Virtue ethics: character and flourishing
Instead of asking 'what rule should I follow?', virtue ethics asks 'what kind of person should I become?'
Flourishing as the goal
Aristotle argued that every human activity aims at some good, and the highest good is eudaimonia, often translated as flourishing or living well. Flourishing is not a passing feeling of pleasure. It is a whole life lived according to reason and excellence, in which a person develops their capacities and acts well among others.
Virtue as a mean
A virtue is a stable trait of character that lies between two extremes. Courage sits between cowardice and recklessness; generosity sits between stinginess and wastefulness. The right point depends on the situation, so virtue needs practical wisdom, phronesis, to judge what a situation calls for. We acquire virtues by practice, the way a musician acquires skill.
Other virtue traditions
Virtue thinking is not only Greek. Confucian ethics centres on cultivating ren and propriety through relationships and ritual. Modern feminist care ethics emphasises attentiveness and responsiveness to those who depend on us. A common criticism of virtue ethics is that 'do what a virtuous person would do' gives little concrete guidance in hard cases.
Flashcard
Flourishing or living well (Aristotle)
Check your understanding
According to Aristotle, courage is best described as: