Reading Questions #5

1. Explain the connection between the good life and the good person from the theory of virtue
ethics and how virtue ethics differs from both consequentialism and Kantian deontology.
When something has a function, the good of that something comes from its ability to
perform its function well. That means the good person is one who performs his function well.
Humans have the function of reason because it is unique to us. Therefore, the good person is able
to reason well. The good persons ability to reason makes their acts virtuous. They are able to
live the good life because they fulfill eudaimonia through their virtuous acts. Virtue ethics differs
from consequentialism and Kantian deontology because of its belief that the quality of the
individuals character determines morality. Consequentialism bases morality on the ends and not
the means. Virtue ethics would consider an action morally right, regardless of the outcomes
success or failure, if virtues are used as a means for a goal. Consequentialists would see this as
morally wrong because the action failed to maximize happiness. They would also have no
concern for the means taken. Deontology puts emphasis on the action and if it follows moral
rules. While both virtue theory and deontology assess action by comparing them to higher moral
authorities, virtue theory considers the circumstances of the situation; deontology does not bend
its moral rules.
2. Explain the connections among the idea of a moral exemplar, the complexity of morality, and
moral understanding. Trace a logical development starting from the moral exemplar to moral
understanding.
The moral exemplar gives us a good example of how we should act and provides a model
for us to use. The complexity of morality forces us to use the moral exemplar in a way that goes
beyond doing what they do. Instead, we must use their model in our own reason to understand
our own morals and the proper way to use virtues. Through this process, we develop moral
understanding. We can then develop practical wisdom and continue to strengthen our
understanding of virtues.
3. Explain why, for Aristotle, the virtuous life can only arise out of the use of reason.
Aristotle states that happiness must come from the function of human beings. This
function comes from the rational part of the soul with respect to virtue. The soul that humans
exclusively have from all other species is the rational soul. Therefor, the good of human being
must come from our ability to use reason. By using reason we understand how to use virtues to
achieve our goals.
4. How might a virtue ethicist respond to the Who are the moral role models? and the Conflict
and Contradiction problems?
A virtue ethicist may respond to the role models problem by acknowledging the
relativism in each persons role model decision. They would also explain the correlation between
developing virtues and selecting moral exemplars; both take time to get better at and require
dedication throughout our lives. For the conflict problem, a virtue ethicist may say there is only

one truly virtuous person, making all contradictions disappear. Another possibility is for the
virtue ethicist to state that every virtuous person would agree on the same action in any situation.
The strongest response would be to divide the moral acts into required, permitted, and forbidden
sections depending on the census of the virtuous people. This method would classify actions
disagreed on by virtuous people to be permitted rather than required or forbidden and give us the
power to decide.
5. How would you respond to the priority problem as the author explains it, using the example of
rape? Is this problem fatal to virtue ethics?
The priority problem makes it appear as if the labels associated with actions controls our
actions. For the situation of rape, the individual does not rape because that is not what virtuous
people do. It is implied that the individual does not rape because he wants to be a good person
rather than not raping because it is wrong. This is a serious problem for virtue ethics because it
replaces the idea of using virtues as means with using a good persons actions as means for a
solution.