(F)The virtuous life

(F)The virtuous life

1. • Modern Virtue Ethics has its origins in Aristotle’s moral system but it’s very different from his ancient Greek ethical system.

   • • Toda’s V.E. is agent-centered: base on character traits. A moral person is an individual who possesses virtue. YET, ROBERT ADAMS points out virtue can’t be self-contained. Virtuous person has to do something. In order to be morally good, he must do things that reveal his virtue. As Jesus said ‘You will know them by their fruits’ ( Matthew)
     • • The moral agent, in his search for virtue needs examples of people who’ve been virtuous. These people have both the qualities and also have put these ( virtues) into practice. They act as exemplars. They’re not actual templates since V.E. rejects a law-based structure of morality. Moral agent should not follow the example of a virtuous person from the past but learn from the qualities. Moral agent will become more virtuous by admiring. The qualities rub off on the moral agent and he becomes less moral by admiring people whose lives were or are ignoble.
       • • The study of V. people reveals one constant feature – humans are prone to moral weakness. ADAMS uses the term moral frailty. This seems to contradict the Aristotelian basis of virtue as being about certain , strong character traits such as courage.
         • • Moral agents are supposed to be strong-willed and dedicated to virtue. But as Adams points out , life isn’t like that.
           • • Modern psychology shows the human character is complex. A person may be virtuous in one aspect in life but not in another. Adams points out that an important dimension of modern V.E. is the Christian tradition that all human beings are sinners as Paul says ‘ all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’. YET, modern V.E. is keen on the strength of the moral properties needed to become virtuous.

2. • AO2: these traits include kindness, courage, justice and fairness. Yet, it has led some to argue this is sort of wish list that no human being can possess. No human being is able, he argues, to possess all the virtues. It may therefore be questioned whether a virtue shopping list has any value.

3. •AO2: There’s a further danger. The lives of virtuous people ignore the situation they faced. It’s hard, if not impossible to be virtuous in a racist or tyrannical society. It takes a particular strong character t be virtuous in such conditions. In later life, Nelson Mandela found the strength of character to reject violence for virtue. OTHERS: didn’t, yet were they immoral people? V.E can be criticized for not taking into account the moral situation. This is what Adams calls the PRIEST AND THE PLAYBOY FACTOR: the idea that the environment in which a priest lives is more conductive to a virtuous life than that of a playboy.