The Ancient Ethicists

1. The Ancient Ethicists Plato and Aristotle

2. Goals • The student will be able to explain how Plato’s moral worldview applies to ethics today. • The student will be able to list the 4 Cardinal virtues and explain how Plato believes these virtues should apply to the state. • The student will be able to explain how Aristotle’s search for the good life is relevant today. • The student will be able to list and describe Aristotle’s 3 parts of the human soul, and his 4 character types, and apply them to his own life. • The student will be able to define virtue, according to Aristotle.

3. Plato • Late 5th/early 4th century, BC • From a wealthy family • Student of Socrates • Wealthy family • Started out with career in politics but left when he realized that politicians weren't truthful • Started his own university, "The Academy," in 387 BC • Origin of the term “platonic”

4. Plato • The Republic • The cave • The state • The good • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q34MHpBu0Oo

5. Forms • What makes a hat a hat? • These are all very different. • Why call them hats?

6. Forms • What about these? • Are these hats?

7. Forms • They’re all hats because….. • They all have HATNESS!

8. Forms • The same is true of these colors • According to Plato, we only know that these are all blue because we understand blueness. • And these colors embody blueness.

9. The Good • What makes a person good? • What makes a person a good worker? A good warrior/soldier? A good governor? • The form of the good The Good or Goodness Good Book Good Student Good Car Good Film Good Soldier Good Father

10. The Allegory of the Cave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2afuTvUzBQ

11. Plato • What is one instance in your life in which Plato’s idea of forms could be relevant to you? • What is one instance in your life in which Plato’s allegory of the cave could be relevant to you?

12. 4 Cardinal Virtues and Duty • The Good manifests itself in the 4 Cardinal Virtues • Prudence • Fortitude • Temperance • Justice • Prudent people have a duty to be the leaders. • Fortuitous people have a duty to be warriors. • All others have a duty to be workers. • Doing one’s duty exemplifies the virtue of justice.

13. The State Prudence Fortitude Justice Temperance

14. Aristotle • 4th century BC • Student of Plato • Philosopher, scientist, mathematician, etc. • Nicomachean Ethics • The search for “the good life” • The search for the “highest good” • Not a single, cohesive work, but multiple lectures

15. The search for the highest good • It is desirable for its own sake, and not for the sake of anything else. • Everything that is good is desirable for this good’s sake. • What do you think? • Wealth? • Pleasure? • Fame? • Honor? • Eudaimonia!

16. Eudaimonia • "eu" ("good") • "daimōn"spirit") • Happiness, fulfillment, or human flourishing • So how do we get there?

17. Parts of a Human Being • Vegetative • Controls involuntary functions • Growth, breathing, heartbeat, fighting off diseases • Appetitive • Animalistic • Anger, fear, sexual desire • Rational • That which makes us distinctively human

18. Eudaimonia • Eudaimonia, or the highest good, is sought through highest part of humanity: the mind. • Fulfillment, for Aristotle, is achieved by developing good character.

19. 4 Character Types • Vicious • Self indulgent • Incontinent • Lazy; knows what’s good but does what’s bad • Continent • Does what’s good, but does so with great struggle • Virtuous • Has trained himself/herself to desire the good

20. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs • Abraham Maslow • A Theory of Human Motivation, 1943 • Self-Actualization: Be your best self • EUDAIMONIA!

21. 4 Character Types • Vicious • Self indulgent • Incontinent • Lazy; knows what’s good but does what’s bad • Continent • Does what’s good, but does so with great struggle • Virtuous • Has trained himself/herself to desire the good

22. What is Virtue? • Admirable human characteristics or dispositions that distinguish good people from bad. • A virtuous life is lived between excess and deficiency. • Practiced virtue leads to a virtuous character.

23. Nichomachean Virtues • Aristotle’s virtues which lead to a virtuous character • These virtues are always lived in the middle of two extremes • Example: Courage: • Excess: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzbAG_pv_U0 • Deficiency: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGtfpzT4Lqw

24. Nichomachean Virtues • Courage • Temperance • Generosity • Pride • Good Temper • Truthfulness • Wittiness • Friendliness • Modesty • Righteous Indignation

25. Plant an act; reap a habit. Plant a habit; reap a virtue or vice. Plant a virtue or a vice; reap a character. Plant a character; reap a destiny. The Character Cycle Virtue Act Habit Character Destiny Vice

26. The Character Cycle • What kind of person do you want do be? T/P/S • Wise? • Powerful? • Happy? • Honest? • Wealthy? • What virtues can you develop now? T/P/S

27. The Good Life http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEKEjpTzB0Q&ob=av2e

28. The Good Life • Not getting pulled over in his “new V” • Watching the money pile up • Keeping it coming with the bottles • The girls who ain’t on TV • Getting his card back activated • Going back to Vegas • Having his Grandmama not be the only girl who calls him baby • ”Having money’s not everything. Not having it is.” • Not Money • Not Women • Not Partying • Not Cars • These things are not wanted for their own sake. • But happiness that comes through being fully human • Virtue!

29. Virtues…In Moderation

30. Virtues…In Moderation

31. Virtues…In Moderation

32. Virtues…In Moderation

33. Virtues…In Moderation

34. Virtues…In Moderation

35. Virtues…In Moderation

36. Virtues…In Moderation

37. Virtues…In Moderation What else?

38. Other virtues • What are some other virtues? • Admirable human characteristics or dispositions that distinguish good people from bad. • What makes a good person good? • What about a good student? • What are their excesses? • What are their deficiencies?

39. Aristotle vs. Plato Aristotle Plato Your character is already there, and your duty is to act as your character dictates. Right actions are actions which mirror the good • Your actions define your character. • Right actions are found in virtues and are discovered through trial and error

40. Seinfeld and Ethics • http://tehcake.com/video/Seinfeld/5x22.html

41. George Costanza • What is his story-line in “The Opposite?” • What are the ethical implications to his actions?

42. George Costanza • What virtues do he develop in order to become the opposite of George?

43. Elaine Benes • What is her story-line in “The Opposite?” • What are the ethical implications to heractions?

44. Elaine Benes • Do you think she was unethical when she purchased Jujyfruit?

45. Jerry • What is his story-line in “The Opposite?” • What are the ethical implications to his actions?

46. Cosmo Kramer • What is his story-line in “The Opposite?” • What are the ethical implications to his actions?

47. Seinfeld and Ethics • In the Seinfeld episode “The Opposite” which character most embodies a virtue ethic? • In the episode, which character most embodies the (opposite of) a consequentialist ethic? • In the episode, which character most embodies Plato’s notion of forms?