VIRTUE ETHICSAN INTRODUCTION

A GOOD PERSON

• WRITE DOWN AN EXAMPLE OF A GOOD PERSON – REAL/FANTASY/SOMEONE YOU KNOW

• WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THEM GOOD?

• WHAT CHARACTER TRAITS DO THEY HAVE THAT ARE POSITIVE?

A GOOD PERSON?

• ARE THEY TRULY A GOOD PERSON ?

• CAN ANY OF THESE GOOD CHARACTER TRAITS EVER BE BAD?

KEY TERMS• TELOS – LITERALLY TRANSLATES AS END/PURPOSE. THIS THEORY IS

CONCERNED WITH HOW WE MOVE TOWARDS OUR PURPOSE AND BECOME BETTER PEOPLE OVER TIME

• EUDEMONIA – ‘HAPPINESS’ OR ‘FLOURISHING’ – THIS IS HUMANS TELOS

• VIRTUOUS – HAVING/SHOWING HIGH MORAL STANDARDS

• RELATIVE – WHAT IS MORAL CHANGES BETWEEN PEOPLE

• AGENT CENTRED – THE PERSONAL SITUATION TOGETHER WITH PERSONAL DESIRES AND GOALS IS USED TO CREATE MORAL DECISIONS

ARETOLOGY• ARETE - EXCELLENCE, STRENGTH, VIRTUE

• ARETAIC ETHICS - STRENGTH-CENTRED ETHICS

• EMPHASIZES VIRTUES (STRENGTHS) AND VICES (WEAKNESSES) OF CHARACTER

• NOT “WHAT SHOULD I DO?” (BOTH DEONTOLOGY AND TELEOLOGY) BUT

“WHAT KIND OF PERSON SHOULD I BE?”

EXCESS AND DEFICIENCY

• WHAT IS GOOD/MORAL IS TO WALK THE MIDDLE PATH BETWEEN EXCESS AND DEFICIENCY.

• YOU ARE TO CREATE A POSTER AROUND EXAMPLES OF THESE – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DO SOMETHING IN EXCESS OR DEFICIENCY? EXAMPLES IN WESTERN CULTURE? RELIGION? CELEBRITIES? ETC.