180208 SE Virtue ethics (2023S)

Virtue ethics can be thought of as the field of philosophy that enquires into human ‘excellence’ or ‘goodness’. Its central question is ‘what makes one a good human being?’ On the face of it, this stands in contrast to more popular approaches to ethics, which tend to focus on the questions ‘what is good (in general)?’ and ‘what is right action?’ The central question of virtue ethics is narrower than the first of these and broader than the second. It asks about being a good human in particular, and it supposes that right action is only one part of being a good human. Some classic lists of virtues show this. Ancient Chinese philosophy, for example, discusses wisdom, filiality, and dedication to and respect for ritual. Ancient Greek philosophy emphasizes courage, justice, temperance, magnanimity, and prudence. Medieval Catholic philosophy adds faith, hope, and charity. And more recent philosophers emphasize traits such as playfulness, solitude, and the ability to mourn.

As these lists suggest, there are many traditions of ethical thought that can be considered traditions of virtue ethics. This seminar is an introduction to broadly Aristotelian virtue ethics in particular – that is, to virtue ethics as inaugurated most completely by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle and as continued in much philosophical thinking about virtue today.

What is virtue? How can one become virtuous? Is virtue a kind of knowledge? If it is, what is it knowledge of? How does virtue ethics compare and contrast with other approaches to ethics? What are some of the shortcomings of virtue ethics? These are some of the questions we’ll ask in this seminar.

Students will read excerpts of the Nicomachean Ethics to acquire a background of the general approach to virtue being assumed in the course and then will engage in some of the central contemporary debates about virtue ethics, through reading some of its leading proponents and critics.