Ethics - LESSON 10 Frameworks and Principles Behind Moral Frameworks Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Ethics - LESSON 10 Frameworks and Principles Behind Moral Frameworks Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Ethics - LESSON 10 Frameworks and Principles Behind Moral Frameworks Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
(1) Understand and explain ethical framework
(2) Distinguish among five ethical frameworks
(3) Articulate what virtue ethics is.
(4) Differentiate the ethical frameworks of Plato and Aristotle.
Ethical Framework
An ethical framework is a set of rules that a person uses to guide his or her actions. It is simply
another term for "moral standards," as discussed earlier in this text. It is what people use to
distinguish between right and wrong in their interactions with the world. It is used to ascertain the
moral purpose of an action. An ethical framework helps an individual answer the questions, "What
should I do?" and "Why should I do so?" Ethical frameworks serve as guideposts in moral life.
The various dominant mental frames are as follows: 1) Aristotle's virtue or character ethics, 2)
natural law or commandment ethics of St. Thomas and others, 3) Immanuel Kant's deontological and
duty framework, 4) utilitarianist, teleological, and consequentialist approach, and 5) Love and justice
framework. They will be introduced here, but will be discussed in greater depth in subsequent
lessons.
Virtue or Character Ethics of Aristotle
Who is the ethical person, according to virtue ethics? According to Aristotle, an ethical person is one
who has developed good character or virtues. When a person realizes his or her potentials or
possibilities, the highest of which is happiness, he or she attains virtues. Happiness is the joy of
realizing one's own potential.
NaturalLaworCommandment Ethics of St. Thomas
What is right, according to St. Thomas, is what follows natural law, the rule that says, "do good and
avoid evil." Knowing the good as distinct from evil is guided by the Ten Commandments, which are
summarized as loving God and one's fellowmen.
Deontological and Duty Framework of Immanuel Kant
Kant's framework is referred to as deon, duty, or deontological framework. Deontology focuses on
"individual rights and the intentions associated with specific behavior... equal respect... given to all
persons." It is based on the categorical imperative, which states that one must act in such a way that
his or her maxim becomes the maxim of all. Acting on a maxim that can be the maxim of all is a duty
and an obligation of every man and woman. Acting out of duty (deon) means acting with good
intentions. Treating man as an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, is acting with good
intentions.
Utilitarianist, Teleological and Consequentialist Framework
The utilitarianist teleological approach is concerned with outcomes. "The decision maker is
concerned with the utility of the decision; what really matters is the net balance of good
consequences over bad." The correctness of an action is determined by the net balance of good
consequences.
Love and Justice Framework
That which is just and loving is considered ethical. Justice is giving what is due to others while also
giving more than what is due to others.
Virtue or Character Ethics
An ethical act is what a virtuous person would do in the same situation. Virtue ethics is concerned
with people rather than actions. It considers the virtue or moral character of the person performing
an action rather than ethical duties and rules or the consequences of specificactions.
Virtue ethics is concerned with more than just the rightness or wrongness of individual actions. It
indicates the kinds of characteristics and behaviors that a good person will strive for. In this sense,
virtue ethics is concerned with the entire course of a person's life, rather than specific episodes or
actions. A good person is someone who lives virtuously - someone who has and practices the virtues.
Furthermore, virtue ethics is "the ethics of behavior" that "focuses on the character of the persons
involved in the decision or action; if the person in question has good character, as well as genuine
motivation and intentions, he or she is behaving ethically."
Virtue ethics is defined as "an ethics whose goal is to determine what is essential to being a well-
functioning or flourishing human person. Virtue ethics emphasizes an ideal for humans or persons. It
is an optimistic and positive type of ethics."
Basic Types of Virtue (Excellence)
Aristotle distinguished two kinds of virtue. There are two types of virtues: 1) intellectual virtues and
2) moral virtues. Intellectual virtues refer to mental excellence, whereas moral virtues refer to a
person's proclivity to act well. Intellectual virtues include the ability to comprehend, reason, and
judge correctly, whereas moral virtues predispose a person to act correctly.
Aristotle defines virtue as an attained, actualized, or self-realized potential or possibility. It can
function as a moral framework. When a person has the potential or possibility of becoming a
musician, he attempts to train and study to become a musician using the virtue of a musician as a
framework.
Aristotle (384-323 BC) proposed an ethical system known as "self-actualization." According to
Aristotle, when a person acts in accordance with his nature and realizes his full potential, he will do
good and be content. A baby is not a person at birth, but rather a potential person. The child's
inherent potential must be realized in order for him or her to become a "real" person. Unhappiness
and frustration are caused by a person's unrealized potential, which leads to failed goals and a bad
life. According to Aristotle, "Nature does nothing in vain." As a result, in order to be content and
complete, people must act in accordance with their nature and develop their latent talents.
Happiness was regarded as the ultimate goal. Everything else, such as civic life or wealth, is merely a
means to an end. Self-realization, or becoming aware of one's own nature and developing one's
talents, is the surest path to happiness.
The material world is in the process of actualizing its potential. Everything has a nature and a
potential for something. Nature unfolds naturally, and it is under no obligation to do so. It lacks both
intelligence and will. However, a person has an obligation to be who he or she is meant to be. It is
his/her responsibility to cultivate his/her talent and virtues. A person's highest good or end, telos, is
the completion of his or her self-development or actualization. Happiness or the experience of
happiness is the concomitant result of this development or actualization of his/her potentials, as
defined by Aristotle.In short, virtue means excellence and virtue ethics is excellence ethics.
Virtue as a Mean
For Aristotle, virtue is the Golden Mean between two extremes. The virtue of courage is a mean
between two extremes of deficiency andextreme, namely, cowardice and foolhardiness,
respectively.Too little courage is cowardice and too much courage is foolhardiness (Mackinnon, et al
2015)
Virtue Ethics in Other Traditions
Confucius emphasized two virtues, jen (or ren) and li Jen means humaneness, human-heartedness
and compassion. Li means propriety, manners or culture.
Hinduism emphasizes five basic moral virtues: non-violence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity, freedom
from greed. It also emphasizes mental virtues: calmness, self-control, self-settledness, forbearance,
faith and complete concentration, hunger for spiritual liberation. (George, V,2008)
Buddhism also has its intellectual and moral virtues. From the eightfold path are the intellectual
virtues of right understanding and right mindfulness and the moral virtues of right speech, right
action and rightlivelihood.
Jesus Christ preached the virtues of love, mercy and compassion, hunger for justice, patience,
kindness, gentleness, self-control. St. Thomas Aquinas taught the theological virtues - faith, hope
and love. Christian tradition teaches four cardinal moral virtues, namely: prudence, justice,
temperance and fortitude.
St. Thomas being an eclectic philosopher, integrated into his own philosophy anything that is good
conceived by his predecessors like Aristotle. But he enriched their thoughts with his own insights or
learning. The attainment of the highest good, which is happiness, includes its diffusion.
"Bonumdifusivum est." Goodness as goodness necessarily diffuses itself. A person's virtue diffuses
itself in a right action. Goodness shares itself, like a light that shines before all men.
One more point regarding various potentials of man which when actualized becomes virtues is Hans
George Gadamer's re-interpretation of Aristotle definition of man as a "homo logos," a speaking
animal. In other words, in the light Aristotle's wisdom, the virtue of being man is being a speaking
animal, meaning, his attainment of a meaningful, refined, and civilized language. Gutter language is
vice; beautiful, meaningful and refined language is virtue. One who has a virtue of a refined language
speaks rightfully.
The virtuous person did not inherit his/her virtues. Neither were these virtues simply passed on to
him automatically. His being a person of virtue is a product of deliberate, consistent, continuous
choice and practice of living the virtue or virtues.
WEEK 10
I. Match the items in Column A with Column B. You may repeat an answer.
Column A Column B
_____ 1. The ethical person develops good character. a. Virtue on Character Ethics of
Aristotle
_____ 2. An act is ethical if one gives the other what he/she is due. b. Natural Law or
Commandment Ethics of St. Thomas
_____ 3. An act is ethical if it is an obligation expected of every man or woman. c.
Deontological and Duty Framework of Immanuel Kant
_____ 4. That which is right follows the rule “do good and avoid evil.” d. Utilitarian,
Teleological and Consequentialist
_____ 5. That which is ethical is that which has good consequences. e. Love and Justice
Framework
_____ 6. An act is ethical if one gives the other more than what he is due.
_____ 7. To act ethically, one must act in a way that he wishes others to act in the same way.
_____ 8. An act is ethical if it brings about the greatest good for the greatest number of those
affected by the act.
_____ 9. What is good is written in a person’s very being.
_____ 10. No amount of wealth or power, for example, can be more satisfying than achieving the
state of happiness.
II. Read each items and answer the following questions.
1. Give examples of virtuous persons you admire.
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2. Why do you consider them virtuous persons? What virtues do they possess?
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3. How did this virtuous person become one? Was he/she born already virtuous or did he
inherit his virtuous life?
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