1. NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Virtue Ethics Starter; What does it mean to be a good person according to Natural Law, Utilitarianism, Situation Ethics and Kant? Discuss this with the person next to you if relevant, jot down a few ideas to remind you. I will be asking for your responses in ten mins.

2. ETHICAL THEORIES Ethical theories tend to suggest a set of principles or rules than all human beings are bound by. Utilitarianism – the greatest good for the greatest number Situationists – the thing that causes the most loving consequences Natural law – what is the right purpose for a human Kantian – Duty know through reasoning

3. What is virtue ethics? Virtue theory is different from these approaches It concentrates on the idea of the human character and asks how you can be a better person. Ethikos – concerned with the ethical character of an individual rather than the individual actions. It is neither teleological nor deontological. Because it does not focus on actions or rules. It is concerned with the personality of the person. Their moral character.

4. What is virtue ethics? Most theories concentrate on defining principles by which we should act. Virtue theory is interested in defining good people and the qualities that make them good. Think of a person who is good and define why that is – give evidence – you have 5 mins until feedback Utilitarian's and deontologists think that right behaviour comes BEFORE right character. Virtue theory puts this the other way round – right character comes BEFORE right behaviour. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT CHARACTER IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT ACTIONS. Virtue ethics does not give laws to follow rather identifies the correct character to have and assumes that the person with the correct character will act correctly.

5. Aretology Arete - Excellence, Strength, Virtue Aretaic Ethics - Strength-Centred Ethics Emphasizes Virtues (Strengths) and Vices (Weaknesses) of Character Not “What Should I Do?” (both Deontology and Teleology) but “What Kind of Person Should I Be?”

6. “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” Aristotle

7. Foundational experience Aristotle asserts early in Nichomachean Ethics that one must have experience of good to comprehend ethics: For example, someone raised in a meth house will have so little experience of the subject matter that arguments about the goodness of a virtue will be unintelligible. Evaluating this; Can a person with a bad start and no experience of good understand the importance of acting in a good way? Give examples to support what you are saying.

8. “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” Aristotle

9. “to understand a theory you need to know its context.” Alisdair Macintyre

10. The beginnings Ancient Greek philosophy is dominated by two philosophers. These men are called the fathers of philosophy. Both were crucial in the development of western and middle eastern thought for the last two thousand years. Their reach includes, mathematics, philosophy, ethics, politics, aesthics and many more.

11. Plato points to the sky – highlighting his concern with the metaphysical realm that can only be discovered through philosophical investigation. Aristotle points to the ground – highlighting his concern with the physical realm that can be discovered through science. Metaphysical – the realm beyond the physical. The TRUE reality.

12. Video 5 mins – make some brief notes around the beginnings of virtue ethics. Get down its beginnings and how it was renewed by modern philosophers. We will feed this back together

13. The Beginnings For Aristotle something is “Good” if it fulfils its purpose. A good knife is one which is sharp and which cuts well. this is based on his idea of CAUSE and PURPOSE

14. Goodness Because everything has a final cause it is possible to tell what is “good” by looking at what the purpose of a thing is. It is good because we have achieved the final purpose. Aristotle believed the final purpose of a person was eudaimonia Good for Aristotle therefore, is anything that helps a person achieve eudaimonia. This is the basis for roman catholic morality and the key ethical theory of NATURAL LAW Why’s that then?