Virtue Ethics Flashcards
(21 cards)
Plato’s “metaphysical” account of goodness regarded good as what?
Something real - an ultimate reality
Who’s teachings did Aristotle reject over the fundamental meaning of “what is good”
Plato’s
Plato said the ultimate reality is the source of all being what does this mean our job in life is
Our job is to contemplate the good, which means we must fulfil our purpose for example “a good knife will cut” as that is its purpose
Aristotle took a different view from Plato, he gave a naturalistic and psychological account of what is good
what does this mean good is to us
This means good is a part of our natural disposition
Aristotle’s argument for what is good lead to his idea of purpose. This means that living an ethical life means living in tune with our natural purpose of rational and virtuous behaviour.
What does this make Aristotle’s theory
A teleological system
What book did Aristotle write
Nicomachean Ethics
Instead of normative ethics Aristotle put forward a system of aretaic ethics what does this focus on
The character of the individual. And the desire to be a person or a certain quality
Aristotle argued that the purpose of our life is to become happy by practising the “skill” of what
Virtuous behaviour
Aristotle argued that striding to flourish would achieve
Feelings of fulfilment and content
Valuing pleasure can be unclear, as to what is happiness? Aristotle distinguished between three types of happy people, what are they?
Pleasure seekers - driven by basic desires
Honour seekers - driven by their reputations
Lovers of contemplation - Philosophers and thinkers
For Aristotle a good life meant following the doctrine of the golden mean. What does this mean
The middle path between extremes of virtue and excess
Philosopher Elizabeth Anscombe wrote “modern moral philosophy” what was the main point of her writing
That all our modern morality is misguided or just plain wrong
Elizabeth Anscombe said that we mistakenly suppose that goodness is what
A property of actions rather than of people
To resolve this mess Anscombe proposed that we turn back to who’s ideas
Aristotle’s idea of personal virtues
Do you philosopher Alasdair McIntyre wrote a book “after virtue” which produced what
A system which can work in the modern age
However Maclntyre sorts to give the single count of the cause and purpose of ethics which important aspect did he ignore
Individual practice and actions
McIntyre argued the that having a set of agreed virtues gives life purpose and meaning. Give three examples of virtues, which when put into practice could give morality a fresh start
Courage, justice, wisdom, hope and patience
McIntyre ignored the most important aspect of virtue ethics “individual practice and actions” what does this mean
One carries out virtues because they are good not because they are told to
Philippa foot put together a modern version of virtue ethics what was her main argument
The wise person directs their will to what is good and a good is something that is both is intrinsically and extrinsically good
Philippa Foot argues that a wise or virtuous people always knows that there are particular ways of obtaining certain goods and that these ways of obtaining these goods are…
Virtues
Philippa Foot argues that a wise or virtuous people always knows that there are particular ways of obtaining certain goods and that these ways of obtaining these goods are…
Virtues
