What is Virtue Ethics? (Philosophical Definition)

Summary

In this episode of 'The Good, The Bad, and Philosophy', the focus is on virtue ethics, a normative ethical theory that emphasizes the character of a person rather than the consequences of their actions or adherence to rules. Virtue ethics, rooted in the teachings of philosophers like Aristotle, suggests that actions are good or bad based on whether they reflect virtuous behavior. Virtues are balanced traits, and practical wisdom is key to possessing them. The video promises to explore defining virtues and their application in ethical theory, contrasting virtue ethics with deontology and consequentialism.

Takeaways

• 📚 Virtue ethics is one of the three main branches of normative ethics, alongside deontology and consequentialism.
• 🧘‍♂️ Central to virtue ethics is the concept of a 'virtuous person', from which the goodness or badness of actions is derived.
• 🤔 Virtue ethics focuses on character traits and virtues, rather than just actions or their consequences.
• 🔍 Virtues are often defined as a mean between two vices, like courage being a balance between brashness and cowardice.
• 💡 Practical wisdom is essential for fully possessing a virtue, which involves avoiding extremes in virtuous behavior.
• 🌟 Virtue ethics emphasizes both acting in accordance with a virtue and being in the correct mental state, not just for the sake of the action.
• 🔄 Consistency in action is key to possessing a virtue; one cannot be virtuous by a single act.
• 📜 The roots of virtue ethics can be traced back to ancient philosophers like Plato, Confucius, Mencius, and Aristotle.
• 🔄 Virtue ethics has seen a resurgence in modern times, influencing contemporary ethical discussions.
• 🔍 The video series will further explore defining virtues and how they can be used to build an ethical theory.

Q & A

What is virtue ethics?

Virtue ethics is a normative ethical theory that focuses on the character of the moral agent, emphasizing virtues such as courage, honesty, and wisdom, rather than on the consequences of actions or the adherence to a set of rules.

How does virtue ethics differ from consequentialism and deontology?

Virtue ethics differs from consequentialism, which is based on the evaluation of the consequences of actions, and deontology, which is based on the adherence to moral rules. Virtue ethics focuses on the development of virtues and the moral character of the person performing the action.

What is the role of practical wisdom in virtue ethics?

Practical wisdom, or phronesis, is a key component in virtue ethics. It is the ability to make sound judgments about what actions are best to perform in a given situation to achieve a virtuous outcome.

Can you explain the concept of a virtue being a midpoint between two vices?

In virtue ethics, a virtue is often described as a mean or midpoint between two extremes, which are vices. For example, courage is seen as a midpoint between the vice of cowardice and the vice of recklessness.

What is the significance of acting for the sake of a virtue?

In virtue ethics, acting for the sake of a virtue means performing an action because it is the right thing to do according to that virtue, rather than because it satisfies some other desire or achieves a certain outcome.

How does one become virtuous according to virtue ethics?

According to virtue ethics, one becomes virtuous by consistently acting in accordance with virtues over time, developing good habits and a strong moral character.

Which ancient philosophers are associated with the development of virtue ethics?

Virtue ethics can be traced back to philosophers like Plato, Confucius, Mencius, and especially Aristotle, who emphasized the importance of virtues in ethical conduct.

What is the relationship between virtue and right or wrong actions in virtue ethics?

In virtue ethics, actions are considered right or wrong based on whether they are in line with virtuous behavior. If an action aligns with a virtue, it is considered right; if it conflicts with a virtue, it is considered wrong.

What are the two types of virtue ethics mentioned in the script?

The script mentions 'virtue agent-centered' and 'target-centered' virtue ethics as two types that will be explored further in the series.

What is the next topic to be covered in the series after virtue ethics?

Following the exploration of virtue ethics, the series will move on to examine modern ethical dilemmas and how the three main normative ethical theories, including virtue ethics, would address them.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Virtue Ethics

The video introduces the concept of virtue ethics as a principal theory within normative ethics. It contrasts virtue ethics with consequentialism and deontology, emphasizing that virtue ethics focuses on the character of a person rather than the consequences of actions or adherence to rules. Virtues are defined as traits that a virtuous person would possess, and practical wisdom is highlighted as necessary for fully embodying a virtue. The video also mentions that virtue ethics requires consistent action in accordance with a virtue, not just a single good deed. Historically, virtue ethics is rooted in the teachings of philosophers like Plato, Confucius, Mencius, and Aristotle, and has seen a resurgence in modern times.

Keywords

💡Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics is a normative ethical theory that focuses on the character of the moral agent, emphasizing virtues such as courage, honesty, and wisdom. In the video, virtue ethics is introduced as the third main alternative to deontology and consequentialism. It is rooted in the idea that a person's actions are good or bad because they reflect the character of a virtuous person. The video script explains that virtue ethics starts with the concept of virtue and vice and then builds an understanding of right and wrong actions from there.

💡Normative Ethics

Normative ethics is a branch of ethical philosophy that seeks to determine how one ought to act, providing a set of criteria for evaluating moral actions. The video discusses virtue ethics as a principal theory within normative ethics, contrasting it with other theories like deontology and consequentialism.

💡Virtues

Virtues are moral qualities regarded as good and desirable in the video script. Virtue ethicists define virtues such as courage, temperance, and justice, and argue that possessing these virtues is essential for a person to act morally. The script uses the example of courage being a balance between brashness and cowardice to illustrate how virtues can be understood.

💡Practical Wisdom

Practical wisdom, also known as phronesis, is the ability to make good judgments in complex situations, especially those involving moral issues. In the context of virtue ethics discussed in the video, practical wisdom is a requirement for fully possessing a virtue. It involves not just acting in accordance with a virtue but doing so for the right reasons.

💡Consequentialism

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that evaluates actions based on their consequences. The video script contrasts consequentialism with virtue ethics, noting that consequentialism focuses on the outcomes of actions, such as whether they maximize happiness or minimize suffering, rather than on the character of the person performing the action.

💡Deontology

Deontology is an ethical theory that asserts that the morality of an action is determined by whether that action itself is right or wrong, rather than based on its consequences. The video script mentions deontology as one of the theories that virtue ethics is positioned against, emphasizing that deontology is about following moral rules.

💡Aristotle

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher who is considered one of the key figures in the development of virtue ethics. The video script references Aristotle as a historical figure whose work has significantly influenced the understanding of virtue ethics, particularly his emphasis on virtues and their cultivation.

💡Consistency

Consistency in action is highlighted in the video as a requirement for possessing a virtue within virtue ethics. It implies that one cannot be considered virtuous by performing a single good act; rather, one must act in accordance with a virtue consistently over time. This concept is used to differentiate virtue ethics from other theories that might focus on single acts or outcomes.

💡Mental State

The mental state refers to the intentions and motivations behind an action, which the video script identifies as crucial in virtue ethics. Acting for the sake of a virtue, rather than for some other desire or consequence, is what makes an action virtuous. This concept is important for understanding the internal aspects of moral behavior that virtue ethics emphasizes.

💡Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical dilemmas are situations that require a choice between options that involve mutually exclusive moral principles or values. The video script teases future content where modern ethical dilemmas will be explored through the lens of the three main normative ethical theories, including virtue ethics, to understand how each theory would approach resolving such complex situations.

Highlights

Virtue ethics is a principal theory of normative ethics that explains what makes someone a good or bad person.

Actions are considered good or bad based on whether they align with the behavior of a virtuous person.

Virtue ethics contrasts with consequentialism and deontology, which prioritize good consequences and moral rules, respectively.

Virtues are defined as traits that represent a balance between two vices, such as courage balancing brashness and cowardice.

Practical wisdom is essential for fully possessing a virtue, which involves avoiding extremes in virtuous behavior.

Virtue ethics requires not only acting in accordance with a virtue but also being in the correct mental state for the action.

To possess a virtue, one must act consistently with it across various contexts, not just perform a single good act.

Virtue ethics has historical roots in the teachings of philosophers like Plato, Confucius, Mencius, and Aristotle.

The theory has seen a resurgence in the second half of the 20th century and continues to be influential today.

Virtue ethics is the third main alternative to deontology and consequentialism in normative ethics.

In deontology, the right or wrong action is primary, focusing on adherence to moral rules.

Consequentialism is based on the good and bad consequences of actions, prioritizing outcomes over actions themselves.

Virtue ethics starts with the concept of virtue and vice to determine right or wrong actions, which is a more indirect approach.

Virtue ethics requires a more complex reasoning process to establish what actions are right or wrong compared to other ethical theories.

Future videos will explore how virtue can be defined and how it can be used to construct an ethical theory.

The series will also cover agent-centered and target-centered virtue ethics, providing a comprehensive view of the theory's applications.

After exploring virtue ethics, the series will move on to modern ethical dilemmas and how the three main ethical theories address them.

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Transcripts

welcome back to Carnegie stuff or today

we're gonna be continuing with our

series the good the bad and philosophy

in this video we're going to be looking

at what is virtue ethics so as the sole

principal archaic theory of normative

ethics virtue ethics offers an

explanation of what makes someone a good

or bad person an explanation of good and

bad action is then built on top of those

definitions someone's actions are good

or bad because they're acting like a

virtuous person would instead of the

consequentialist or dant illogical

project which does the opposite it

defines the actions which are good and

bad first and builds on top of those any

ideas of virtue that you would have

virtue ethics is the third main

alternative to a ontology and

consequentialism instead of defining

either good consequences or rules that

you need to follow the virtue ethicists

will define virtues and what exactly it

means to possess a certain virtue

virtues might be stated explicitly or

determined maybe as a midpoint between

two vices courage is balancing brashness

and cowardice etc an ability to avoid a

virtue going too far say being a

hurtfully honest is often referred to as

practical wisdom and it's a requirement

of fully possessing a virtue many virtue

ethicists will also claim the being

virtuous means both actually acting in

accordance with that virtue and being in

the correct mental state acting for the

sake of that virtue not because it

satisfied some other desire and it's not

in only one context that one must act to

end up possessing a virtue you must act

consistently in accordance with that

virtue you can't just do one good thing

one time virtue ethics can be traced

back to the likes of Plato Confucius

mencius and especially Aristotle it is

seen a resurgence beginning in the

second half of the

century and continuing into the present

day and following videos we're going to

look at how virtue can be defined and

different ways virtue can be used to

build out an ethical theory but simply

for this video de ontology right and

wrong action is primary it's impossible

to commit sexual assault because it is

against the rules of morality de

ontology is about following rules the

right or the wrong action is central to

it consequentialism is going to be based

on good and bad consequences so good or

bad consequences are primary sexual

assault brings about a bad state of

affairs therefore it's wrong

however virtue ethics is going to have

its primary its key peace be virtue and

vice so sexual assault conflicts with

some virtue

therefore sexual assault is not

something that a virtuous person would

do therefore it is wrong it takes a

couple more steps to build out to that

right or wrong action with virtue ethics

because we have to start with the idea

of someone being virtuous or not and

then build to that action if we wanted

to talk about in dam ecology or

consequentialism what it means for

someone to be virtuous we would have to

start with well this person does follows

the rules consistently and therefore

they have this virtue or follows this

rule consistently and therefore they

have this virtue and this rule is this

way because of that or in

consequentialism you might build it out

to this person consistently maximizes

good state of affairs for these types of

people and therefore they have a

particular virtue but it becomes a lot

more difficult to understand those

virtues in the sense of de ontology and

consequentialism than it is for virtue

ethics but it does mean that virtue

ethics takes a little bit longer to

build out to what is actually right or

wrong action that was what is virtue

ethics in this part of the series which

is the third and final chunk we're going

to be looking at virtue agent centered

virtue ethics as well as target centered

virtue ethics and once we are done with

all

that we're going to be moving on to the

second half of this series which I think

it's gonna be really cool where we're

going to look at modern ethical dilemmas

and how these three main normative

theories of ethics would tackle them

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