Virtue Ethics - Introduction

By the end of this lesson you will have:

•Been introduced to the key scholars for virtue

ethics• Have understood what

is meant by the term virtue

• Have distinguished how this approach differs to

moral absolutism

Video Questions

• 1. Who is regarded as the founder of virtue ethics?• 2. Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics are based on whether actions

are right or wrong, what is virtue ethics based on?• 3. How does someone become a good person?• 4. What is the doctrine of the mean?• 5. What example does Dr Oxley give of a virtue which has changed

over time?• 6. What does the term ‘aretaic’ stand for?• 7. What is the term that Aristotle uses for the ‘ultimate happiness’

that all human beings are searching after?• 8. Why might telling truth in the right way be as important as just

telling the truth?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emc0630rQA8

Context

• 4th Century B.C• Inequality – i.e.

Noblemen and slaves was the norm

• Philosophers at the time didn’t particularly see this as a problem, as say Bentham did with the inequality of the industrial revolution

Basis

• Places it’s emphasis on ‘practise’ and ‘habit’ as opposed to laws written in human nature or universal norm

• Focuses on the agent and not the act

• Focuses on how we are good people

• Appreciates the room for cultural relativity

• Aims to help humans and societies reach eudaimonia

The Golden Mean

• Complete your ‘odd one out’ sheet which helps you identify the golden mean

• Can you think of your own examples where you have applied the Golden mean in your own lives?

Comparison with Deontology and Natural Law

• Already you should be able to compare and contrast virtue ethics with natural law and deontology

Virtue Ethics - Introduction

By the end of this lesson you will have:

•Been introduced to the key scholars for virtue

ethics• Have understood what

is meant by the term virtue

• Have distinguished how this approach differs to

moral absolutism