Virtue Theory

ARISTOTLE'S VIRTUE THEORY

• Virtue theory has an agent centred approach to ethical decision making, this means that the person makes the action right or wrong not the intention or outcome. Virtue theory isn't deontological because it is not about following rules and it isn't a consequentialist theory because it is not about the consequences of an action.
• Virtue theory is relative; it's very flexible.
• It was the Greek Philosopher Plato who first mentioned the virtues, however Aristotle developed this theory in his book 'Niomachean Ethics.'
• Aristotle said that if we all develop our virtues, we can develop our moral characters to achieve a flourishing society (polis.) The purpose of develop our moral characters is to reach eudaimonia, Aristotle said that only free men can achieve this.

THE VIRTUES

• Aristotle argued that having 12 moral virtues to develop helps you become a moral person. Each society can choose their own virtues. Aristotle recommended using 'The Doctrine of The Mean' which is the perfect balance of the virtues. The Golden Mean is the perfect balance of the virtues, deficiency is not enough and excess is too much. For each virtue we need to find the golden mean.
• An example of this is:
• Deficiency: Cowardice
• Golden Mean: Courage
• Excess: Rash
• There are three types of virtues that we need to work on:
• Practical/Moral: These are the virtues that you can practice to develop your moral character - kindness, friendship
• Intellectual: You're born with these virtues, but you can develop them through reflection - wisdom, common sense
• Cardinal: These are the fundamental virtues that you have to cultivate - temperance, prudence, courage and justice

THE ANALOGY OF THE SHIP

• Aristotle used the analogy of the ship to show how a model society should be. He said that society was a ship on a journey to eudaimonia; he split the people up into sections to show how this works:
• Philosophers: Every ship needs navigators, and the philosophers act this way by training and teaching everyone else.
• Continent people: These people are capable of choosing the right thing to do and need little training to become moral.
• Incontinent people: These people usually choose vice over virtue so need the help of philosophers to train them
• Vicious people: These people will always choose vice no matter how much training they get.
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