Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics

Group 1
I. Background of Aristotle
 Aristotelian Trivia Part #1
“All flowers look pretty. Daisies are flowers. Therefore, all daisies
are pretty.“ This method of drawing a conclusion from two
connected premises is called?

a. Illogism
b. Syllogism
c. Idealism
d. Assumptionism
 Birthplace
- Aristotle was born in 384 bc at Stagarian
Chalcidice Greece.

What is he known for?

- His famous discovery the “ Logic of the
Categorical Syllogism”.
 What influenced him to be a philosopher?
- Aristotle had a profound influence on the science. This impact
his deduction and induction ideas, and he also heavily
emphasized the ideas of empirical research or observation.
- He was taught by Plato.

Notable things about him

- His famous discovery “the field of formal logic” include his
notable works include Nicomachean Ethics, Politics,
Metaphysics, Poetry, Prior Analytics.
II. What is Virtue Ethics?
 Aristotelian Trivia Part #2
According to Aristotle, how is virtue acquired?

a. It is inborn.
b. One must have a conversion experience in which one
experiences the good directly.
c. Virtue is acquired through education and training.
d. It is impossible to become virtuous.
 Virtue Ethics vs other principles of philosophy
Normative Ethics:

1. Consequentialism - focused on the resulting consequences.

The end justifies the means.
2. Deontology - focused on obligatory moral rules and reasoning.
3. Virtue Ethics - focused on developing moral character
through the practice of doing right actions.
 What is Virtue?
- Disposes one to do good
- A state of character or habit of person
- Aristotle: a virtue is a state of character by which you 'stand well'
in relation to your desires, emotions and choices.
- Virtue is the ability to respond appropriately to a variety of events
and agents. The virtues are linked to emotions.
- Virtue is determined by the right reason.

Virtue:
1. Just Middle 2. Habit 3. Right Intention
Acquiring virtue through experience and practice
- Aristotle thinks we “learn by doing”
- Discipline and practice or the result of habit.
- Repeated virtuous actions help to engrain the character
traits or dispositions that make a person virtuous.
III. Branches of Virtue Ethics
 Aristotelian Trivia Part #3
Aristotle wrote two ethical treatises that are best-known to define
Aristotelian ethics. One of these is called Nicomachean Ethics and
the other short version is called?

a. Aretê Ethics
b. Eudemian Ethics
c. Utilitarianism
d. Cognitive Ethics
 A. Eudaimonism
- The center of the concept of being a virtuous person.
- Is a state or condition of being filled with happiness
- The ultimate goal of human beings
- An entity that is sought for itself and not from some other means
- Achieved through active engagement and by living virtuously
 Eudaimonia vs Happiness
- Eudaimonia is a”god-favored” or “blessed” feeling.
- Eudaimonia is a positive long term condition and is not used to
describe temporary moods and satisfactions like happiness.
- Eudaimonia features the concept of happiness through being good
and having a content and satisfied state of mind within one self.
- Emotional balance (the state of being aware of our emotions and
feelings in a way that we can manage them accordingly) is a part of
achieving Eudaimonia.
- Eudaimonia is simply known as the “Ultimate form of happiness”
 Eudaimonia is achieved through Virtue

1. The best way to reach Eudaimonia is by being virtuous and acquiring

Virtuous Values
2. The practice of virtuous deeds with moral reasons
3. Activity of the Soul in accordance with virtue
 B. Agent-based Theories
- Based virtue ethics is a unitary normative theory according to
which the moral status of actions is entirely dependent upon the
moral status of an agent's motives and character traits.
- It concludes that this issue can be solve by supplementing an
agent-based criterion of right action with a hypothetical-agent
criterion of action guidance.
 C. Ethics of Care - also called Care Ethics
- Is a normative ethical theory that holds that moral action centers
on interpersonal relationships and care or benevolence as a virtue.
- Developed mainly by feminist writers, (e.g. Annette Baier) in the
second half of the 20th Century. This account of virtue ethics is
motivated by the thought that men think in masculine terms such
as justice and autonomy, whereas woman think in feminine terms
such as caring.
- According to Kohlberg, moral reasoning differs by gender — he
believed that females are incapable of moral thinking.
 Ethics of Care vs Ethics of Justice
- The ethic of justice is centered
on maintaining obligation,
equity, and fairness through
the application of moral
principles, rules, and
established standards.

- The ethic of care is centered

on maintaining relationships
through responding to needs
of others and avoiding hurt.
 Gilligan’s Reinterpretation
- Carol Gilligan noted that Kohlberg’s results indicate male bias.

- Socialized morality - The “justice” view of morality is male-centered women

have traditionally been taught a different kind of moral outlook that
emphasizes solidarity, community, and caring about one's special
relationships

- Ethics of Care - we can and should put the interests of those who are close
to us above the interests of complete strangers. We should cultivate our
natural capacity to care for others and ourselves

- Break with tradition - The traditional outlook is what feminist critics call a
'justice view' of morality. A morality of care rests on the understanding of
relationships as a response to another in their terms.
IV. Examples of Virtue Ethics
in Popular Media
A. Vigilantism of Batman

Batman is convinced that if he

kills The Joker he'll sink to his
level and become something like
him.
B. Story of Hercules

Despite the luring fame and

pleasure he chose to be virtuous by
choosing to value his relationships
with others.
 End of presentation
Anaika Malana Lyka Abadines
Julyka Garcia Mar Fuertes
Jhames Mesana Monica Gaviola
Justin Bangsoy Precious Balutoc
Khoty Morareng Venice Advincula