the ethics of character: virtues & vices unit 8 2 two moral questions n the question of action:...
TRANSCRIPT
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Two Moral Questions
The Question of Action:– How ought I to act?
The Question of Character–What kind of person ought I to be?
Our concern here is with the question of character
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Virtue Strength of
character (habit) Involving both heart
and mind Seeks the mean
between excess and deficiency
Promotes human development through action
especially characterAristotle
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Virtue As the Golden Mean
Strength of character (virtue), Aristotle suggests, involves finding the proper balance between two extremes.– Excess: having too much of something.– Deficiency: having too little of something.
Not mediocrity, but harmony and balance. Where have we seen this idea of harmony
and balance before?– Augustine – Benedict
This leads to the growth on a individual– Esp. on his/her conscience
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Virtue and Habit For Aristotle, virtue is something that is practiced and thereby learned—it is
habit.
not defined the same way as we use it today
This has clear implications for moral education, for Aristotle obviously thinks that you can teach people to be virtuous.
Through several channels, but specifically through action and experience
One could not simply study what virtue is; one must actually be virtuous. Analogously, in order to become good at a sport like football, one does not simply study but also practices. Aristotle first establishes what was virtuous. He began by determining that everything was done with some goal in mind and that goal is 'good.' The ultimate goal he called the Highest Good: happiness
We have seen this idea before as well, achieving our happiness through our
desire, that are ultimately paralled with God
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Courage Aristotle believed that every ethical virtue is an
intermediate condition between excess and deficiency.– For example, fear isn't bad in and of itself, it is just bad when
felt to excess or deficiency. A courageous person judges that some dangers are worth facing and others not, the level of fear is appropriate to the circumstances
The strength of character necessary to continue in the face of our fears– Deficiency: Cowardice, the inability to do what is necessary to
have those things in life which we need in order to flourish• Too much fear• Too little confidence
– Excess• Too little fear• Too much confidence• Poor judgment about ends worth achieving
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Courage
Both children and adults need courage. Without courage, we are unable to take the
risks necessary to achieve some of the things we most value in life.– Risk to ask someone out on a date.– Risk to show genuine vulnerability.– Risk to try an academically challenging
program such as pre-med.
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Courage and the Unity of the Virtues
To have any single strength of character (virtue) in full measure, a person must have the other ones as well.– Courage without good judgment is blind,
risking without knowing what is worth the risk.– Courage without perseverance is short-lived,
etc.– Courage without a clear sense of your own
abilities is foolhardy.
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Courage
Excess Mean DeficiencyUnderestimates actualdanger
Correctly estimatesactual danger
Overestimates actualdanger
Overestimates ownability
Correctly estimates ownability
Underestimates ownability
Undervalues means,what is being placed atrisk
Properly values meansthat are being put at risk
Overvalues the means,what is being placed atrisk
Overvalues goal, whatthe risk is being takenfor
Properly values goal thatis being sought
Undervalues goal, whatthe risk would be takenfor
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Concluding Evaluation
Virtues are those strengths of character that enable us to develop as a conscience person
The virtuous person has practical wisdom (developed reason and logic), the ability to know when and how best to apply these various moral perspectives.
This is gained through experience, for an individual, but for a Christian through several other means as well.
Concluding Evaluation
This ability to develop “habit” by a person and use it through their active life and development of their self leads to 4 categories
1. Virtuous - those that truly enjoy doing what is right and do so without moral dilemma
1. What we, (Christians) strive to achieve2. Continent - does the virtuous thing most of the time,
but must overcome conflict 1. Where most people are within their lives
3. Incontinent - faces the same moral conflict, but usually chooses the vicious ("full of vice") thing
4. Vicious - sees little value in virtue and doesn't attempt it