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Virtue EthicsIdentify key terms: virtue, golden mean and
eudaimonia. Describe Aristotle’s virtue theory.Explain how virtue theory works and what it
aims to achieve.Compare virtue theory to the other normative
ethical approaches.
“Call off Christmas!”Watch this clip from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
What is Robin Hood doing?
Describe what Robin Hood is doing that is good and what the sheriff is going bad.
Evaluate the claim that virtue is more important than obedience to the law.
He robs from the rich and gives to the poor
Defends the weakProvides for the hungryFights injusticeBreaks the lawSteals from other
Obeys the lawDeals with neighbouring governmentsTakes advantage of the poorSexual promiscuity and rape
Key Words• Eudaimonia – Greek for the __________ __________
• Virtue – an attribute of a person __________ Eudaimonia
• Vice – an attribute of a person __________ to attain _________.
• Golden Mean – Aristotle said that __________ lay between two ________ this is the golden mean.
Examples of virtues and vicesLook at these personalities.
Identify as many as you can.
Describe their virtues or vices.
Match a virtue with a corresponding vice, e.g. courage-cowardice.
Aristotle’s golden mean
Sphere of action/ feeling
Deficiency
When you have too
little
Mean
The right balance
Excess
When you have too much
Dealing with fear Cowardice Rashness
Dealing with
pleasure
Temperance/
Moderation
Look at Aristotle’s table of virtues and vices.
Find the missing virtues and vices.
Give examples of when you might display these virtues and vices.
Evaluate Aristotle. Is his theory always right?
Aristotle’s golden meanDealing with fear Deficiency Mean Excess
Dealing with pleasure Cowardice Courage Rashness
Dealing with money Numbness Temperance/
Moderation Over-indulgence
Dealing with how you see yourself Tight/ Meanness Sensibility Wasteful
Anger Self-deprecation Confidence/ Proper self-love Vanity
Self-expression Being a wimp Patience/Good temper Hot temperedness
Conversation Understatement Truthfulness BoastfulnessSocial Conduct Boorishness Wittiness Buffoonery
Shame Bad humour, irritability Friendliness Over-the-top praiseHow you see
others Shamelessness Modesty Shyness
Find the virtue and the viceChoose a movie/book
Identify the main hero and the main villain.
Describe the virtues and vices of these protagonists.
Explain what characteristics and ideas the film promotes.
What is virtue theory?• Virtue theory is a normative ethical
approach that focusses on how to be a good person and live the “good life”.
• While Kantian ethics is action-centred and Utilitarianism is consequentialist, virtue theory is agent-centred.
• It doesn’t matter what actions I perform, it matters what person I am.
Ethical TheoryAgent ConsequenceAction
Ethical TheoryAgent ConsequenceAction
Virtue Ethics Deontological Ethics, e.g. the
Commandments, Kantian Ethics etc.
Teleological Ethics, e.g. Utilitarianism,
Situation Ethics etc.
Ethical TheoryAgent ConsequenceAction
Is the Agent “good”?
Does the agent do what makes him/her a “good” person?
Don’t judge the actions, judge the agent.
The end justifies the means.
All’s well that ends well.
If the consequences are good, then it justifies the actions taken.
It doesn’t matter what the consequences are.
Is the action a morally good action?
Some things are absolutely right/wrong
Aristotle quote• We are what we
repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Read the quote from Aristotle.
What does it mean?
Explain how it links to Aristotle’s Virtue Theory.
Evaluate the claim that a good person need not worry about what he does so much as what he is.