GE.12 Virtue Ethics

ARISTOTLE PLATO SOCRATES
1.VIRTUE ETHICS
The contemporary theory in Ethics called Virtue Ethics is said to

have started with these three great philosophers. In the medieval era,
the Italian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas revived,
enhanced, and 'Christianized the Greek Virtue Ethics.
VIRTUE ETHICS
• Virtue Ethics is a moral philosophy that teaches that an action is right

if it is an action that a virtuous person would perform in the same situations.
• Virtue Ethics outs emphasis on developing good habits of character and
avoiding bad character traits or vices.
• Virtue ethicist, such as Aristotle, hold that people live their lives trying
to develop their faculties to the fullest extent.
• Virtues are the freely chosen character traits that people praise in
others.
VIRTUE ETHICS
-The ancient Greeks list four "cardinal virtues" namely

wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice.
-The Christian teachings are faith, hope, charity, and love.

2. SOCRATES AND PLATO MORAL PHILOSOPHY
Gorgias
- written by plato where socrates said that pleasure and pain shouln't be an
objective standard of moral and immoral
Euthyphro
- Asked by Socrates whether something is good because the gods love it,
or whether the gods love it because it is good.
Theory of Forms
- the central of Plato's philosophy which said that the highest of all forms is
the form of the Good. Those who comprehend the good will always do good
3. Aristotle’s Ethics
• Two Aristotle’s Works
 Eudemian Ethics
 Nicomachean Ethics
• Three General Description

 Self - Realization (Aristotle’s ethical system)
- development of our potentials
 Eudaimonistic (Aristotle’s view)
- happiness (Eudaimonia)
 Aretaic (Aristotle’s Moral Philosophy)
- virtue ethics
3.1. Aristotle’s ‘ Telos’
All humans seek happiness (well

being) but in different ways. True
happiness is tied to the purpose or
end (telos) of human life. The telos of
human beings is reason. Reason
employed in achieving happiness
leads to moral virtue and intellectual
virtues.
1 2 3 4 5 5 Go Home
3.2.Happiness and Virtues
Self-Realization turns to Happiness
Three Natures of Man
 Physical (Vegetable)
 Emotional (Animal)
 Mental (Rational)
Happiness is considered as SUMMUM BONUM
- the greatest good of all human good
1 2 3 4 5 5 Go Home
3.3. Virtue is Habit
Aristotle’s idea of happiness should also be
understood in the sense of human flourishing
and attained by the habitual practice of moral
and intellectual excellences.
He employs the word “hexis” to refer to moral
value.
Hexis
-An active state, a condition in which
something must active hold itself.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Go Home
3.4. Virtues and the Golden Mean
- It refers to an excellence of moral or intellectual
Two Kinds of Virtue
 Virtues of intellect
 Moral Virtues
Aristotle’s Four Basic Moral Values

 Courage  Justice
 Temperance  Prudence
1 2 3 4 5 6 Go Home
3.4. Virtues and the Golden Mean
Courage
- Golden mean between cowardice (deficiency)
and tactless rashness (excess)
Temperance
- mean between gluttony (excess) and extreme
frugality (deficiency)
Justice
- virtue of giving others right what they deserve
Prudence (wisdom)
- enable us to keep away from excess and defect
1 2 3 4 5 6 Go Home
3.5. ‘ Phronesis ’ and Practice
 Phronesis - the intellectual virtue if practical wisdom
 Practice - the appropriate act to right prescription
is understood this term
 A moral virtuous man is someone who constantly
and habitually acts according to moral virtue and
practical wisdom for Aristotle
 Moral Virtue – a state of characters manifestation
in choice and action
1 2 3 4 5 6 Go Home
4. An Evaluation of the Greek Philosopher’s
Ethical Theories
SOCRATES and
PLATO ETHICAL
THEORY
- Human being who behave
immorally do so out of ignorance
of the good. All vice therefore is
the result of lack of knowledge
and that no person is willingly
bad.
PLATO’S FORM ARISTOTLE’S ETHICS
- There could be no Aristotle does not share - Distinguishes ‘doing

such thing that even f Socrates’ view of bad deeds as mere right’ from ‘ knowing what is
there were, it would be ignorance of God. Instead, he right’.
no help in an ethical believes that when we do something
inquiry into the good for we know to be wrong, this involves a
temporary suppression of that
human beings.
knowledge.
5. Thomas Aquinas Ethics
St. Thomas Aquinas

- also called the angelic Doctor and the Prince of Scholastics
In ethics, He depends heavily on Aristotle. He declares that ultimate

happiness is not attainable in this life, the True happiness is to be found only in
the souls of blessed in heaven or in beatitude with God
5.1. The Natural Law
-the term law means ordinance also known as "rules"
Eternal Law
- refers to the rational plan of God by which all creation is ordered.
Natural Law
- aspects of eternal law which is accessible to human reason.
Human Law
- refers to the positive law.
Divine law
- serves to complement the other types of law. Law of revelation, disclosed through
sacred text or Scriptures and the Church.
1 2 3 4 Go Home
5.2. Feature of Human Action
Species
- refers to its kind and it is called the object of action
Accidents
- the circumstances surrounding action
End
- the stands for agent's intention.
1 2 3 4 Go Home
5.3. Happiness, Moral and Theological Virtues
- believes that all action are directed towards ends and that happiness is the final end.
- A person needs moral character cultivated through the habits of choice to realize real
happiness
Aquinas defines "virtue" as "a good habit hearing on activity". Habits are hard to
eradicate. Notice that not all habits are virtue, but only those that us towards our good or
end.
Aquinas differentiates between acquired and infused habits
Infused habits
Acquired habits
- independent of this
- consistent to do an act
process as they are
despite obstruction.
directly instilled by God.
1 2 3 4 Go Home
5.3. Happiness, Moral and Theological
2 Kinds of Infused Habits
 Moral Virtues
- which is the temperance, prudence, courage and justice.
 Theological Virtues
- concerned directly with God. They provide the true knowledge and
desires of God and his will.
 Faith - makes us believe in God
 Hope - Makes us wish to be with Him.
 Love- makes us desire and adore Him
1 2 3 4 Go Home
6. An Analysis of Thomistic Ethics
He holds that the goodness or badness of an

action lies in the interior act of will, in the external bodily
act.
- We can say that Aquinas is more of a deontologist
than utilitarian.
-Thomistic ethics is comparatively applicable

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ARISTOTLE PLATO SOCRATES

The contemporary theory in Ethics called Virtue Ethics is said to

• Virtue Ethics is a moral philosophy that teaches that an action is right

-The ancient Greeks list four "cardinal virtues" namely

-The Christian teachings are faith, hope, charity, and love.

• Three General Description

All humans seek happiness (well

Aristotle’s Four Basic Moral Values

- There could be no Aristotle does not share - Distinguishes ‘doing

St. Thomas Aquinas

In ethics, He depends heavily on Aristotle. He declares that ultimate

 Faith - makes us believe in God

 Hope - Makes us wish to be with Him.

 Love- makes us desire and adore Him

He holds that the goodness or badness of an

-Thomistic ethics is comparatively applicable

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