Session 19 Character or Virtue Ethics. I. Introduction: How Character Ethics Differ from Principle and Consequentialist Ethics

Session 19Session 19Session 19Session 19

Character or Virtue EthicsCharacter or Virtue Ethics

I. Introduction:I. Introduction:

How Character Ethics Differ How Character Ethics Differ from Principle and from Principle and

Consequentialist EthicsConsequentialist Ethics

Character or virtue ethics argues that the Character or virtue ethics argues that the traditional approaches of consequentialism traditional approaches of consequentialism and principle ethics are not only wrongheaded and principle ethics are not only wrongheaded in their foundations and methodologies, but in their foundations and methodologies, but they also ask the wrong questions about they also ask the wrong questions about ethics and the moral life. The key issue is not ethics and the moral life. The key issue is not What ought we to do? but rather What ought What ought we to do? but rather What ought we to be? The kind of people we are as we to be? The kind of people we are as evidence by our virtues, firmly implanted evidence by our virtues, firmly implanted within, is the heart and essence of ethics.within, is the heart and essence of ethics.

Dennis P. Hollinger, Dennis P. Hollinger, Choosing the GoodChoosing the Good, 45, 45

II. Virtue Ethics: Character II. Virtue Ethics: Character CountsCounts

A.A. Some Possible Supporting Biblical Some Possible Supporting Biblical Passages (1 Samuel 16:7; Mark 7:14-23)Passages (1 Samuel 16:7; Mark 7:14-23)


B.B. Key Aspects of Virtue EthicsKey Aspects of Virtue Ethics1.1. Moral living involves far more than an Moral living involves far more than an

isolated concern about individual ethical isolated concern about individual ethical choiceschoices


B.B. Key Aspects of Virtue EthicsKey Aspects of Virtue Ethics1.1. Moral living involves far more than an Moral living involves far more than an

isolated concern about individual ethical isolated concern about individual ethical choiceschoices

2.2. Character is shaped over long periods of Character is shaped over long periods of time within the context of communities and time within the context of communities and the important stories that they live out and the important stories that they live out and tell to one anothertell to one another


B.B. Key Aspects of Virtue EthicsKey Aspects of Virtue Ethics3.3. Ethical decisions are evaluated not only on Ethical decisions are evaluated not only on

the basis of the specific actions performed, the basis of the specific actions performed, as well as for what end or goal (Greek, as well as for what end or goal (Greek, telostelos) they are carried out, but also for the ) they are carried out, but also for the motivationsmotivations which lie behind such actions. which lie behind such actions.


B.B. Key Aspects of Virtue EthicsKey Aspects of Virtue Ethics4.4. Virtues, unlike passions, are enduring Virtues, unlike passions, are enduring

aspects of being which consistently aspects of being which consistently characterize a person’s general nature and characterize a person’s general nature and are formed by the habitual choices that we are formed by the habitual choices that we make as well as the affections we cultivate make as well as the affections we cultivate over long periods of timeover long periods of time


C.C. Some Traditionally Proposed VirtuesSome Traditionally Proposed Virtues1.1. The Four Cardinal VirtuesThe Four Cardinal Virtues

a)a) Prudence/WisdomPrudence/Wisdom



a)a) Prudence/WisdomPrudence/Wisdomb)b) TemperanceTemperance



a)a) Prudence/WisdomPrudence/Wisdomb)b) TemperanceTemperancec)c) JusticeJustice



a)a) Prudence/WisdomPrudence/Wisdomb)b) TemperanceTemperancec)c) JusticeJusticed)d) CourageCourage


C.C. Some Traditionally Proposed VirtuesSome Traditionally Proposed Virtues2.2. The Three Theological VirtuesThe Three Theological Virtues

a)a) FaithFaith



a)a) FaithFaithb)b) HopeHope



a)a) FaithFaithb)b) HopeHopec)c) Love/CharityLove/Charity


D.D. Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Human VirtueHuman Virtue1.1. GoodnesGoodnesss


D.D. Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Human VirtueHuman Virtue1.1. GoodnessGoodness2.2. Happiness/WellbeingHappiness/Wellbeing


D.D. Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Some Commonly Proposed Goals of Human VirtueHuman Virtue1.1. GoodnessGoodness2.2. Happiness/WellbeingHappiness/Wellbeing3.3. Holiness/Christ-likenessHoliness/Christ-likeness

III. Virtue Ethics: Some III. Virtue Ethics: Some Evaluative PerspectivesEvaluative Perspectives

A.A. Positive Aspects of Virtue EthicsPositive Aspects of Virtue Ethics1.1. As virtue ethics rightly emphasizes, ethical As virtue ethics rightly emphasizes, ethical

decisions certainly do involve more than decisions certainly do involve more than isolated actions and must also assess the isolated actions and must also assess the overall motives and intentions as well as overall motives and intentions as well as the character of the person making the the character of the person making the ethical choice.ethical choice.


A.A. Positive Aspects of Virtue EthicsPositive Aspects of Virtue Ethics2.2. Biblically speaking, God is far more Biblically speaking, God is far more

concerned with the heart, the inner being concerned with the heart, the inner being of a person, than He is with simply their of a person, than He is with simply their external actions.external actions.


A.A. Positive Aspects of Virtue EthicsPositive Aspects of Virtue Ethics3.3. Virtue ethics recognizes the communal and Virtue ethics recognizes the communal and

contextual nature of ethics; namely that we contextual nature of ethics; namely that we always come from somewhere and are always come from somewhere and are inextricably embedded within living and inextricably embedded within living and extended communities.extended communities.


B.B. Negative Aspects of Virtue EthicsNegative Aspects of Virtue Ethics1.1. The Propensity to Overemphasize The Propensity to Overemphasize

Character and Deemphasize ActionsCharacter and Deemphasize Actions



Character and Deemphasize ActionsCharacter and Deemphasize Actions2.2. The Propensity to Overemphasize Ethical The Propensity to Overemphasize Ethical

Narrative and Deemphasize Ethical Narrative and Deemphasize Ethical Propositions and PrinciplesPropositions and Principles

The Bible contains multiple forms of ethical The Bible contains multiple forms of ethical resources ranging from narrative, to proverb, resources ranging from narrative, to proverb, to command. . . . The nurturing of virtue by to command. . . . The nurturing of virtue by means of story in the context of community means of story in the context of community (the church) is an indispensable part of ethics, (the church) is an indispensable part of ethics, but the community also nurtures the moral life but the community also nurtures the moral life through commands, principles, and through commands, principles, and theological paradigms.theological paradigms.




Community and Deemphasize Community and Deemphasize Transcendence in EthicsTranscendence in Ethics

As Christians we must assert that there is As Christians we must assert that there is transcendent reality beyond the community’s transcendent reality beyond the community’s self-understanding and that reality can be self-understanding and that reality can be known and experienced through God’s self-known and experienced through God’s self-disclosure in the written and incarnate Word. disclosure in the written and incarnate Word. That divine revelation is itself a reflection of That divine revelation is itself a reflection of the ultimate foundation for ethics—the Triune the ultimate foundation for ethics—the Triune God.God.


IV. Conclusion:IV. Conclusion:

Documents

Session 19 Character or Virtue Ethics. I. Introduction: How Character Ethics Differ from Principle and Consequentialist Ethics