In this section we begin by exploring Aristotle’s theory of Virtue Ethics, contained in Eudemian Ethics and Nichomachean Ethics, before examining some modern virtue ethicists such as Alasdair MacIntyre, Rosalind Hursthouse, Robert Louden and Philippa Foot.  The ethics of character has undergone a revival since Elizabeth Anscombe first accused ethics of losing its direction in a famous article in Philosophy magazine (1958).

The virtues are central to the Greek teleological worldview (telos = end or purpose]. According to Aristotle, the goal of human beings is to flourish by the exercise of reason in building the virtues, a life-long growth into excellence or perfection. So Greeks seek to emulate their heroes, much as we might seek to emulate Nelson Mandela (see extract 1), or in a different (non-moral) context, Wayne Rooney or Shakira.  For a brilliant introductory lesson e’s one here by Andrew Capone.

Virtue (or arête in Greek meaning skill or excellence) is a habit of character developed by the exercise of a special kind of judgement, phronesis or practical wisdom, which chooses a golden mean according to one’s own character and the situation one faces, so clearly explained by Robert Arrington (extract 2). The mean lies somewhere between two vices, of deficiency (lack of the virtue) and excess (too much of the virtue). Moral virtues classically include prudence, perseverance, temperance and courage.

Aristotle’s philosophy is both relativistic (because the idea of virtue changes from culture to culture) and holistic, because it involves life goals, emotions and relationships. It is a theory as much about psychology as philosophy and finds echoes in modern self-help books, or management theories such as Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (extract 3).

As an example of anonymous heroism, I have included an extract from Primo Levi’s experience of Auschwitz, where he witnessed both absolute evil of an unimaginable sort, and acts of great heroism and sacrifice (extract 5), or a man known as God’s postman (extract 6). You could also look at Nicholas Winton’s story (case study) – he organised the kinder transport trains as a young man to bring Jewish children out of Czechoslovakia.

For a brilliant introductory lecture to virtue ethics and practical wisdom by Professor Schwartz of the University of Colorado go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA-zdh_bQBo

If you want to immerse yourself in Aristotle’s argument, this diagrammatic summary is quite brilliant – run with it and I guarantee you will understand Aristotelean ethics.

http://www.uri.edu/personal/szunjic/philos/nicom.htm

For the great Stanley Hauweras lecturing on the bodily nature of the virtues at Fuller Theological Seminary go to:

http://brandon.multics.org/library/Hauerwas/hauerwas2011habit.mp4

Original texts

For the original text of Eudaimian Ethics go to:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0050

For the original text of Nichomachean Ethics go to:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0054