Ethics Exam 3: Being Virtuous and Doing the Right Thing

Another Aristotle Quote he felt the need to put in there

"Virtues...we acquire, just as we acquire crafts.... For we learn a craft by producing the same product that we must produce when we have learned it; we become builders, for instance, by building.... [Building] well makes good builders and building badly makes bad ones. Otherwise no teacher would be needed...."

Objection to Standard Virtue Ethics - Part 4

*Big one for Annas* Any virtue ethic that gives criteria for identifying virtuous people independently of right action also faces the objection from shifting blame. - An action is right if and only if it is what a virtuous person would characteristically do in the circumstances. A virtuous person is someone who is X. - If X is independent of right action, this is a decision procedure. - Instead of consulting a manual for right action, it has us consult an expert.

Standard Virtue Ethics

- An action is right if and only if it is what a virtuous person would characteristically do in the circumstances. - A virtuous person is someone who ____________.

Virtue Ethics (Annas)

- An action is right if and only if it is what a virtuous person would characteristically do in the circumstances. - A virtuous person is someone who has developed a disposition to act rightly based on a full understanding of the relevant moral factors. - Not a decision procedure - Using the account to guide action requires us to exercise our understanding of (a) who we should emulate and (b) what that person would do. - Aspires to an ideal. The virtuous person does not need to emulate others. They act from understanding.

Developing a Virtuous Character

- Learning to be moral is like learning a practical skill. - Learning a practical skill - Beginner must pick a role model and copy their actions. - Becomes less dependent on role model and develops their own understanding. No longer makes choices by rigidly following the rules/role model.

Threat of Circularity

- Unless the theory provides criteria for identifying a virtuous person independently of their performing right actions, it cannot explain why actions are right or wrong. - Many forms of virtue ethics try to be explanatory.

Objection from Shifting Blame

1. A person's moral decisions are their own. They can be praised and blamed in a way that cannot be shifted to the moral theory that they follow. 2. If the correct moral theory provides a decision procedure, praise and blame can always be shifted from a person following the theory to the theory itself. 3. SO, the correct moral theory does not provide a decision procedure.

Objections to Standard Virtue Ethics

1. It is not clear how we we can objectively identify virtuous people. 2. There may not be any actual virtuous people to identify. But if we identify only an idealized person, it isn't clear how we apply virtue ethics to particular situations. 3. Some actions are clearly right even though a virtuous person would never perform them, because they would never be in a position to perform them. 4. Any virtue ethic that gives criteria for identifying virtuous people independently of right action also faces the objection from shifting blame.

Annas's Reply to the Objections - 4

Any virtue ethic that gives criteria for identifying virtuous people independently of right action also faces the objection of shifting blame. - We cannot identify virtuous people independently of how we understand right action. - Our understanding of virtue is a process. We always aim to do better.

Moral Theory as a Decision Procedure

Example: Utilitarianism: An action is right just in case it produces the most overall happiness. Why is that this? - Specifies a specific right action for any circumstance. - Egalitarian. Anyone can use it to act rightly. - Like a computer manual. Gives instructions for making choices about matters that are theoretically simple but practically complex.

Annas's Reply to the Objections - 1

It is not clear how we we can objectively identify virtuous people. -The same way we identify good builders. At first we must follow others' recommendations and use our best judgment.

Objection to Standard Virtue Ethics - Part 3

Some actions are clearly right even though a virtuous person would never perform them, because they would never be in a position to perform them. - E.g., You should apologize to a friend if you've been unkind to them. - But the virtuous person wouldn't apologize, because they wouldn't have been unkind in the first place.

Annas's Reply to the Objections - 3

Some actions are clearly right even though a virtuous person wouldn't do them, because they would never be in a position to do them. - The right action is the one the virtuous person would have done at the stage in their moral development where they would be in that position.

Annas's Reply to the Objections - 2

There may not be any actual virtuous people to identify. But if we identify only an idealized person, it isn't clear how we apply virtue ethics to particular situations. - We don't need truly virtuous people to learn. We only need people more virtuous than us.

A quote from Julia Annas

We all start with some conventional grasp of virtue that we pick up as we grow from parents, teachers and so on. It is up to us to recognize at this point that we are learners and aspire to improve.... What form will this improvement take? ...The fully virtuous person...may have developed an uncodifiable ability to discern morally relevant features of situations. Or he may have developed practical wisdom that goes beyond that of his role models. Or he may have developed a grasp of moral rules and principles such that he can apply them intelligently and with insight."