Key Words to be happy withVirtue (arete) – skill or habit of characterPrudence (phronesis) – practical wisdomIntellectual excellence (sophia) – non-moral wisdomHappiness (eudaimonia) – flourishingGolden Mean – midpoint between excess and

deficiencyCardinal virtues – Aquinas’ word for four key virtuesTheological virtues – Aquinas’ word for faith, hope,

loveTeleological – theory where goodness depends on

ends

Key assumption

To do right actions we need right character.

This character (ethos) can be developed by - Emulation (copy your heroes) - Education (wisdom and understanding) - Experience (learn from mistakes)

Aristotle’s idea of the soulWe have a rational side: - Intellectual skills or virtues (technical, scientific) - Moral skills or virtues (practical wisdom)And an non-rational side - Desires (warmth, clothing, shelter) - Appetites (food, sex, drink)

By developing the intellectual skills we excel in sophia. By developing the moral skills we excel in phronesis.

An ultimate aimEudaimonia – the supreme good is flourishingWe flourish personally as we pursue the virtues.We flourish as a community as virtues govern our

common life.

We acquire intellectual virtues by training and education.

We acquire moral virtues by habit (practising).

How do we pursue excellence?The virtue lies at a mid point between the vice of

deficiency the vice of excess.Example: courage lies between cowardice (vice of

deficiency) and recklessness (vice of excess).Some of Aristotle’s list of virtues might surprise us:

Magnificence = greatness lies between meanness and over-indulgence

So a BMW lies between a Skoda and a Rolls-Royce

Aquinas added to Aristotle’s virtues

Aquinas tried to reconcile Aristotle and ChristianityAquinas called these the cardinal virtues - justice (giving people their deserts) - temperance (moderation) - wisdom (phronesis or prudence) - courageAquinas calls these theological virtues (Christian) - faith - hope - love

Reason is the keyWe should act out of virtue, not because of the

consequences, but because we are wise.The exact way to apply the virtue of courage for

example depends on circumstances.So we need reason (phronesis or practical wisdom) to

decide on the right action in a situation.This skill of reason is developed by practice.Throughout our lives we build this skill, just as we

develop intellectual skills to gain sophia (wisdom in the intellectual sphere).

The importance of characterAs humans we seem to need heroes.Our heroes (Wayne Rooney, Rihanna) have great

skill (virtue means skill in Greek, arete).But their characters are not always morally skilful or

virtuous (they get sent off, take drugs etc)So our society may arguably have lost the idea of

emulating (copying) moral heroes to build a greater society...so that all may flourish (eudaimonia).

Modern virtue ethicists like Alasdair MacIntyre argue we have lost our way. Click on the link to find out more about MacIntyre.

http://www.philosophicalinvestigations.co.uk/index.php?view=article&catid=48%3Avirtue&id=246%3Ahandout-anscombe-and-macintyre&option=com_content&Itemid=54&limitstart=2

Evaluating Virtue Ethicsmorality is about building character.the view of human nature is more holistic (emotions,

reason, habits).recognises our social life is a construct, and so is our

idea of virtue. So virtues are adaptable to our culture.But...decisions are difficult – how do you solve dilemmas?virtues may conflict eg lying to save a friend (truth v

loyalty).Bertrand Russell argued they are bourgeois values of

passionless mediocrity. Click on link for a table. http://www.philosophicalinvestigations.co.uk/index.php?view=article&catid=48%3Avirtue&id=86%3Atable-

strengths-and-weaknesses-of-virtue-ethics&option=com_content&Itemid=54