Virtue
Ethics::
Aristotl
e
Virtue
Ethics::
INTRODUCTION::
Intended Learning Outcomes:
What
is?
1. Recognize the meaning of Ethics:
Eudaimonia and its relation to Ethics.
2. Differentiate the parts of the soul in
relation to their respective functions;
Virtue:
3. Appreciate and articulate the role of
virtue in crafting an ethical life; and
4. Articulate the difference between
Virtue
philosophical knowledge and Ethics:
practical wisdom.
Comes from the Greek word Ethos,
which means custom, a
characteristic, or habitual way of
Ethics: doing things derived form one’s
character.
Virtue:
Ethics is a matter of living well
through habitual practice of virtue
which translates into having a virtous
Virtue
“Madaling maging tao,
or excellent character
Ethics:
mahirap magpakatao.”
A good moral quality in a person, or
the general quality of
being morally good
Virtue: The Greek word for virtue is Arête
which means excellence.
Result of proper combination of
Virtue
practical wisdom (Phronesis) and
habituation (ethos) in the pursuit of
Ethics:
the mean (mesotes)
The Greek Philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C), wrote
the Nicomachean Ethics that distinguishes the
human person from other forms of being is his/her
possession of reason (Logos).
Ethical Theory that emphasizes an individual’s
Virtue character rather than following a set of rules.
Ethics:
“Morality is not a matter of
knowing the good but actually
doing or practicing the good
habitually.”
Traits Charact Personalit
er y
Approach or way of
Product of Product of action in reckoning the
consistent display the world; product different situations
of a particular of practice - a that one faces in his
behavior. constant doing or life- a way of
way of being. navigating one’s
way towards his
flourishing as a
human person
Aristotle &
Nicomachea
n Ethics
Philip the Great- grandfather to Alexander the
Great
NAME:
Aristotle
PLACE OF BIRTH
Stagira, Chalcidice, Greece
OCCUPATION:
Philosopher
EDUCATION:
Plato’s Academy, Lyceum
BACKGROUND
Aristotle
o Greek Philosopher who wrote Nicomachean
ethics, Plato’s most prolific student
Nicomachean Ethics- book dedicated to his son
Nicomachus
Nicomachus- his father; student of natural
history and a physician; served under Amnytas II,
king of Macedonia
Amnytas - father of Philip the Great
o Served to royal family as tutor to young
Alexander the Great
o We can only fully actualize our potential as
human being essentially aims to and do the
necessary things to fulfill our function (ergon)
in the most excellent way possible
o His ethics is grounded in the formation of one's
character- a way of being and living in harmony
with the human person's proper end.
o Proper good of the human person is achievable
in this world through the practical cultivation of
virtue (arete)
NICOMACHEAN
ETHICS:
A handbook for those who seek to build
and cultivate one’s character in the hope
of achieving life’s ultimate goal (Telos),
which he says is happiness or flourishing.
(Eudaimonia).
We can only fully actualize our potential as
human being essentially aims to and do
the necessary things to fulfill our function
(ergon) in the most excellent way possible
Ethics as the
Art of Living
Well
Eudaimoni
a Aristotle names the chief good for
the human person is happiness or
eudaimonia.
“Eudaimonia is
an activity of Happiness is the self-sufficient, final,
and attainable goal of human life.
the soul in
accordance Eudaimonia, as the proper end of
man, is not some kind of inactive
with virtue.”
state but is actually something that
-Aristotle one does.
Eudaimoni
a:
Happiness is the chief good of human person is attainable
through proper exercise of reason both morally and
intellectually.
g
Eudaimonia is activity of the soul that attempts to choose the
mean between two extremes in realm of morality.
Therefore, happiness is not mere self-indulgence or pleasure-
seeking for Aristotle. It denotes an activity that essentially
corresponds to the proper nature of the human being.
• Aristotle defines the soul as a part of human
being that animates the body; Body and soul
The Soul:
are inseparable.
• The soul composed of both rational and
irrational elements.
g
• Rational part - This is the part responsible for reason (logos).
Its virtues include theoretical wisdom (Sophia), understanding
(Sunesis), and practical wisdom (Phronesis).
• Irrational part – Aristotle says that this part of the soul is not
relevant in discussing happiness or virtue.
The soul according to the Nicomachean
Ethics:
SOUL
RATIONAL IRRATIONAL
SPECULATIV PRACTICA VEGETATIVE APPETETI
E
It is responsible for L
Responsible or In charge of the shares VE the
knowledge; concerned choice and action; nutrition and growth rational element
with pure thought and charge of action of human being; takes of the soul;
the base of and practical acre of all involuntary cannot reason
contemplation determination of functions of the body itself but
the proper means from breathing to influenced by it
to attain a specific digestion like passion such
Virtue, the
Mean &
Practical
Wisdom;
Virtue
Virtuous
Comes from the Greek word To exhibit one's
Arete means excellence. capacity to fulfill one's
c
essence or purpose in
By excellence, the Greek such a way that one's
potentiality as a
thought of how a thing fulfills
particular being may be
its function (Ergon) in
said to be actualized in
accordance with its nature the most excellent way.
Aristotle says that there are two kinds
Virtue
of virtues - moral and intellectual virtue.
Moral Intellectual
Virtue Virtue
c
Got its name (Ethike) by slight alteration Has to do with one's
of the term habit (ethos) capacity to harness
reason's contemplative
Has to do with excellence in performance capacity for arriving at
of decision relating to moral and practical knowledge; owes its
activity; arises from habitual practice existence and
(ethos) development to teaching
“No Person is born morally
Virtue virtuous. However, all persons
have the latent potentiality to be
so.”
Moral
Exemplars:
Moral exemplars, like other role models, affect people
in three key ways: They act as behavioral models that
provide examples of how one could behave, they show
what is possible, and they inspire.
Aristotle says that moral virtue states of character that
enable person to fulfill his proper function as a human
being.
The virtuous person is able to arrive at a
decision or perform an action that may be
Golden
considered as an intermediate between
Mean deficiency and excess, which he calls the
Mean or Mesotes.
“It is precisely the person’s
capacity to read situations
that makes him/her virtuous.”
VICE (defect) VIRTUE (mean) VICE (excess) PERTAINING TO
cowardice courage recklessness fear & confidence
insensibility self-control self-indulgence pleasure & pain
stinginess generosity extravagance small amounts of $
niggardliness magnificence gaudiness large amounts of $
small-mindedness high-mindedness vanity honor & dishonor
apathy gentleness short temper anger
self-depreciation truthfulness boastfulness truth about oneself
pleasantness (in
boorishness wittiness buffoonery
amusement)
obsequiousness, pleasantness (in daily
grouchiness friendliness
flattery life)
“abashed at
shamelessness modesty sense of shame
everything”
pleasure & pain at
spite righteous indignation envy
fortunes of others
“To be morally virtuous, one
must be able to respond to
Mean situations not just with the
correct feeling or action but in
the proper degree, at the right
time, towards the right people
and for the right reasons.”
Practical
Practical Wisdom Wisdom
Phronêsis is the
(Phronêsis) is the
intellectual virtue
human person’s
responsible for
q bringing
instrument in dealing
the human person
with moral choices; kind
closer to his/her chief
of knowledge that deals
good in the realm of
with practical matters
morality; it aids one in
and not just with ideas
being happy.
Mesotes &
Phronesis
Aristotle says that for one to
attain chief good, the person For instance :
q
must continually bring Courage is a learned
himself/herself to situations intellectual and
where his/her mettle and practical skill.
skills may be tested.
Contemplation
&
Philosophical
Knowledge
Contemplation is an act that can be loved for its
own sake because it has no other aim than to
reveal the most fundamental truth of existence.
Contemplatio
n If the practical wisdom serves as a guide for
action in everyday life, the act of contemplation bv
is a pursuit of philosophical wisdom
“No person may be considered
happier than a person who has the
time and the leisurely disposition for
Philosophical
Knowledge
Philosophizing- the most pleasant of virtuous
activities because it does not rely on anything
else for its fulfillment other than the desire to do
b v
it; the most self-sufficient act
Practical virtues such as courage and
temperance need specific conditions to be
attained, while philosophy is something a person
can do anytime by himself/herself anytime.
Conclusio v
n:
Virtue
Ethics:: “Eudaimonia (happiness)
is the meaning of life and
the purpose of life, the
whole aim and the end of
human existence.”
-Aristotle
Aristotle
Virtue
Ethics::
THANK YOU
