Aretaic Ethics: Come from the Greek word arete which

translates as “excellence” or “virtue”The virtue or value of the actions is not in the

act, but is in the heart of the actor.Virtue Ethics emphasizes being a certain person with a certain quality of character.

Seeks to produce excellent persons.Seeks to have people act out of spontaneous

goodness.Seeks to have those who are excellent inspire

others.Aretic Ethics focuses on the goal of life which

is to live well and achieve excellence.

Action Based Ethics Lack a Motivational Component

Action Based Ethics are Founded on a Theological-Legal Model that is No Longer Appropriate

Action Based Ethics Often Ignore the Spiritual Dimension of Ethics

Action Based Ethics Over Emphasize Autonomy and Neglect the Communal Context

Virtue Ethics claims that it is important to not only do the right thing, but also to have the correct disposition, motivation, and emotion in being good and doing right.

Virtue Ethics is not only about action, but also about emotions, characters, and moral habits.

The virtues are: excellences of character, trained behavioral dispositions which result in habitual actions of the same quality.

HonestyBenevolenceNonmalevolenceFairnessKindnessConscientiousnessGratitude

CourageOptimismRationalitySelf-ControlPatience

EnduranceIndustryMusical TalentCleanlinessWit

To achieve a state of well being (eudaimonia), proper social institutions are necessary.

The moral person cannot exist apart from a political setting that enables him or her to develop the requisite virtues for the good life.

Ethics is therefore considered a branch of politics.

Humanity has an essence, or function.The function of humans is to use their reason

in pursuit of the good life.Moral virtues are different from intellectual

ones.By living well, we acquire the right habits.These habits are the virtues.

Virtues exist between a mean that has excess and deficiency at either end.

We need to choose along this mean the proper course of action, towards the right conclusion.

People have unequal ability to be virtuous. Some have great ability; some lack it entirely.

Some people are worthless, natural slaves.

Father Maximilian KolbeJesusSocratesGandhiMother TheresaAll of their lives have exhibited appropriate

attitudes and dispositions of Virtue Ethics.

Pure Aretaic Ethics: Virtues are dominant and have intrinsic value.

Standard Deontic Ethics: Action guiding principles are the essence of morality.

Complementarity Ethics or Pluralist Ethics: Holds that both Aretaic and Deontic Ethics

are necessary for an adequate and complete system.

Carol Gilligan: Research indicates that on average a woman’s moral point of view is different from a man’s moral point of view.

Women focus on particular relationships.Women focus on the process, not on the

principles.Men focus on the principles of justice and

rights.

Gilligan states that the two perspectives are not competitive, but that men and women develop their moral outlooks in a different manner.

Care-Ethics: The thesis that attitudes like caring and sensitivity to context are an important aspect of the moral life.

This is close to the Christian ethical theory of Agapeism (Agape is Greek for love).