ethics midterm

(a) Define the moral virtue temperance. (b) With which pleasures is it chiefly concerned?

A virtue that helps us face and control pleasure. Mean between self-indulgence and insensibility. Specifically, bodily pleasures.

Why can't sense-pleasure, public honor, or money-making constitute happiness? Please explain

Honor/victory and money appeal to reason but don't use it; truth seeking life is the just life and uses reason

What is a mixed action? Please give an example.-

"lesser of two evils" A terrorist threatening you to do something immoral or killing your family

Name and briefly define 3 practical rules enabling us to 'hit the mean.'

(1) Stay away from the worst extreme Two extremes, both are bad but one is more bad (2) Knowing your own weakness- we need to know ourselves what sort of dispositions we have Example: may have a weakness towards candy (3) guard against pleasure and pleasant things Example: Eating is not inherently bad, but it is a pleasure that can be distorted (too much or too little)

Give 5 reasons why contemplation is the highest human activity.

1.Virtue of the most noble part of the human soul. 2.It is the most continuous activity 3.It is the most pleasurable activity 4.Is has self-sufficiency: one has external and bodily goods needed; one can be alone and independent It is "the only activity that is appreciated for its own sake" 5.It is an activity that requires leisure (it is the epitome of leisure) being free from the need to 'hunt and gather' in order to pursue truth and learning

According to Aristotle, some actions and feelings are intrinsically evil. Please give two examples.-

Aristotle believes that some actions do not fall on a spectrum of "too much" or "too little" because ANY amount of that action is wrong/evil. Some actions have no "mean" where the evil lies in the excess or deficiency. Any of that action constitutes evil, so there can be no virtue. Example: there is no mean between extremes to murder. It is ALWAYS wrong.

Does Aristotle think that incontinent people sin because they (a) have knowledge and ignore it or (b) do wrong while reflecting that they are doing wrong?-

Aristotle thinks incontinent people have knowledge and they ignore it. He thinks incontinent people are experiencing a lapse or a slip

Does prudence govern sensation or desire/appetition? Please explain

Both, because both need behavior to overcome their passions

Define the moral virtue courage.

Brave behavior, accompanied by anger and indignation, intending to enforce societal and ethical norms without considering one's own social costs.

The virtue Courage is a mean disposition between....?

Courage is the middle ground we want to achieve between being too cocky/risky and timid/shy

What is Aristotle's formal definition of moral virtue?

Disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. We learn moral virtue primarily through habit and practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. The disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices.

What distinguishes distributive from rectificatory justice? Please explain.-

Distributive justice: Employs math/geometric proportions. Deals with giving not too much or too little to what each person merits. Example: Dividing a pizza. It is unjust to give 7 pieces to one person and 1 to another if they have the same appetite and needs. Rectificatory justice:remedies unequal distributions of gain and loss between two people. Example: COURT. Unjust to give someone 30 years in jail for running a red light.

What does Aristotle mean by virtue (not moral virtue)?

Excellence! Virtue = Excellence; a disposition to act a certain way. Example: being the best hitman is NOT moral/intellectual virtue, it is just excellence - i.e. his ability to do something well.

State and define the 3 kinds of friendship emerging from the aforesaid distinctions.-

Friendship based on utility: Don't love each other for quality but for a benefit; ex- doctor Friendships that are pleasant- Pleasure: not for being of certain character; witty people are liked because we think they are pleasant; motivated by own pleasure, not for what who they are but pleasant; they are accidental because its not based on their human nature; such friendships are easily dissolved, because it they cease to pleasant or useful they come to and end Good/virtuous friendship: being based on goodness; wishing good for the other; they are good in themselves and is those who desire the good for their friend; not accidental; remain virtuous, good for lifelong- intrinsic to the human being; that is the nature of true friendship; true welfare of the other; grounded in birture, permanence that is not found in utility or pleasure relationships Friendship of utility(about what you can do for one another), friendship of pleasure(based on the enjoyment of shared activities), and friendship of virtue(people who push you to be a better person and help you reach the Good)

Why is Happiness another name for the Final End? Please explain.

He says it is another name, because it is the best good, the highest of all achievable goods.

Why doesn't human happiness consist in the right use of the vegetative or sensitive soul? Please explain.

Human happiness cannot be produced by the vegetative soul (growth, digestion of food, reproduction) and the sensitive soul (sensory perception, passion, locomotion) because it does not constitute the full experience of happiness and fulfillment. We need perfection in our intellective soul and THEN vegetative and sensitive to be truly happy.

Human happiness is especially the right activity of what part of the soul?

Human happiness comes from the mind and intellect, the best part of the human self. Not a state but an activity.

Give an example of the Practical Syllogism where someone concludes correctly

Humans owe worship to God, I am human. therefore I worship God. The usefulness of this is sharing the truth with outers and knowing how we ought to act

In what sense is the just man self-loving? Please explain.

If we are seeking what is good and right and true in our own lives we will also seek that in the lives of those around us

Prudence is a mean between what extremes?

Impudence (carelessness) and scrupulosity (caring too much about irrelevant small details).

The virtue Temperance is a mean disposition between....?

Insensibility (deficiency) and Licentiousness (extreme)

What are the 2 classes of virtues?

Intellectual virtues and moral virtues Pyramid relationship: Moral virtue on bottom, Intellectual virtue at top. Aristotle says moral virtue is not enough Moral: Soul's GPS -- tells direction/destination. Intellectual: Soul's source of directions to the destination.

Why are the intellectual virtues more valuable than the moral virtues? Please explain.

Intellectual virtues are more valuable because they run off human instinct and are often the better logical option regardless whether or not they are moral

(E. 5) Define the moral virtue justice (i.e. particular, rather than universal, justice)

Justice is the moral virtue concerned with the right distribution of rewards and punishments within a community. In other words, can mean lawfulness and fairness. Justice deals with relation to others. Particular justice deals with the "divisible" goods of honor, money, and safety, where one person's gain of such goods results in a corresponding loss by someone else.

Why is the incontinent man less bad than the licentious man?

Licentiousness: a vice or a habit in the wrong direction. Incontinence: moral lapse; just a temporary slip up of a good man who is pursuing the good life always capable of repentance; recognize what they have done before and after; they know they are not behaving the way they ought to behave towards prudence ; ex of Josh Hamilton

Give an example of the Practical Syllogism where someone seeks to justify incontinent behavior concerning taste.-

Major premise: "Friends ought to care for one another and shouldn't remain indifferent towards each other's mistakes." Minor premise: "sarah, a good friend of mine, is making a huge mistake." Conclusion: "The agent takes action and talks to sarah about the situation."

What is the Practical Syllogism?

Major/minor premise with a logical conclusion, based off of knowing what is going on, to teach us and help us conclude/learn how we ought to act.

Why is moral virtue a "mean" disposition? Please explain.

Moral virtues help us have good intentions and orientation to finding our what the good life is. They however are not the recipe but they condition us. They help dispose us to want and know the truth.

Why are some friendships only such by analogy? Please explain

Objects of love: In the end he describes that True friendship is oriented towards what is wanting what is good for the person. The rest of friendships aren't true - other 2 types (utility and pleasure) are only friendship by analogy. They're fake. Here that "dog is man's best friend" - is this possible or hyperbole? Insofar as dogs cannot have a virtuous friendship and want what is best for the owner, it is therefore impossible (not reciprocal true friendship) Can only be between human beings because dogs don't have capacity to will the best, absolute best no matter the consequences to yourself, for the other person A dog can be a friend in analogy, but it can't be a friend in complete fullity

(E. 9) Why will the just man's feelings towards himself be essentially the same as those he will have towards his friends? Please explain.

Person who truly loves themselves is willing to give up their lives for others so others can have a greater share in what is good and right and true

(a) When is an action involuntary?

Please give an example. Involuntary actions receive pity and happen because of ignorance. Example: a reflex, like a doctor hitting our knee.

What are the principal (i.e. necessary pleasures) and secondary (i.e. desirable pleasures) spheres of incontinence?

Principal pleasures include nutrition, sexual activity, etc (what is necessary for health) and secondary pleasures include honor, wealth, victory, etc (things that we'd like, but never need)

Define prudence.

Prudence is right reason and action. correctness of means towards an end

What distinguishes wisdom and technical skill from prudence? Please explain.-

Prudence, or practical wisdom, guides us in the correct manner of action. It tells us what the proper behavior is in all situations. Contrast to: Wisdom which helps us understand truths. Technical skill which helps us produce things properly. Whereas prudence is about action rather than production.

According to Aristotle, what are the 2 principal parts of the soul?

Rational: Oriented to the intellectual virtues; Speculative and Practical Irrational: Oriented to the moral virtues; Concupiscible/appetite (faces pleasure) and Irascible (faces pain)

(E. 6) What distinguishes the speculative intellect from the practical intellect?-

Speculative intellect: Contemplation/Wisdom... Wisdom is combination of scientific knowledge and intuition. Speculative intellect is structured to love and pursue the truth. Contemplates divinity. Practical intellect: Calculation/technical skill Guides us in the correct manner of producing thing

What are the (i) sufficient and (ii) necessary conditions of human happiness?

Sufficient condition: if tis there the thing is there, the cause of the effect (the effect is the virtuous life) (unnecessary conditions? - not required for life itself, (honor, power etc) ) Necessary: (bodily goods) food and drink - required for life itself

Why is courage considered nobler than temperance? Please explain.

Temperance is a virtue that helps us face and control pleasure but courage is a virtue that helps us face pain. Courage is nobler because you rather have a solider who can go and fight with courage then just a person who knows how to control their pleasures

E. 2) What does the term 'ethics' mean?

The philosophical study of moral values and rules.

What are the 3 grounds on which people love? Which ground is the sufficient condition of friendship?-

The three grounds that people love are: pleasure, usefulness and goodness. The ground that is sufficient for friendship is: goodness.

Why does Aristotle hold that all human acting must be for a Final End? Please explain.

There must be one final end of all human actions, because a human action by definition is one that is done on purpose and for a definite goal. (We live with purpose, and shoot for a goal)

(E. 8) State and define the 3 kinds of goods that humans love

Two things, Talons of the mind (good memory, things to understand), Goods of virtue (highest one) External goods (goods given as part of society things like wealth and friends, honor, power) Bodily goods (food, drink etc)

(E. 2) Why does Aristotle define virtue as a disposition rather than as a feeling and as a faculty? Please explain.

Virtue is a disposition, because it is the result of something that causes us to act a certain way, Faculties are things such as hearing, taste, touch and sight, these are things we have by nature. Feelings are how we respond to nature. Feelings come and go. but virtues stay

What is meant by choice? ...deliberation? ... wish? ... end?

Voluntary action is the product of choice and deliberation, as a means to some desired/wished end. Deliberation: Proceeds choice. It is a means to an end. work backwards to determine which means to take. Deliberating considers how and by what means the end will be best attained. Choice: determining which means to implement to attain desired end. Choices are always voluntary. Wish/end: The wish/end is for the good (OR the apparent good).

(E. 3) What elements make an action voluntary? Please give an example.

Voluntary actions are actions we have control over, a voluntary action has an agent, an aim, and act, and object a manner and a means. Peer pressure is an example of a voluntary action. Can be moral or immoral. Agent, aim, act, matter, manner: Joe is the agent Jims desert is the aim The act is murder The matter is jim The manner/means is a revolver with 5 bullets in the head Joe has the dessert in mind (end/wish) thinks about how he will do it (deliberates) makes the choice to use the revolver (choice), kills jim (act)

What does Aristotle mean by incontinence?-

Weakness- deliberate but carried away by feelings Example: sitting at the cafeteria saying "I know I shouldn't have a 3rd ice cream but I choose it deliberately anyways." Impetuosity - carried away by feelings do something based off of impulse. Like eating 3 desserts with clouded knowledge perhaps by stress or ignorance.

Which kind of friendship is most permanent/long-lasting? Why?

good for lifelong- intrinsic to the human being. Last the longest because it is not for pleasure or utility which are temporary they will end, but when it is oriented towards the sake of the other, then it is a choice and not a matter of convenience. Needs and pleasures change so they are fleeting; they are only by accident. Goodness last forever. Friendship of virtue is most permanent and stable because you care for the person themself, which creates an actual pure bond

(E. 10) What is the true standard by which pleasures are valued/measured?

it is dictated by a higher intellectual level (pleasure from proper nutrition versus the lust for money) ((UTILITARIANISM))

What elements does action depend on?

motivation for doing something (less important elements include emotion and morals which tie back into overall motivation)