Ethics

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EthicsThe Basicsby John Mizzoni

• CHAPTER TWO
• VIRTUE ETHICS

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EthicsThe BasicsVIRTUE ETHICS

• Road rageWhat causes it?
• Differences between feelings/emotions and
  behavior/actions.
• Virtue Ethics (sometimes called Character Ethics)
  relates our feelings to our behavior

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EthicsThe BasicsVIRTUE ETHICS

• Virtue ethics is an ethical tradition that
  focuses on
• How emotions relate to actions
• How human beings are able to control their
  emotions
• How human beings are able to gain happiness for
  themselves

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Before Socrates, the earliest known Greek moral
  philosopher, there
  was
  virtue
  ethics.
  

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Important Pre-SocraticsPythagoras, Democritus,
  Heraclitus, Anaxagoras
• Important SophistsProtagoras, Thrasymachus,
  Callicles, Hippias
• The 3 most well-known Greek philosophers agreed
  that answers to questions about ethics depend on
  answers to questions about human nature
• Socratesfounder of ethical studies
• Platoauthor of many ethical dialogues
• Aristotleauthor of Nicomachean Ethics

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Virtue ethics has continued
  from the ancient world to our own
• School and Community Programs
• The Boy Scout Law
• Character Counts!
• The Virtues Project
• Church-sponsored Programs
• School of Virtue (Kids for Jesus)
• Employment Programs
• The Josephson Institute
• Popular Culture
• Adventures from the Book of Virtues

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Virtue ethics addresses all four of the ethical
  problems we are considering. However
• WHAT IS A VIRTUE?
• WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF VIRTUES?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

Examples of Virtues include Examples of Virtues include
Tolerance Generosity Integrity Honesty Kindness Courage/Fortitude Wisdom Cleverness Courtesy Loyalty Prudence Justice Temperance Responsibility Respectfulness Continency/Self-control Chastity Compassion/Caring
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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• A virtue is a trait of character of a person
  that is good for that person to have. (Aristotle,
  337 BCE)
• A moral virtue is a mean between two extremes.
  (Aristotle, 337 BCE)
• This is Aristotles Principle of The Golden Mean

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

The Principle of The Golden Mean A moral virtue is a mean between two extreme vices (the vice of excess and the vice of deficiency).
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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• For example, courage is the mean between
  cowardice (deficiency) and rashness (excess).

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Aristotle was not alone in this idea
• In ancient China, Confucius called one of his
  important teachings The Doctrine of the Mean
• In ancient India, the Buddha called his
  philosophy of life The Middle Way

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Moral excellencea moral virtueconsists in a
  mean state.
• By virtue I mean virtue of character it is
  concerned with feelings and actions.
  (Aristotle, 337 BCE)
• Virtue, then, is a mean, in so far as it aims at
  what is intermediate. (Aristotle, 337 BCE)

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• According to Aristotle, two things are important
  in achieving happiness (eudaemonia) in our lives
  
• how we handle our feelings
• the rational judgment we use in developing our
  virtues

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• In Aristotles thinking, every human being has a
  rational soul
• The rational soul (reason) can help us to control
  our feelings.
• If feelings are well-controlled, virtues develop
  if they are not well-controlled, vices develop.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• For example, temperance is a mean that focuses on
  our desires
• If we let our desires control us, we are
  intemperate
• If we deny our desires entirely, we repress our
  humanity
• Controlling our desires to the correct degree
  leads to excellence
• QUESTIONS?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• The Golden Mean is Not Mathematical
• It is like hitting the bulls-eye in archery
• The Golden Mean is Not Precise
• It is a mean that is relative to us, perhaps even
  to each of us
• Like hitting the sweet spot on a baseball bat
• For Aristotle, ethics is not a precise science,
  it is about living the good life.
• WHAT IS THE GOOD LIFE?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• The Good Life is a life that leads to
  eudaemonia
• happiness
• flourishing
• excellence
• well-being
• self-realization (Abraham Maslow)

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Human Nature for Aristotle
• Humans are rational animals
• Humans are unique animals because of their reason
• Humans are social/political animals
• Humans flourish in groups
• Humans have social origins
• Humans succeed in social pursuits

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• A moral virtue, for Aristotle, is a trait of
  character
• A trait that is not natural to us
• A trait that develops through habit
• A habit is a repeated action
• Practice makes perfect
• Potential ? Repeated actions ? Habit formation ?
  Character

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Thus, Aristotles model of human nature is a
  developmental model
• Humans are born with rational minds (potential)
• Human develop awareness of self
• Humans develop awareness of choice
• There is a time in our lives to train ourselves
  (input phase)
• There is a time in our lives when our character
  flows easily in action (output phase)
• Potential ? Repeated actions ? Habit formation ?
  Character

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Old Testament Scripture supports this
  developmental model
• Train up a child in the way he should
  goinput, and when he is old he will not depart
  from itoutput (Proverbs 225).
• Potential ? Repeated actions ? Habit formation ?
  Character

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• In Aristotles development model, the idea of a
  role model is very important
• One of the natural ways we learn is by copying
  others
• Some role models of virtuous lives
• Jesus (WWJD What Would Jesus Do?)
• Saints (Francis of Assisi, Maria Goretti, Dominic
  Savio)
• Others (Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King
  Jr.)

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Virtues are good for the individual who practices
  them
• Virtues are good for those who have social
  contact with the virtuous person
• Many of the virtues have to do with our dealings
  with others

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• There are two kinds of virtues
• Intellectual virtues can be taught.
• Moral virtues can only be learned through
  habitual practice.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Example of an intellectual virtue
• Knowledge
• Examples of moral virtues
• Prudence
• Justice
• Fortitude
• Temperance

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• The Instruction of Ptahhotep, written 4000 years
  ago, long before Aristotle, recommends the
  following virtues to everyone
• Self-control, moderation, kindness, generosity,
  justice, truthfulness, and discretion

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• In New Testament Scripture, Pauls letters
  support virtue ethics
• Practice virtues (e.g. Galatians 522)
• Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
• Dont practice vices (e.g. Galatians 519)
• Fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
  sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger,
  selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy,
  drunkenness, carousing
• Follow an exemplary model of character (Galatians
  220)
• it is no longer I who live, but Christ who
  lives in me.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Universalist virtue ethics
• Admits that different cultures emphasize
  different virtues
• BUT states that some virtues are universally
  important

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Relativist virtue ethics
• Admits that different cultures emphasize
  different virtues
• AND states there are NO universally important
  virtues

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• To interpret different inventories of virtues
  from different cultures and times (cultural
  relativism) as proof of ethical relativism is to
  commit the fallacy of hasty generalization.
• Ethical relativism is an exaggeration of cultural
  relativism.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• What, then, is the nature of man?
• According to Aristotle, we are essentially
  rational in nature.
• Mizzoni adds that we are also emotional, social,
  and political in nature, and Aristotle notes
  this.
• WHAT ABOUT SPIRITUAL?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• What is the good life, according to Aristotle?
• Everything in nature has a purpose
• The purpose of man is to exercise his reason in a
  life of virtue, or moderation, to achieve
  happiness

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Some scholars view Aristotles model as leading
  to a life of contemplation rather than to a life
  of action.
• Other scholars view this model of human
  development as leading to a life of action
  (courage and justice), with a retirement to
  contemplation.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Ethics and Literature
• The virtues and vices that are important in
  developing a literary character are an essential
  part of the plot.
• CAN YOU THINK OF ANY VIRTUOUS LITERARY
  CHARACTERS? ANY VICIOUS ONES?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Advantages of Virtue Ethics
• It provides a reasonable account of moral
  motivation
• It is flexible
• It focuses on the whole person
• It fits well with common sense
• It accounts for the fact that partiality, not
  impartiality, is a part of life

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Disadvantages of Virtue Ethics
• Virtue ethics is anthropocentric
• Virtue ethics is individually focused
• Virtue ethics is incomplete
• Why is one trait better than another?
• How do we resolve moral conflict?
• What about people with disabilities?

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Conclusion Origins of Virtue Ethics
• Ethical standards come from a combination of
  human nature and society. (Societal standards
  that contradict human nature would not lead to
  human happiness.)
• Ethical standards do not come from God or
  religion

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Conclusion Relativism v. Universalism
• Cultural relativism may be true, because we
  observe ethical diversity among cultures, but
  ethical relativism could not be true, because
  some virtues are important in any culture.
• Aristotle, then, is a ethical universalist who
  accepts cultural relativism

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Conclusion Human Nature
• Aristotle argues for a universal human nature,
  observing that all human beings are striving
  after happiness.
• Aristotle observes that human beings are rational
  animals (who can control their actions and
  feelings, and choose what habits they will
  develop), and social/political animals.

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EthicsThe Basics VIRTUE ETHICS

• Conclusion What Makes Something Right or Wrong?
• Virtue ethics answers such questions as
• How one should live a life?
• What is a life lived well?
• What kind of person I should become in terms of
  virtues and universal human nature?
• A trait is virtuous if it is a product of our
  developed natural potential and if it contributes
  to our happiness, well-being, and flourishing.
  DOES ALL
  THIS INFORMATION HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT
  THING TO DO?