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Ethics and Morals are different
Morals are value judgments, beliefs, principles, and rules for ordinary life. Latin root: mores= norms. Morals are specific.
Ethics steps back and considers the reasons and foundations for one’s beliefs or, let’s say, a country’s moral laws. Greek root: ethos=character. Ethics involves reasoning about morals. Ethics is the study of morals, not the other way around.
Examples of morals
Cary Nation and the Temperance Movement
Moses and his _____________
Code of Hammurabi195: If a son strike his father, his hands shall be [cut] off. (4)196: If a [noble-]man put out the eye of another [noble-]man, his eye shall be put out. (5)197: If he break another [noble-]man's bone, his bone shall be broken.198: If he put out the eye or break the bone of a commoner, he shall pay one [silver] mina.
We will explore agent-centered virtue ethics!
But wait, what is an agent? A: someone who makes decisions to shape their lives, reality, etc.; the capacity to do this is called, in philosophy, “agency”
What is Virtue Ethics?
• De-emphasizes– intentions– consequences – rules
• Emphasizes the person who is acting
• Inquires whether the person is expressing good character
The question is…
• Not: What should I do?• But rather: What sort of person should
I be?How do I build good
character?
What is character?
• The Sum of All Our Traits (virtues & vices)
• Virtues are Character traits which…
• Enable us to act well habitually
• Require the right kind of inner attitude & motivation
• Cannot be detected from the outside
Moral Character is the first essential in a man.~George Washington
How do we acquire virtue?• Practical wisdom
– Comes from observing human affairs carefully
– Comes from remembering how our actions & the actions of others have played out
• The more we develop a virtuous character & acquire practical wisdom– The greater chance we will act
well in life• Good actions from from good
character• Good character is essential to
human happiness
Aristotle and Virtue TheoryThe Golden Mean
The ratio of the following distances is the Golden Ratio: (foot to navel) : (navel to head)
Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics
• Seeks to develop individual character
• Assumes good persons will make good decisions
• Be a ‘good’ person
Aristotle &Happiness
• Happiness = eudaimonia• Happiness is not a result or end• Happiness is not something we look forward
to after toil and suffering• Happiness is a way of life, made possible by
virtuous living• Happiness is an activity of the soul in accord
with perfect virtue.
Virtue &Habit
• For Aristotle, virtue is something that is practiced and thereby learned—it is habit (hexis).
• This has clear implications for moral education, for Aristotle obviously thinks that you can teach people to be virtuous.
• Role models become very important
Virtue As the Golden Mean
• Aristotle says virtue 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.• The Mean varies from person to person• There are many ways of behaving & thus many ways
to be happy
A Virtuous Life Means Balance
Take one of the cardinal virtues away, then one happens?
At school? • Competence• Teamwork• Social justice• Mellowness of heart
ExamplesEmotion: fear• Vice-deficiency = rashness• Vice-excess=cowardice• Virtue-mean=courage
Action: giving money• Vice-deficiency=stinginess• Vice-excess=prodigality• Virtue-mean=generosity