A Meaning Of Moral Virtue - 956 Words

Humble Translations 1. A MEAN OF MORAL VIRTUE Aristotle, described moral virtue as being an intermediate between the two extreme states. These states represent the opposing vices of excess and deficiency, placing the mean, or virtue in the middle of each vice. From the words of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle proclaimed that: Virtue is concerned with passions and actions, in which excess is a form of failure, and so is defect, while the intermediate is praised and is a form of success; and being praised and being successful are both characteristics of virtue. Therefore virtue is a kind of mean, since, as we have seen, it aims at what is intermediate. (Nicomachean Ethics, ch. 6) In other words, the â€Å"mean† represents a fulcrum that balances our passions and serves as the standard by which how we act upon them. Moral virtues then become the middle ground of our decision making process, so to speak. Essentially, moral virtues are not just the ideals which form our belief systems, they are also the habitual choices we decide to act upon in order to produce an equilibrium between our passions. â€Å"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence (virtue) is not an act, but a habit† (Aristotle). 2. PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL Dr. Gregory Sadler, professor of philosophy, amusingly utilized the fabled tale of â€Å"Goldie Locks† as an analogy to illustrate Aristotle’s ethical model. In the story, Goldie Locks enters the bears’ cabin and begins to engage in a series of decision making processes.Show MoreRelatedVirtue Duty Vs Virtue1009 Words   |  5 PagesDuty and virtue have very immense definitions, from many different aspect of life; therefore, to elucidate the direction of this essay we are going to study the ethical aspects of these two terms. Duty is derived from the Greek term Deontology, so the ethics of duty is actually the sequel of deontological ethics. The same could be said for virtue, a term many tend to use loosely. Both terms, have heavy meanings, but tend not be fully understood. Virtue ethics has its roots dating back to PlatoRead MoreNicomachean Ethics1035 Words   |  5 PagesTopic 1: In Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle defines virtue as â€Å"the mean relative to us.† In separate paragraphs, please describe briefly the basic notion of virtue as a mean, and then explain why he believes that such a mean is relative to us. Provide quotations/examples to support your claims. Include a final paragraph in which you explain your views on this issue of relativity. Be sure to take into consideration the counter-arguments we discussed in class. The mean is relativeRead More Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean Essay1436 Words   |  6 Pageslife. He believes that this can be achieved for each individual through the embracement of virtues. Aristotle believes that virtues are the mean of two vices. This is the basis of the Aristotelian â€Å"Doctrine of the Mean†. This paper will explore the basis of the Doctrine of the Mean, its connections to Eudaimonia, and its success or lack thereof. Eudaimonia is a Greek word whose meaning can be translated several ways. These include happiness, the success of life’s activities, prosperityRead MoreAristotle s View On How Virtuous Action Differs From That Of Craft1370 Words   |  6 Pagesof Virtue. But how does one live a life of virtue without knowing what the virtues are or how to go about performing virtuous acts? Aristotle claims that we begin to acquire the virtues by first putting them into action. This is where Aristotle makes a comparison between virtuous action and craft (techne) action. He claims that moral virtue is akin to craft in the fact that it must be practiced and developed. When speaking about moral virtue it is important to distinguish this type of virtue fromRead MoreVirtue Ethics Theory Essay1459 Words   |  6 Pagesreason. 3. What is the primary focus of the virtue of ethics theory? -The primary focus is one’s character, especially the personal disposition to act well in various circumstances. What really guides our behavior as humans is not ultimately self-centeredness or explicit commitments to moral rules or results but rather the deep patterns of each of our personalities and behaviors. 4. What was the ancient Greeks’ assumption about the meaning or purpose of life? * They generally held thatRead MoreEthics Of Caring And Virtue910 Words   |  4 PagesEthics of Caring and Virtue Ethics of virtue is the belief that if a person wants to be considered good, they do good things (Pollock, 1988). In ethics of virtue, happiness is always the outcome of a situation. The main premise of virtue theory lies upon three main principles; virtues, practical wisdom and eudemonia. A virtue is a mean state which lays between two vices. A virtue is a characteristic a virtuous person possesses, for example courage. Courage is a virtue which lays between cowardiceRead MoreThe Ethical Theories Of Aristotle Vs. His Contemporary1019 Words   |  5 Pagesonly source of true and lasting happiness. Meaning, ethical people are happy people. This ethical theory of happiness is further studied through countless philosophers, but the two main thinkers that will be specifically researched are Aristotle, a continuing figure in ancient Greece philosophy, and Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher. Within the two, both believe human action is the main goal in reaching happiness such as the good habits, so called â€Å"virtues†, but with two different beneficial viewsRead MoreVirtue Theory And Abortion By Rosalind Hursthouse1551 Words   |  7 PagesKatelalyn Miller Virtue Theory is one of many different moral theories that exist today. It is based off of Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics which focuses on having an ideal character. The main focus of Virtue Theory is the role of one’s character, which is closely related to its roots in Aristotle. A Virtue Theorist would do things because it is who they themselves are, not because it is good to do them or because they will get something good from doing them. In the article, â€Å"Virtue Theory and Abortion†Read MoreUtilitarianism, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics835 Words   |  4 Pagesafter learning about Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics, I have realized that certain characteristics of each play a role in determining what ethics truly are. Utilitarianism characterizes the definition of ethics, by making all choices have the greatest positive impact, while minimizing the risk. Deontology on the other hand would rather we not get involved because there is never a justifiable means to an end. Finally, there is virtue ethics, which would have us aspires to have certainRead MoreEssay On Virtue And Virtue1345 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle and Kant are both poignant philosophers of their times, each with different views. While they both make arguments on the topic of moral motivations, they have drastically different interpretations of morality. Aristotle believes that virtue is the key to happiness and Kant argues that mo tivation does not make an action moral. These arguments show just two of the many interpretations of morality, and while they are very different, share some commonalities. The arguments illustrated by both