Virtue Ethics Notes

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What is virtue theory?

Virtue theory is principall concerned with the idea of human charcter and asks how ou can be a better person

Virtue theor is interested in defining good people and the qualities that make them good

Utiliarians= right behaviour before right charcter

Virtue theory= right charcter comes before good behaviour

Less concerned with the process of how to be a moral person and more concerned with the charcter of the moral agent

once you have become a moral person, you will know the right thing to do

Aristotle

Argues that whenever we do something we do it to achieve an end and that is ultimately the chief good.

Eudamonia is the goal that everyone should persue and it is persued for itself not some other good.

its is not a means to an end but the end itself.

moral virtues but in excess they can fall between two vices, excess and difeciency.

i.e. courage, too much= rash and not enough= coward

all can develop these virtues but only some do so, we must control our emotions and behaviour toward tothers in different situations

Aritstole belived that virtuous behaviour could become a habit and at the same time behaving virtuously because it is right.

Every ation is directed toward an aim and there are superior and subordinate aims.

EXAMPLE: Getting up in the morning is a suboridinate aim to earning a living.

ultimately everything is a subordinate aim to the supreme good which is happiness.

happiness can be: pleasure, honour and contemplation (philosophers- the best out of the ahppiness tings)

Supreme happiness (Eudaminia) is one for the community not just the individual. Virtues are understood my communities.

4 virtues then become cardinal virtues (christian writing) :temperence, prudence, justice and fortitude.

they are needed for one another, no good in knowing what is good and what to do to make that goodness come about but I may need to resit being tempted by other pleasures to see that goodnes

EXAMPLE: 'the road to hell paved with good intentions'.

LAter then adopted in christian catholic writing as the seven cardinal vices where 5 were found in aristaoles work

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