Virtue Ethics

Jane comes to cheer you up in the hospital in order to fulfill her sense of duty to the notion of friendship and its practices.

Utilitarian thinks this is…..

Ethical Egoist thinks this is….

Kantian thinks this is….

Is Jane a “true friend?”

What does it mean to…..

Have courage vs. be a courageous person.

Behave like a true friend vs. be a true friend.

Do good vs. be good.

Telos

What are people for?

What does it mean “to flourish?” (eudaimonia)

What kinds of lifestyles/behaviors promote human flourishing and what kinds of lifestyles/behaviors diminish human flourishing?

AristotleAll things have “telos” (a design and purpose).

To “actualize” telos is to “flourish.”

The telos of the human being is actualize excellence in living (arête) by acting in accordance to the Golden Mean of moderation.

Aristotle: We “become” by doing:

“By practicing virtue we learn it, just as the builder learns to build...We become just by doing just acts, temperate by temperate acts.”

“It is clear that he who acts must have knowledge, he must choose his act, and his act must proceed from his character. So, just actions are those the just man does.“

Becoming Good

Does performing a good action mean you are a good person?

Does performing good actions make you a good person?

Is becoming morally strong similar to becoming physically strong?

Virtue Ethics (excellence of character)

Are people inherently “good” or do they learn how to be “good?”

Plato (@400 BCE): Compelled to rediscover through contemplation the eternal knowledge of the Good forgotten during the trauma of birth (wisdom).

Since all being comes from the Good, all truth is within (the soul).

Once one discovers the Good, one cannot help but act in accordance with the Good since it is in one’s nature to do so.

Ben Franklin’s 13 Virtues

1. Temperance (food & drink).2. Silence (speak only for benefit).

3. Order (everything in its time & place).

4. Resolution (follow through with intentions).5. Frugality (waste nothing).6. Industry (always do something useful).7. Sincerity (no hurtful deceit; speak justly).8. Justice (do your duty; wrong no one).9. Moderation (avoid excess).10. Cleanliness (body, clothes, habits).11. Tranquility (don’t sweat small stuff).12. Chastity (avoid venery).13. Humility (imitate Jesus & Socrates).

Virtue EthicsWhat kind of person should I/we/they be?

How do we act in order to achieve this?

How do we compel others to act in this way?

What would the virtue ethicist say to the “dumbest” girls to help them bridge the is-ought gap?

What would a virtue ethicist do?

And would the Rule-Utilitarian, Act-Utilitarian, Kantian, Egoist, and Natural Law Theorist do the

same thing for the same reason?