05/10 Virtue Ethics Free Online FlashCards

What central question does virtue ethics ask?

Virtue ethics asks what kind of person one should become and what a virtuous person would do, rather than focusing only on rules or consequences.

How does virtue ethics differ from deontology and consequentialism?

Virtue ethics emphasizes good character; deontology emphasizes duties and rules; consequentialism evaluates actions primarily by their results.

What is character in virtue ethics?

Character is a relatively stable pattern of dispositions, emotions, motives, judgments, and actions that shapes how someone responds to situations.

What is a virtue?

A virtue is an excellent character trait that enables a person to think, feel, choose, and act well.

What does Aristotle mean by eudaimonia?

Eudaimonia is flourishing: living successfully and well over a complete life through the active exercise of virtue.

How are virtues developed?

Habituation is the process by which repeated appropriate actions gradually form stable virtuous dispositions.

What is Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean?

The mean is the situation-appropriate response between excess and deficiency; it is not necessarily a mathematical midpoint or identical for everyone.

What is practical wisdom?

Practical wisdom, or phronēsis, enables sound deliberation about what to do in particular circumstances.

What makes an action typically virtuous?

A virtuous action is performed for the right reason, with appropriate motivation, at the right time and in the right way, as an expression of stable character.

What is a vice?

A vice is a defective character trait or disposition involving excess, deficiency, distorted judgment, or inappropriate response.

How do actions and character influence each other?

Choices help form character: good choices strengthen good dispositions, while bad choices can reinforce vices.

How might virtue ethics address a serious accidental error?

A virtuous response would privately inform the colleague, encourage correction, and report through appropriate channels if others could be harmed.