08/03/2010

Virtue Ethics

Aristotle G. E. M. Anscombe and Peter

Geach

Philippa Foot

Accommodates the natural concern many of have with being good a good person

…in addition to merely performing right acts (producing good consequences, following moral rules)

Acting well vs. Acting rightly

Virtue Ethics

Often describes actions in the virtue and vice terms“Torture is cruel”“Paying back your debts is just” “Speaking up in that situation was courageous”

Anscombe suggested that this is a great improvement over “morally wrong” (or “right”), because this language still informs us about what we ought and ought not to do.

Virtue Ethics

The virtue (and vice) terms do not merely apply to the outward action, but to the state of character of the agent.When a store manager practices business in an

honest fashion because this is a good way to attract customers and maximize profits, we don’t quite want to say that he is acting honestly, or that he is a man of honest character.

Being virtuous doesn’t simply mean “prone to act in good ways”Being honest does not only mean “tends to tell the

truth”

More than Actions

1: Good-making propertyMakes one good “qua” human

Because we are, by nature, rational and social beings, the virtues help us fulfill our human nature.

Important for achieving a good life, or eudaimonia.

What is a Virtue?

2: Goodness of the Rational WillConcerns reason and rational choice

Not a mere pre-reflective inclination to do well.

This implies that virtue is something more than what nice children are capable of having.

What is a Virtue?

3: A CorrectiveSupplement human beings where they find

natural temptations, deficiencies of motivation, or tendencies toward vice.Justice is a corrective where we want to keep

things we don’t deserve or distribute things (like punishment) in a way that others don’t deserve;

Courage is a corrective where we have the tendency to be overcome by fear;

Charity is a corrective where we tend to be selfish or uncaring of others.

This suggests that knowing the virtues depends on knowing what human nature is like

What is a Virtue?

1: HabitReliability and Consistency

Virtues are developed, not acquired at once

Virtues are strongly entrenched

Components of Virtue

2: Sensitivity to ReasonsVirtue involves seeing certain

considerations as practical reasons, and being motivated by and acting on them.Seeing the humanity of others as reason to

not to harm or lie to them. Seeing another’s vulnerability as a reason

to help, not to take advantage.Seeing the value of truth as reason to

conduct business honestly.

Components of Virtue

3: Emotions and AttitudesYou are happy to perform virtuous deeds

You are attracted to other virtuous people

The vicious behavior of your friends and family makes you sad.

Note the contrast here with Kant’s ethics: on virtue ethics, subjective desires to do the right thing tend to make someone more virtuous.

Components of Virtue

4: Natural Inclination to Act WellVirtuous actions come naturally

No need to battle contrary desires

Spontaneous expression of one’s innermost desires

Components of Virtue

5: Phronesis: Practical WisdomThe ability to reason correctly to make

wise choicesRequires knowledge and life experienceSolves conflicts between the virtues (or

moral rules)Supplements mere “natural virtue”: it

perfects (is a check on) the spontaneous component.

Components of Virtue

1: Habit

2: Sensitivity to Reasons

3: Emotions and Attitudes

4: Natural Inclincation to Act

5: Phronesis: Practical Wisdom

Recap: Five Components of Virtue

Virtue?

Virtue?

Virtue?

Virtue?

Continence = Strength of WillBut virtue, for the virtuous person, should be easy

Exercise of will-power implies imperfect virtue:No virtuous habit formedWrong motives and attitudesNot naturally inclined to act well

But is this always the case?

Virtue > Continence

“[We] both are and are not inclined to think that the harder a man finds it to act virtuously the more virtue he shows if he does act well. For on the one hand great virtue is needed where it is particularly hard to act virtuously; yet on the other it could be argued that difficulty in acting virtuously shows that the agent is imperfect in virtue.”

Philippa Foot, “Virtues and Vices”

The Puzzle

“The dilemma can be resolved only when we stop talking about difficulties standing in the way of virtuous action as if they were of only one kind.”

Foot's Solution

Consider the following:A woman finds a purse on the street

with lots of money in it, and is temped to take it because…(a) she is a poor single mother with

hungry children at home(b) she is struggling with kleptomania

(the desire to steal)

Foot's Solution

In (a) it is the woman’s circumstances that makes it hard to act rightly.

Even further, an important factor contributing to the difficulty is her love and concern for her children, which is a sign of virtue.

So, we can imagine that even someone with full virtue would find this situation difficult. In fact we might think less of the woman if she weren’t tempted by the purse.

Circumstances vs. Character

In (b) it is the woman’s vicious character that makes it hard to act rightly.

Assuming that she did not need the money to feed her children, the prospect of taking the purse should not quite have occurred to her if she were fully virtuous.

Circumstances vs. Character

A virtue is…1: A good-making property

2: Goodness of the rational will

3: A corrective

Review

Components of Virtue1: Habit2: Sensitivity to Reasons3: Emotions and Attitudes4: Natural Inclination to Act5: Phronesis: Practical Wisdom

Review