LESSON 11: VIRTUE ETHICS

GROUP 2:

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 INTRODUCTION
Virtue Ethics:
- Is a moral philosophy that
teaches that an action is right if it is
an action virtuous person would
perform in the same situations.
-Developing good habits and traits
of character.
 INTRODUCTION

Virtuous Person
-Someone who acts
virtuously that possess and
live the virtues.
 INTRODUCTION

Virtue
• -Moral Characteristic
that an individual needs to
live well.
Socrates & Plato’s Ethics
2. SOCRATES AND PLATO'S MORAL PHILOSOPHY

In Euthyphro, Socrates asks Euthyphro

whether something is good because the
gods love it, or whether the gods love it
because it is good. Socrates’ point is that
what is good has a certain independence
from the whims of the gods’ determination
of the rightness of our actions and mores.
 THEORY OF FORMS
The objectively existing immaterial
entities that are the proper object of
knowledge. Everything in the material
world is what it is by virtue of its
resemblance to, or participation in, this
universal Form or idea. These unchanging
independent forms are like ideal and stable
models of the ordinary observable objects.
Aristotle’s Ethics
 ARISTOTLE’S ETHICS
Three general descriptions, which are interrelated,
can be used to depict Aristotle’s ethics:

• SELF-REALIZATIONISM- when someone

acts in line with his nature or end ('telos') and
thus realizes his full potential, he does moral
and will be happy.
• EUDAIMONISTIC- It focuses on happiness
(eudaimonia), or the good for man, and how
to obtain it.
 ARISTOTLE’S ETHICS

• ARETAIC or Virtue Ethics - is focused mainly on

what we should do, a virtue ethics is interested
basically in what we should be, that is, the character
or the sort of person we should struggle to become.
WHAT DETERMINES WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US
IN A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES?

Phronesis – the intellectual virtue of practical

wisdom, is that kind of moral knowledge which
guide as to what is appropriate in conjunction
with moral virtue.
Phronesis or practical wisdom is a grasp of the
appropriate way to respond to feel and act in
particular situation. Once we have learned the
proper amount of some kind of action through
moral virtue and practical wisdom then we have
the right prescription.
 3.1 ARISTOTLE'S TELOS

A 'telos is an end or purpose. Aristotle

believes that the essence or essential
nature of beings, including humans, lay not
at their cause (or beginning) but at their
end ('telos’).
3.2 HAPPINESS AND VIRTUE

Aristotle believes that the ultimate

human goal is self-realization. This
entails achieving one's natural purpose
by functioning or living consistently
with human nature.
 3.3 VIRTUE AS HABIT
Aristotle’s idea of happiness should also be understood in the
sense of human flourishing. This flourishing is attained by the
habitual practice of moral and intellectual excellences, or
‘virtues’.
Hexis – refer to moral virtue, One denotation of the term ‘hexis’
is an active state, a condition in which something must actively
hold itself.
According to Aristotle, when a person holds oneself in a stable
equilibrium of the soul, in order to select the action knowingly
and for its own sake.
Moral virtue for Aristotle is the only practical road to effective
action. The virtuous person, who has god character, sees truly,
judges rightly and acts morally.
 3.4 VIRTUES AND THE GOLDEN
MEAN
Virtue- refers to an excellence of moral or intellectual
character.
Aristotle distinguishes two kinds of virtue:
1. Virtues of intellect - Corresponds to fully rational part of
the soul, the intellect.
2. Moral Virtues – Expression of character, formed by habits
reflecting repeated choices, hence is also called virtue of
character
Acting according to reason – Acting in reasonable manner is
done when we choose to and indeed act in a way that neither
goes to excess nor defect. Excess and defect normally indicate
a vice. Virtues lies neither in the vice of deficiency nor in the
vice of excess but in the middle ground.
 3.4 VIRTUES AND THE GOLDEN
MEAN
Aristotle mentions four basic moral virtues:
1. Courage – Golden mean between cowardice
(deficiency) and tactless rashness (excess).
2. Temperance – Golden mean between gluttony
(excess) and extreme frugality (deficiency).
3. Justice – virtue of giving others right what they
deserve, neither more nor less.
4. Prudence- what helps us to know what is just or
reasonable in various circumstance, enabling us
to keep away from excess and defect.
3.5 ‘PHRONESIS’ AND PRACTICE
In using the golden mean to become virtuous,
we must recognize not only that the mean is
neither too much nor too little but also it is
‘relative to us’ as moral agents. What constitutes
the right amount of something may differ from
person to another.
3.5 ‘PHRONESIS’ AND PRACTICE
Acting appropriate to the right prescription
should be understood in terms of practice,
trainin or cultivation.
to be virtuous one must perform the
actions that habitually bring virtue. A
person must practice and develop the
virtue of generosity, for instance, so that
acting generously becomes habitual.
 Thomas Aquinas Ethics

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 INTRODUCTION
Thomas Aquinas is an Italian
Philosopher and Theologian who
ranks among the most important
thinkers of the Medieval Period.
(Also called the Angelic Doctor
and the Prince of Scholastics)
 Beliefs
  Like Greek Philosophers, Aquinas
believes that we can never achieve
complete or final happiness in this life.
For him, final happiness consists in
beatitude, or supernatural union with
God.
Aquinas depends so heavily on
Aristotle.
 5.1 Natural Law Theory
For Aquinas, there are four
primary types of Law:
1. Eternal Law
2. Natural Law
3. Human Law
4. Divine Law
 5.1 Eternal Law
By “Eternal Law’” Aquinas
means God’s rational purpose
and plan for all things. And
because the Eternal Law is part
of God’s mind then it has always,
and will always, exist.
 5.1 Human Law
is a law with moral content,
more general than human law.
Natural law deals with necessary
rather than with variable things
and includes the civil and
criminal laws.
 5.1 Natural Law
is a law with moral content, more
general than human law. Natural
law deals with necessary rather
than with variable things.
Natural law is more perfect than
human laws, because of the
variable subject-matter of human
laws.
 5.1 Divine Law
is a law of revelation, Divine law
is divided into the Old Law and the
New Law .
When he speaks of the Old Law,
Thomas is thinking mainly of the
Ten Commandments. When he
speaks of the New Law, the
teachings of Jesus.
5.2 Features of Human Action
Aquinas evaluates human actions on
the basis not only of their conformity
to the natural law but also of their
specific features.

3 Aspect which the morality of an act

can be determined:
- Species - End
- Accidents
5.2 Features of Human Action
Species
• The species of an action refers to
its kind.
• It is also called the object of action.
• Human deeds can be good, bad or
neutral
• Aquinas holds that for an action to
be moral it must be good
5.2 Features of Human Action
Accidents
• Refers to the circumstances
surrounding the action.
• In ethically evaluating an action,
the context in which the action
takes place is also considered
because an act might be flawed
through its circumstances.
5.2 Features of Human Action
End
• Stands for the agents intention.
• An act might be unjust through
its intention.
• To intend to direct oneself
against a good is clearly
immoral.
5.2 Features of Human Action

Aquinas ethical theory states

that for an action to be moral, the
kind it belongs to must not be
bad, the circumstances must be
appropriate and the intention
must be virtuous.
 5.3 Happiness, Moral Virtues and
Theological Virtues
• Aquinas believes that all actions are
directed towards ends and that
happiness is the final end.
• A person needs a moral character
cultivated through the habits of
choice to realize real happiness.
• He defines virtue as “a good habit
bearing on activity” or a good faculty
habit.
 5.3 Happiness, Moral Virtues and
Theological Virtues
Acquired Habits
• Involve consistent deliberate
effort to do an act time and again
and despite obstructions.
Infused Habits
• Independent of this process as
they are directly instilled by God
in our faculties.
 5.3 Happiness, Moral Virtues and
Theological Virtues
Kinds of Infused Virtues
• Moral Virtues
Have as their object not God
Himself, but the activities are less
virtuous and inferior to the final end.
Four basic virtues
a. Prudencec. Temperance
b. Fortitude d. Justice
 5.3 Happiness, Moral Virtues and
Theological Virtues
Kinds of Infused Virtues
• Theological Virtues
Concerned directly with God. They
provide us with true knowledge
and desire of God and of His will.
Virtues
a. Faith c. Love
b. Hope
 5.3 Happiness, Moral Virtues and
Theological Virtues
Kinds of Infused Virtues
• Theological Virtues
Aquinas also treats the theological
virtues in terms of the vices and sins
respectively conflict with them.
Faith –unbelief, heresy, apostasy
Hope –despair and presumption
Love –hatred, envy, discord and
sedition
Part 6 – Thomistic Ethics
Aquina’s accomplishment:
Being able to mention as
much as possible.
Analysis of Thomistic Ethics:
States that the goodness or
badness of an action lies in
the interior act of will.
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