Philosopher

The Meaning of ‘Good’

Strengths/Weaknesses

VIRTUE ETHICS

·Aristotle

Alasdair MacIntyre

Teleological

Good character based on virtues, acquired by habit and producing a flourishing character by the skill of practical reason (phronesis).

Is interested in defining good people and the qualities that make them good, the virtues. The way in which we behave lets others judge our virtues and vices. Rooted in Greek literature.

S: Looks at the fundamental issue of what it means to be human.

S: Based on character not calculation, natural disposition.

W: Virtues are relative to culture.

W: Demands that you define the virtues, but how you do this is far from clear.

NATURAL MORAL LAW

St Thomas Aquinas

Deontological

Based on observation of the natural world, of the function of human beings in order to flourish (eudaimonia).

S: Simple, don’t have to think just follow rules.

W: Immoral outcomes, eg HIV in Africa due to Popes rules.

KANT

Immanuel Kant

Deontological

Based on a priori reason, not observation, according to the categorical imperative (universalisability).

S: God is removed, unnecessary, replaced by reason, allows us to think – dignity and freedom of the individual.

W: Rules based

SITUATION ETHICS

Joseph Fletcher

Teleological

An action that maximises agape (unconditional love) in a situation.

S: Not tied to a set course of action, flexible and practical.

W: Individual people have different ideas about what is the most loving action.

UTILITARIANISM

Jeremy Bentham

John Stuart Mill

Teleological

The action (Bentham) or rule (Mill) that maximises the happiness of the greatest number.

S: Creates real social benefit and is used in UK legislation.

W: Immoral outcomes, you kill the innocent to satisfy the majority.

Naturalistic fallacy, just because it satisfies everybody we can still ask, is it good? Eg Southern Baptist America, lynching.