1. How would you define happiness
How would you define happiness? If you were to ask for 5 things that would make you absolutely happy, what would you choose?
Is happiness…
About getting, or about being
About long term, or about short term
About yourself, or about others
About getting it by good luck, or by taking control of it

2. To describe the key features of Aristotle's virtue theory
To reflect on the connection between virtue and happiness
To explain and evaluate Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean

3. Aristotle & Virtue
Aristotle, b.380BC, was one of the greatest ancient Greek philosophers. He studied under Plato’s Academy, but later diverged from Plato, and set up his own school, the Lyceum in Athens, where he taught his own science-based philosophy.
He defined what things are, by looking to their proper function and purpose
purpose of a pen is to write, purpose of a plant is to grow, purpose of animals to procreate and flourish.
To fulfil its function, is good. A good pen writes, a bad plant fails to grow.
Man is distinguished from other mammals by his reason & his social instinct.
So the proper functioning of man, is to act according to reason, as part of society. This is how man can be happy, and flourish, and be a good man.
Aristotle’s conception of the good life is teleological – it aims for success in life, for well-being, flourishing, happiness = Eudaimonia

4. So a good man attains eudaimonia, because he has lived “a certain kind of life”, proper to a human, that involves reason, at the service of society.
What sort of actions are reasonable actions, appropriate to a human living in society?
actions, performed “with the appropriate excellence” ie according to virtue.
Doing such actions, is what makes a man “good”.
Goodness
 Well performed actions, activity of the soul according to excellence – or virtue *
Happiness/ well-being (eudaimonia)
Properly human life according to reason, at service to society
*over an entire life – for “one swallow does not make a summer, and not does one day, so too one day does not make a man blessed and happy”
“Happiness turns out to be an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue”.

5. The Nichomachean Ethics
Aristotle’s most important work on ethics, named after his son, Nichomachus. 2 kinds of person:
Those who do right, but don’t really care about doing the right thing.
Those who do right, because they want to. To be moral is part of their developed character. They are judged to have a good character (activity of soul according to virtue)
Aristotle’s moral thinking distinguishes people who simply do good actions, from those who have a stable, morally good character. They have excellences of character (virtues), that lead their agents act rightly, and so enable them to fully flourish.
Not “what should I do?” but “what kind of person should I be?”
Does your character play a large role in your ethical decisions? Or do you reason things out, eg by their consequences or divine right/ wrongness?
How do you deal with unfamiliar moral problems? Do you consult your “instinct”, the sort of person you are? Or do you look to moral principles or moral people that could guide you?
Is it true that happiness comes from character?
Is it true that happiness comes from having a virtuous character?
Do you agree?
A virtuous person knows what is the right thing to do. They have cultivated the skills of acting rightly and can apply them correctly in any situation. They do not need to consult rules or other ethical principles.
A skilled tennis-player, musician, surgeon has obtained the necesssary compentencies to deal with any situation in their profession. A good person, is also a eudaimonic person – they have well-being because they have the virtues and live according to them.

6. Read the extract from Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics.
Eudaimonia
Virtue
Activity of the soul
Reason, society
Ethics is character based
Summarise the stages of his argument in a few short phrases
How does he think that we achieve the virtue, by which the soul must act, and so obtain eudaimonia?
Is virtue enough by itself for a happy life? If not, what else is needed? 2 things.

7. Recap Eudaimonia Virtue activity of the soul reason, society Character
Virtue as skill
goodness
Tell your partner something about each of these terms from Aristotle’s Ethics.

8. Aristotle’s Moral Virtues
Happiness
“Since happiness is an activity of the soul expressing virtue, we must examine virtue.”
“arete” is the greek term for virtue. Aritstotle’s ethical theory, is aretaic.
It employs terms such as excellent, admirable, rather than “morally correct” or “morally wrong”, which belong more to a rule-based ethics. Aesthetic.

9. Acording to Aristotle, happiness, or eudaimonia, involves 3 aspects
a life of reflection
A life of freedom
A life of enjoyment
These 3 correspond to the three kinds of virtues, which it will therefore be very important to develop as skills or habits:
intellectual, moral and physical virtues.
It may be difficult and undesirable to do so at first, but with time, excercising these virtues becomes pleasurable. Like a “sketch” that develops into a picture.
What could physical virtues be, related to the body’s physical life, to help us manage our passions ?
What could moral virtues be, related to our use of freedom towards others and ourselves?
What could intellectual virtues be, that help us obtain knowledge and insight for reflection?
Group the virtues according to whether they are intellectual or moral or physical.
How does lack of virtue define 3 types of person? Which are you?
Which are the key virtues, for Aristotle?
**Are any of the virtues in Aristotle’s list surprising, for a modern person?

10. Nelson Mandela
What character traits typified Nelson Mandela?
"I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended."
"For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."
- Nelson Mandela
A character trait is some quality which contributes to a flourishing life – ie that fulfills the purpose you define for yourself.
If to be a leader, is to lead by example: what characteristics should a leader have? Can you think of leaders in your own experience that show such ‘good’ characteristics?
Think of what Nelson Mandela’s life-purpose was - and how he displayed in his character, qualities that made the fulfilment of that purpose more likely.

11. Doctrine of the Mean Decision making Food/ drink Self-belief
“For it is no easy task to be good. For in everything it is no easy task to find the middle.”
To do this to the right person, to the right extent, at the right time, with the right motive, and in the right way, that is not for every one nor is it easy; wherefore goodness is both rare and laudable and noble.” (Aristotle, Ethics II.9)
Read the extract from N.Ethics.
1. What examples can you think of where either extreme lacks virtue?
2. How could it be a lack of virtue to act
At the wrong time
To the wrong person
For the wrong reason
In the wrong manner
3. What is excellence, according to Aristotle?
4. What should be the deciding principle, in acting rightly?
Decision making
Food/ drink
Self-belief
Concern for others
sociability

12. The 4 Cardinal Virtues Wisdom Courage Justice Temperance
Which one manages the others? Why?

13. Evaluate Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean
Evaluate Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean. Are there times when there is an objective standard, no matter who/ what/ how/ when?

14. To reflect on different notions of virtue: Jesus’ Beatitudes
To identify strengths and weaknesses of virtue theory
To evaluate the importance of virtue theory for ethics

15. Jesus’ Teachings on Virtues
On your table
Paraphrase each beatitude
Explain if it is similar to Aristotle’s
or if it differs from Aristotle’s concept of virtue
**Does Jesus’ list challenge the idea of virtue ethics, or does it preserve the idea of character and golden mean? (read the quote by Norman p.122)
Jesus’ Teachings on Virtues
Can you think of how Jesus might have a similar/ different list of virtues from Aristotle?
Look at the table on p.120
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus outlines the sort of character, which images his own, and is “blessed” – wrongly sometimes translated as “happy” – “blessed” points to a deeper, spiritual fulfilment that goes beyond this-worldly satisfaction.

16. Strengths and Weaknesses
Distinguish the points on the handout according to whether they represent a strength or a weakness.
- Which view are you more persuaded by?
Write them out in a table.
Use them to answer the question below.
Is VE a useful theory in dealing with ethical problems?

17. Is there more to morality than just doing good things?
P.128 task
Refer to essay on p.126 for additional points