Aristotle

1
Aristotle

• Human beings have a function
• Performing that function well (with virtue) is
  happiness
• Happiness is an activity of the soul in accord
  with virtue
• Practical virtues are habits
• The virtues are the mean between extremes

2

• Aristotle focuses on the question of what makes a
  good person.
• Actions are going be good or right if they are
  the actions that a good or virtuous person does
• A virtuous person is inclined to act virtuously.
  They want to act in accord with the mean

3
Kant

• The only thing good in an unqualifed way is a
  good will
• Virtues are not good in an unqualified way
  because they can be used for bad purposes, e.g.
  the cool calculating villain.

4
Acting from duty vs. acting in accord with duty

• An action is in accord with duty if it is the
  right thing to do.
• An action is done from duty if it is done because
  it is the right thing to do
• Actions done from inclination are not done from
  duty

5
Categorical imperative

• Hypothetical imperatives are conditional
  Example stop smoking because you want to avoid
  cancer
• Categorical imperatives are not conditional.
• Moral duties are those actions that are in
  keeping with the categorical imperative.

6
The principle of universalizability

• An action will be the right thing to do if you
  can (1) conceive of everyone acting the way you
  are acting and (2) will that everyone act in the
  same way as you do.
• Examples pp. 53-54

7
Second formulation of the categorical imperative

• Treat other people not merely as a means, but
  also as an end.
• We always use other people, but Kant thinks its
  wrong to treat other people just as instruments,
  as things to be used for other purposes.

8
Kant and Aristotle

• Kant takes as fundamental the notion of dutythe
  right action done from a respect for the moral
  law. A good person will be one who acts this way
  (from duty)
• Aristotle thinks a good person will do the right
  thing from inclination. They will want to be
  virtuous. For Aristotle what is fundamental is
  what makes a person virtuous, not what makes a
  particular action right