Normative Ethics

1
Normative Ethics

• Section 4
• Virtue Ethics

2
Virtue Ethics Theory

• Centrality of virtues.
• Rightness as behaving as the virtuous person
  would behave.

3
Rejection of Normative Theory

• Sartre
• rejects appeal to principles
• bases values on individual choice.

• Problem
• over-emphasis on autonomy
• neglects well-being flourishing.

4
Critic of Traditional Normative Ethics

• Nietzsche
• transvaluation of values.

• Problems
• indifference to badness of suffering
• rejection of qualities such as kindness.

5
Rejection of Moral Principles

• The case of moral particularists is more cogent.
• Reject moral principles except as rules of thumb.
• Jonathan Dancy

• But we recognise the indispensability of moral
  principles.
• Consider promise-keeping.
• Consider why principles have firm grounding in
  ethics theory.

6
Virtue Ethics

• Virtuous person has practical wisdom.
• Virtue necessary for eudaemonia or human
  flourishing.
• Note these claims are controversial.

7
Consider

• the role of practical wisdom in virtue ethics
  whether virtue is necessary for eudaemonia.

8
Virtue Ethics

• Criteria of virtue include contributiveness to
  the survival of the human species.
• But this theory needs revision to recognise the
  moral standing of other species.
• Suggests a normative theory is needed to
  supplement virtues.

9
Stronger Form

• Right action is doing what the virtuous person
  would do.
• The suggestion that normative theory is required
  to supplement virtues would be denied by strong
  virtue ethicists.
• Treats rightness as dependent on virtue. Consider
  this relation.