Read the summary and the most important questions on Virtue Ethics

• 1 Week 2

• 1.1 PowerPoint week 1

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• Describe the term virtue Ethics

  Virtue ethics is a broad term for theories that emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy rather than either doing one’s duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences. A virtue ethicist is likely to give you this kind of moral advice: “Act as a virtuous person would act in your situation.”

• What is a right virtue?

  A right virtue contains a right reason and a right desire. Virtues then can be action-guiding when we can perceive the right reason and have successfully habituated our desires to affirm its commands.

• What are the main difference in the Utilitarianistic / Consequentialistic approach of virtues and the Aristotelian approach of virtues?

  Consequentialists have found a role for virtue as a disposition that tends to promote good consequences. Virtue is not valuable in itself, but rather valuable for the good consequences it tends to bring about. We should cultivate virtuous dispositions because such dispositions will tend to maximize utility. This is a radical departure from the Aristotelian account of virtue for its own sake. 

• 1.3.1 Introduction

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• What is the startingpoint of Virtue Ethics?

  Rather than begin with a theory of moral duty, we would start with a picture of the good life and the good person, and define our duty by reference to these ideals. Aristoteles' influence is huge on this branche of ethics; he wrote his Nicomachean Ethics in 350 B.C.

• 1.3.2 A Standard of Right Action

• What is the Standard of Right Action?

  An act is morally right just because it is one that a virtuous person, acting in character, would do in that situation.
  So; actions aren't right because of their results, ore because they follow from some hard-and-fast rule. Rather, they are right because they would be done by someone of true virtue => a moral exemplar. 

• What is a moral exemplar?

  Someone who sets a fine example and serves as a role model for the rest of us.

• Why is Virtue ethics a form of ethical pluralism?

  Because, by practicing virtue ethics, there here are many ways to ‘dwell’ in the intermediate. We have a large set of moral rules here; for each virtue, there is a rule that tells us to act accordingly - for each vice, a rule that tells us to avoid it. Virtue ethicists reject the idea that there is any simple degree of precision determining how to act. 

• What are the five main virtues according Aristoteles ethical theory?

  1. Generousity - Eleutheria
  2. Justice - Dikaiosunè
  3. Prudence -  Phronèsis
  4. Wisdom - Sofia
  5. Temperence - Sophrosunè

• 1.3.5 The Nature of Virtue

• What is a Virtue?

  A virtue is an admirable character trait that enables its possessor to achieve what is good. It is different to a habit, which is not able to define a person - a character trait does. Virtuous person has a distinctive set of perceptions, thoughts and motives.

• What are the main features of which virtues people distinct themselves from stingy people?

  1. Different perception of the persons around them and the world in particular;
  2. Different thoughts from those around them;
  3. Different motives to do the best they can to people around them.
  Virtuous people are therefore defined not just by their deeds, but also by their inner life. As Aristotle insists; "Virtuous conduct gives pleasure to the lover of virtue". This is one way to distinguish the truly virtuous from the merely continent.