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Aristotle's Virtue Ethics: Foundation for a Good Life

Explore the importance of Arete and Eudaemonia in Aristotle's Virtue Ethics. Discover how virtues contribute to a fulfilling life and the significance of moral and intellectual virtues in achieving Eudaemonia. Learn how practicing virtues shapes a contented life and society.

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Aristotle's Virtue Ethics: Foundation for a Good Life

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  1. AS Religious Ethics Virtue Ethics Foundation Paper Revision

  2. Important words! Arete & Eudaemonia

  3. Arete (virtue or excellence) • The quality that makes something a good example of its kind

  4. Examples • A good key is the one that undoes the lock • A good knife is the sharpest knife • A good athlete is the one that wins the race

  5. For humans, arete represents the excellencies that are needed for a human being to be a goodhuman being.

  6. For Aristotle, to be a real human being, you have to seek out the virtues and live by them or

  7. To live a virtuous life you should try and live the best life!

  8. Eudaemonia (well-being) • The state of being content or satisfied. • Achieved through the fulfilment of human potential, or self-realisation

  9. What do you have to do to be good? In virtue ethics to achieve eudaemonia (well-being) you have to practicearete (virtue or excellence)

  10. Or to put this another way round • To be the happiest and most contented person there is, you have to practice the virtues

  11. But what should you practice? • If you want to have a really contented life, then you should practice (train, develop, learn) the virtues and, what’s more, try and live by them!

  12. ARISTOTLE (384 – 322 BC) • Two types of virtues THE MORAL VIRTUES & THE INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES

  13. THE MORAL VIRTUES The characteristics of a life and attitude that contribute towards appropriate behaviour.

  14. For example Courage Patience Friendliness Truthfulness Justice

  15. THE INTELLECTUAL VIRTUES Characteristics of thought and reason that contribute to the state of mind that leads to appropriate behaviour.

  16. For example Practical wisdom Technical skills Scientific skills Intelligence

  17. Summary so far • Moral virtues = those that equip you to living a good life • Intellectual virtues = those that equip you to think out and decide what is the best (most appropriate) behavior.

  18. Together, these virtues (the moral and the intellectual) allows a person to live a happy and satisfying life, which is known as

  19. Eudaemonia or The Good Life

  20. How do you become virtuous? Some virtues are developed through habit such as courage and temperance

  21. How do you become virtuous? Others are gained through learningandexperience such as wisdom and judgement.

  22. Put them together And these virtues enable a person to contribute fully to society.

  23. Eudaemonia According to Aristotle, the contented life is experienced in three ways:

  24. Through • Pleasure A spiritual sense of well-being, contentment, satisfaction or happiness

  25. Through • Honour Living and working for others

  26. Through • Reflection The pursuit and gaining of knowledge

  27. Add it all together If you live a virtuous life, you don’t only live a good life, you also create the best community!

  28. Which is why Aristotle says PRACTICE VIRTUE!

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