Chapter 3

THE MORAL
AGENT:
DEVELOPING
VIRTUE
AS HABIT
Group 2 presentation
 At the end of the
lesson, the students
should be able to:
1. Define and illustrate developing virtue as habit;

2. Discuss and determine the different levels of moral reasoning

and its relationship to the stages of moral development.
 VIRTUE = EXCELLENCE
According to Aristotle, achieving the highest purpose of
a human person, one has the ability to functions
according to reason and performs an activity well or
excellently. This excellent way of doing things is called
virtue or arête by the Greeks.
For Aristotle, what
comprises the The human soul is
human soul and this
soul according to divided into 2 parts:
him, must be
directed by reason 01.
in an excellent way. Irrational element

02.
Rational Faculty
 01. Irrational element
not in the realm where virtue is exercised, because, as the
term suggests, it cannot be dictated by reason.

A. Vegetative aspect B. Appetitive aspect

aspect of the soul that follows
the natural processes involved
in the physical activities and
growth of a person.
act of desiring in itself is an
impulse that naturally runs
counter to reason and most of
the time refuses to go along with
reason.
 02. Rational Faculty
the rational faculty of man exercises excellence in him.
One can rightly or wrongly apply the use of reason in this
part.
A. Intellectual faculty (act of
knowing)
One rational aspect where a person can attain excellence is
in the Intellectual faculty of the soul. As stated by Aristotle,
this excellence is attained through teaching. We learn and
gain wisdom when we are being taught or be learning.
There are two ways where we can
attain intellectual excellence:
Philosophical and practical
wisdom.
•Philosophic wisdom
attaining knowledge of the general principles that constitute reality.

•Practical wisdom
knowing the right conduct in carrying out a particular act. In other words, we can
attain a wisdom that can provide us with a guide on how to behave in our daily
lives.
 However, Aristotle points out
that having intellectual
excellence does not make one
into morally good person.
Why?
-Because, knowing the good and being
able to determine the appropriate action
in a given situation do not make her do
the good automatically.
 02. Rational Faculty

B. Moral faculty (act

of doing)
Knowing the good implies the ability to perform morally
virtuous acts.
The moral aspect of the rational faculty concerns itself with
the act of doing the good.

Therefore, rational faculty of a person tells us that she is capable of

achieving two kinds of virtue: moral and intellectual.
DEVELOPING VIRTUE AS A HABIT
A morally virtuous man is someone who
habitually determines the good and does
the right actions. Being morally good is a
process of getting used to doing the
proper act.
 MORAL CHARACTER AND
VIRTUES
"Character" is derived from the Greek word 'charakter' which mean a distinct
mark. In modem usage, character was merge with "personality" (combination
of characteristics and qualities that forms an individual's distinctive
characters).

Moral character is the existence or lack of virtues. A person has a good moral
character means that he/she is a good person and a good citizen with a sound
moral compass.
 A morally virtuous person is concerned with
achieving her appropriate action in a manner that is
neither excessive nor deficient.

A morally virtuous person targets mesotes. The middle is always in between an

action, feeling, or passion that is deficient or excessive. Nothing is lacking or
is too much from an act that is morally good. For Aristotle, virtue is the good
in between vices.
THE CIRCULAR RELATION OF ACTS
AND CHARACTER
In the moral development, there is the circular relation between acts that build
character and moral character itself. A person's actions determines his/her
moral character, but moral character itself generates acts that help in
developing either virtue or vice. In the moral development, there is the sense of
human flourishing. This flourishing is attained by the habitual practice of
moral and intellectual excellence. Virtuous traits of character are called
excellences of the human being because they are the best exercise of reason.
MORAL CHARACTER AS DISPOSITION

Virtu
a positive reactive attitude (praise or
e gratitude)
Vic
negative reactive attitude, such as
e resentment or blame
SIX STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOMENT
Kohlberg proposed that
Level 1.
moral reasoning, which he PRE-CONVENTIONAL
thought to be the basis for Sub-stages
•Obedience
ethical behavior, develops •Self-interest

through stages. He Level 2.

CONVENTIONAL
identified three distinct •Comformity
Sub-stages
levels of moral reasoning •Law-and-order
with each level having two Level 3.
sub-stages. POST-CONVENTIONAL
•Social Contract Orientation
Sub-stages
•Universal human ethics
Kohlberg proposed that
Level 1.
moral reasoning, which he PRE-CONVENTIONAL
thought to be the basis for Sub-stages
•Obedience
ethical behavior, develops •Self-interest

through stages. He Level 2.

CONVENTIONAL
identified three distinct •Comformity
Sub-stages
levels of moral reasoning •Law-and-order
with each level having two Level 3.
sub-stages. POST-CONVENTIONAL
•Social Contract Orientation
Sub-stages
•Universal human ethics
PRE-CONVENTIONAL
•Most nine-year-old and younger,
some over nine.
•We don't have a personal code of
morality. Instead, our moral code is
shaped by the standards of aduits
and the consequences of following
or breaking their rules.
•Authority is outside the individual
and reasoning is based on the
physical consequences of actions.
Stage One: Punishment-
avoidance and obedience
People make decisions based on what is best for themselves,
without regard for others' needs or feelings. They obey rules
only if established by more powerful individuals; they may
disobey if they aren't likely to get caught.
Stage Two: Exchange of favors
People recognize that others also have needs. They may try to
satisfy others' needs if their own needs are also met. They
continue to define right and wrong primarily in terms of
consequences to themselves.
 Stage Three: Conformity or Good Interpersonal
CONVENTIONAL Relationships (Interpersonal Concordance- "Good
boy/girl")
•Most adolescents and People make decisions based on what actions will please others, especially
adults, we begin to authority figures and other individuals with high status. They are concerned
internalize the moral about maintaining relationships through sharing, trust, and loyalty, and they
take other people's perspectives and intentions into account when making
standards of valued adult
decisions.
role models.
•Authority is internalized but Stage Four: Law and Order (Maintaining
not questioned, and the Social Order)
reasoning is based on the People look to society as a whole for guidelines about right or wrong. They
know rules are necessary for keeping society running smoothly and believe
norms of the group to which
it is their "duty" to obey them. However, they perceive rules to be inflexible;
the person belongs they don't necessarily recognize that as society's needs change, rules should
change as well.
POST-CONVENTIONAL
•Individual Judgment is based on self-
chosen principles, and moral reasoning is
based on Individual rights and justice.
•According to Kohlberg this level of moral
reasoning is as far as most people get. Only
10- 15% are capable of the kind of abstract
thinking necessary for stage 5 or 6 (post-
Stage Six: Universal Principles (ethical
conventional morality).
•Most people take their moral views from
those around them and only a minority think
through ethical principles for themselves.
Stage Five: Human Rights Social Contract
Orientation
People recognize that rules represent agreements among many
individuals about appropriate behaviour. Rules are seen as
potentially useful mechanisms that can maintain the general
social order and protect individual's rights.
principle orientation)
People at this stage have developed their own set of moral
guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles
apply to everyone. "Ideal" stage that few people ever reach.
People in this stage adhere to universal principles that transcend
specific norms and rules.