set out clear rules.
  • Aristotle himself admitted knowing what we need to do is very difficult.
• Clashing and competing virtues

  • For any situation there are multiple responses we could have, and possibly more than one virtuous response.
  • For example if an axemurderer knocks on the door demanding to know the location of your friend you could either display the virtue of honesty and tell the truth about where they are or display the virtue of kindness by lying to the axemurderer to prevent them from injuring anyone.
  • The theory does not give clear guidance about which virtues to prioritise in complex moral dilemmas.
• Circularity

  • Aristotle defines a virtuous act as an act done by a virtuous person.
  • A virtuous person is defined as someone who habitually performs virtuous acts.
  • These circular definitions are problematic because they do not explain the nature of virtuous acts and virtuous people.
• Does a trait have to contribute to eudaimonia in order to be a virtue?

  • Aristotle believes all virtues contribute to eudaimonia.
  • However there are many virtuous people who do not seem to reach eudaimonia.
  • For example a young medic working tirelessly in a warzone to try and save lives who does not find their work rewarding.
  • Sometimes being virtuous causes us to sacrifice our well-being so virtues do not always contribute to the eudaimonia of the person who has them.
• The individual and the moral good.

  • Eudaimonia focuses on individually flourishing making it seem very self-centered.
  • Russell highlights that the some of character traits Aristotle admired such as pride may make others feel uncomfortable.
• Virtue ethics on stealing

  • In 'The Ethics' Aristotle says that stealing is never an appropriate course of action and we should use our practical reasoning to come up with alternative means to the same end.
  • However some virtue ethicists may allow stealing with the right intentions as long as it doesn't develop into a habit.
• Virtue ethics on simulated killing

  • Aristotle believed Greek tragedies had a purifying and cathartic effect on the audience as feeling emotions through other characters helps us cope with them in real life.
  • However, simulated killing may cultivate the wrong sort of character and waste time which could be spent on developing virtues.
• Virtue ethics on eating animals

  • Aristotle believed in a natural hierarchy of living things where the purpose of lower down beings such as animals was to serve those higher up.
  • However eating animals does not display the virtue of compassion and the farming industry displays the vice of greed.
• Virtue ethics on telling lies

  • Aristotle focused on being truthful about oneself and believed we must use practical wisdom to judge whether lying is appropriate.
  • However honesty is a key virtue which we must try to develop.