PHI 2604 Chapter 7: Virtue Ethics: Be a Good Person

Linda is helping her friend David study for his advanced math class. Linda really likes and respects David, but this is not why she helps him—she helps him purely out of a sense of duty. Linda believes this duty to help David arises because he is her friend and she is able to help him a great deal.Which of the following judgments about Linda would an Aristotelian virtue ethicist make? Which would a Kantian nonconsequentialist make? Note that answer choices may be used more than once.

An Aristotelian virtue ethicist would say. Linda is not fully virtuous. Linda is doing the right thing. A Kantian nonconsequentialist would say Linda is doing the right thing. Linda's action has thegreatest possible moral worth.

Fill in the blanks to complete the passage about virtue ethics.

Aristotle argues that the way humans achieve eudaimonia is through fulfilling their function. According to Aristotle, this fulfillment is best described as living fully in accordance with reason.

Jean-Paul lives in a country besieged by war. He can join the army to help his homeland survive, but if he does so his mother will be left all alone, living in fear of her only son dying in battle.Which virtues recommend that Jean-Paul join the army? Which virtues recommend staying with his mother?

Army: Courage, loyalty to country Mother: Loyalty to mother, kindness

One problem for virtue ethics is that it is not always clear what a virtuous person would do. One proposed solution to the problem is to claim that a virtuous person would act in accordance with a moral principle, such as the categorical imperative. Which of the following is a problem with this proposed solution?

Defining what a virtuous person would do in terms of adherence to a moral principle undermines the point of virtue ethics.

One objection to virtue ethics is that it is not always clear what a virtuous person would do. One way to respond to this objection is that a virtuous person would do whatever maximizes happiness. What is the problem with this response?

Defining what a virtuous person would do in terms of maximizing happiness undermines the point of virtue ethics.

According to Aristotle, some people are born with moral virtues and others are not.

False

Jun Lin is in a difficult situation. His friend Nadia has asked him what he thinks about her poetry. Jun Lin generally tries to tell the truth, but in this case, his opinion is that Nadia's poetry is inelegant. If he says this, Nadia's feelings are likely to be hurt, and that could damage their friendship. Since Jun Lin is a virtue ethicist, which of the following describes how he would think about this situation?

How Jun Lin Would Think He would think about what the Golden Mean would be in this particular situation., He would ask himself whether a virtuous person, such as Martin Luther King Jr., would lie in this situation. Not How Jun Lin Would Think He would do whatever would contribute more to his friend's eudaimonia (happiness)., He would not lie, since lying violates the moral rule, "Tell the truth.", He would not give much thought to the situation, since virtue ethics is concerned with having the best character, not with performing the correct action.,

According to Aristotle, why does eudaimonia require virtue?

Humans achieve eudaimonia by living in accordance with reason, and virtue is a rational mode of behavior.

According to Aristotle, once a person has achieved eudaimonia, they have achieved happiness. At that point, how do they become a good person?

If they have achieved eudaimonia, they are already a good person.

Which of the following is supposed to be an advantage of virtue ethics?

It provides a plausible explanation of the role of motivation in moral action.

One of the criteria of moral adequacy is consistency with our moral experience. In what way does virtue ethics meet this criterion?

It shows that there is an indispensable role for character in our moral decision making.

Immanuel is a person who always does what is right. For instance, when he encounters someone who needs money, he gives them money, but does not give too much or too little. Although it is a constant struggle for him to do the right thing and part with his money, he always does it out of a sense of duty. Would Aristotle say that Immanuel is virtuous?

No, because Immanuel does not want to do what he does.

Fill in the blanks to complete the passage about virtue ethics.

One of the major objections to virtue ethics is that, compared to duty-based moral theories, it does not provide adequate moral guidance. However, some have argued that virtue ethics is actually advantaged compared to duty-based theories because there are far more terms that refer to virtues and vices than proposed moral principles

Sally is a virtuous person, but recently she found herself in a moral dilemma. She is a chemist, and the company she works for may use her work to make chemical weapons to be sold to the highest bidder. However, if she resigns, someone else who specializes in making chemical weapons will probably take her place, and the company will make even more weapons. Although Sally isn't sure of her choice, she eventually decides to resign.It is up for debate whether Sally did the right thing. How does that pose a problem for virtue ethics, given that Sally is a virtuous person?

Problems for Virtue Ethics Illustrated by Sally's Dilemma It shows that what is right is independent of a person's character., It shows that it is not always clear what a virtuous person should do. It shows that virtues are only helpful in situations where there is no great danger of harm to others., It shows that in some situations there is no right decision to make.,

One objection to virtue ethics is that virtues can conflict. One way to respond to this objection is to create a rule for weighting which virtues are more important than others in cases of conflict. Which of the following is a problem with this response?

Problems with This Response This response undermines what makes virtue ethics distinct from duty-based ethics. Not Problems with This Response It would not make virtue ethics useful in moral problem solving., Every virtue is equally important., This does not explain how to become virtuous.

Which of the following are beliefs that virtue ethics, consequentialism, and nonconsequentialism share? Which of the following are not?

Shared Beliefs Discovering the right thing to do is important., Virtue is an important part of being a good person. Not Shared Beliefs Moral rightness is determined by the amount of happiness created by an action., Moral conduct is primarily a matter of applying a moral principle or rule.,

According to Aristotle, generosity, like any virtue, is a mean between two extremes. Select the two statements below that describe the extremes between which generosity lies.

Valuing money so much that one parts with it only with great difficulty. Valuing money too little, and giving it so freely that one runs out.

Is it possible for a virtuous person to do something immoral?

Yes, because a virtue is a disposition to reliably do the right thing, not to always do the right thing.

Virtue ethics says that the right action is the one which a virtuous person would do. Based on this feature alone, which of the criteria of moral adequacy does virtue ethics satisfy?

consistency with our considered moral judgments

Match each virtue below with the category it best fits into: intellectual virtues or moral virtues.

intellectual virtues, wisdom prudence moral virtues courage honesty

According to Aristotle, which of the following have functions?

plants, non-human animals, human beings

If, as virtue ethics suggests, virtues can conflict with each other, that poses a problem for which moral criterion of adequacy?

usefulness in moral problem solving