Lesson designed for A-Level RS (EDUQAS) Component 3 - Ethics

1. Theme 1 – B – Virtue Ethics
By the end of today’s
lesson you will have
learnt:
•The basics of Virtue
Ethics
•Considered how the
approach is different to
Divine Command
Theory
•The Doctrine of the
Golden Mean

3. Spec Check
Virtue Theory Challenges
Ethical system based on defining the
personal qualities that make a person
moral; the focus on a person’s character
rather than their specific actions;
Aristotle’s moral virtue (based on
deficiency, the excess and the mean);
Jesus’ teachings on the beatitudes
Virtues are not a practical guide to moral
behaviour, issues of cultural relativism
(ideas on the good virtues are not
universal); virtues can be used for
immoral acts
Whether being a good person is better
than doing good deeds
Whether virtue theory is useful when
faced with a moral dilemma

4. Starter: Think-Pair-Share
• What admirable qualities do these people have?
• What to you think Virtue Theory might be about?

5. Virtue Ethics Context
• 4th Century B.C
• Inequality – i.e.
Noblemen and
slaves was the norm
• Philosophers at the
time didn’t
particularly see this
as a problem

6. What is Virtue Ethics?
• Using pages 118&119 of the EDUQAS
textbook complete the six monkeys task

7. Questions
• 1. Who devised Virtue Ethics?
• 2. Does Virtue Ethics focus on the agent being a good person or
doing good acts?
• 3. What did Aristotle think all humans have?
• 4. What is meant by habit?
• 5. Which four virtues did Aristotle say lead to a good life?
• 6. How does virtue ethics benefit society as well as individuals?
• 7. What is the Golden Mean?
• 8. What will people’s actions ultimately be motivated by?
• TASK: Write these into full sentences using the textbook to help you

8. Aretaic
Another word for Virtue
Theory developed from
the Greek for ‘excellence’
or ‘virtue’.

9. Agent-centred
Ethical approach focused
on the development of
the person rather than on
the morality of what they
do.

10. Nicomachean
Book containing
Aristotle’s lectures on
ethics.

11. Telos
Greek word for purpose/
goal.

12. Eudaimonia
Happiness; good living.

13. Virtuous
Eudaimonia is achieved
by being this.

14. Practice
How virtues are
developed.

15. Quote to learn
“We are what we
repeatedly do. Greatness
then, is not an act, but a
habit.” - Aristotle

16. Virtue Theory
• Ethical system based on defining the personal
qualities that make a person moral
• Everyone has a purpose, a telos
• Pursuing Eudemonia is of intrinsic value, for
you and society = integration
• Eudemonia = the good life
• Moral living = developing characteristics best
suited to produce a virtuous human being.

17. Virtue Theory
• The focus of a person’s character rather than
their specific actions
• Places it’s emphasis on ‘practise’ and ‘habit’ as
opposed to laws written in human nature or
universal norm
• Focuses on the agent and not the act
• Focuses on how we are good people
• Appreciates the room for cultural relativity
• Aims to help humans and societies reach
eudemonia

18. Aristotle’s Moral Virtues
• The Golden Mean
• Aristotle designed the doctrine of the mean to
distinguish what actions are virtuous and what
actions are not. It helps us to become better
people.
• The vice of deficiency = Not doing things enough.
Personality traits which are not virtuous
• The vice of excess = doing things too much.
Personality traits which are not virtuous.
• The Virtuous mean = a middle between excess
and deficiency.

19. Complete the table
DEFICIENCY – BAD TRAITS MEAN – GOOD TRAITS EXCESS - BAD TRAITS
Cowardice Rashness/Foolhardiness
Shyness Modesty
Deceitful Honest
Compassionate Sensitive
Intolerant Passive

20. The Golden Mean - Example
• Malala Yousafzai showed the
virtue of courage.
• CNN clip
• He named me Malala - Trailer

21. Write up
• Ethical System based on defining the
personal qualities that make a person moral.
• Write a paragraph on the above point using
the following words:
• Relative
• Morality
• Goodness
• Telos

22. Write up
• The focus on a person’s character rather than
specific actions
• Write a paragraph on the above point using the
following words:
• Agent
• Actions
• Habits
• Justice, Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence
• Role model

23. Write up
• Aristotle’s moral virtue (based on deficiency, the
excess and the mean)
• Write a paragraph on the above point using the
following words:
• The Golden Mean
• Deficiency
• Excess
• Mean
• Examples

24. Virtue Theory – Jesus and the
Beatitudes
By the end of this lesson
you will have:
• Seen how Jesus can be
seen as a role model
for virtue for some
• Understood how virtue
ethics can be both
secular and religious
• Applied the beatitudes
to ethical situations

25. Spec Check
Virtue Theory Challenges
Ethical system based on defining the
personal qualities that make a person
moral; the focus on a person’s character
rather than their specific actions;
Aristotle’s moral virtue (based on
deficiency, the excess and the mean);
Jesus’ teachings on the beatitudes
Virtues are not a practical guide to moral
behaviour, issues of cultural relativism
(ideas on the good virtues are not
universal); virtues can be used for
immoral acts
Whether being a good person is better
than doing good deeds
Whether virtue theory is useful when
faced with a moral dilemma

26. Cultural
Relativism
Agent Centred Eudemonia
Recap starter- pick at least 4
words from the selection below &
explain them!
Blue = 1 point each
Red = 2 points each
Black = 3 points each
Aristotle Golden Mean Vice of Excess
Vice of
Deficiency
Cardinal Virtues Role Models

27. The Beatitudes
• Watch this short clip on the beatitudes. How can the beatitudes be linked to virtue
theory?

28. The Beatitudes
• Individually write down your own reflection to
these questions:
• How do the beatitudes link into the basic
theory of virtue ethics?
• What does Jesus envisage as someone living
‘the good life’?
• What are the distinct difference between
Jesus' and Aristotle’s understanding of virtues
and eudemonia?

29. • The beatitudes link to virtue theory because
they are an example of Jesus telling Christians
what characteristics to develop
• They are not specific actions but instead
characteristics
• Jesus stressed that following these
characteristics will lead to happiness
The Beatitudes

30. The Beatitudes as Virtue

31. The Beatitudes as Virtue

32. Stay Standing If…
• 1. You can tell me what the four cardinal virtues are
• 2. You can tell me what it means to be agent focussed
as opposed to act focussed
• 3. You can tell me how habit and practise is central to
virtue ethics
• 4. You can explain Eudemonia
• 5. You can name two of the beatitudes
• 6. You can explain how Jesus links to virtue ethics
• 7. You feel confident with what you have learnt in
virtue ethics so far

33. Spec Check
Virtue Theory Challenges
Ethical system based on defining the
personal qualities that make a person
moral; the focus on a person’s character
rather than their specific actions;
Aristotle’s moral virtue (based on
deficiency, the excess and the mean);
Jesus’ teachings on the beatitudes
Virtues are not a practical guide to moral
behaviour, issues of cultural relativism
(ideas on the good virtues are not
universal); virtues can be used for
immoral acts
Whether being a good person is better
than doing good deeds
Whether virtue theory is useful when
faced with a moral dilemma

34. Write Up
• Jesus’ teachings on the virtues
• Write a paragraph on this point using the
following words
• Sermon on the mount
• The beatitudes
• How these are agent focused
• An example
• Eudemonia as heaven

35. Challenges
• 1. Virtues are not a practical guide for moral
behaviour
• 2. Issues of cultural relativism
• 3. Virtues can be used for immoral acts
• TASK: Use page 124 of the textbook to help
you explain what the following titles mean

36. Virtues are not a practical guide for
moral behaviour
• Because virtue theory is agent centred, it
doesn’t give direct instructions of what to do /
not do.
• This means it is actually quite vague with not a
lot of actual moral/practical guidance
• EG if you found yourself in an ethical dilemma
such as whether or not to have an abortion,
it’s hard to find the answer clearly in virtue
theory

37. Cultural Relativism
• Because virtue ethics changes depending on
the virtues of that particular culture, this can
pose challenges
• It’s hard therefore to know what is actually
right or wrong
• There are too many ideas of ‘virtues’ and
these can clash
• EG women are seen as equal to men in some
countries but not in others – who is right?

38. Virtues can be used for immoral acts
• Because virtues are ‘disconnected’ from an
action they can lead to bad acts
• EG is a kamikaze pilot ‘courageous’ or just
committing a bad act?

39. Write Up
• Explain how virtues can not be a practical
guide for moral behaviour
• Explain why cultural relativism poses a
problem for virtue ethics
• Explain how virtue ethics can be used to
justify bad acts

40. • One way challenge against V.T is that it is not a
guide for practical behaviour. This is a challenge
because often in ethical dilemmas we like to have
a practical guide that tells us exactly what to do.
Because V.T focusses on the agent and not the
act, it can be quite a vague theory to apply to real
life situations. This is a problem because it means
it is difficult to apply. For example, if a 17year old
was considering whether or not to have an
abortion, it is difficult to look to ‘the golden
mean’ for a practical answer. It could be
considered courageous to both keep and abort
the baby. This is therefore one problem with V.T.

41. Challenges against Virtue Ethics
By the end of this lesson
you will:
• Have considered the
challenges against virtue
ethics
• Evaluated whether or
not you think virtue
ethics is a practical
guide to moral
behaviour
• Understood the
problems of cultural
relativism

42. A02 – Evaluation
Being a good person IS better than doing
good deeds
Being a good person ISN’T better than
doing good deeds
Good acts will follow being
a good person – it’s win
win
However, good acts can be
done by bad people or with
bad intentions. The impact of
these acts is still good
Good character can be
developed which is better – it
allows room for growth
However, good deeds can
also develop good
character and help people
more. What’s the point of
good character if not put
into practise?
Being a good person is selfless -
we know it always has good
intentions.
However, good deeds always
benefit other people anyway –
does it matter if it’s a bad
intention?