AQA A Level Philosophy - Aristotle's
Virtue ethics
Exam Questions and Answers
Describe the distinction between act-centred and agent-centred
moral theories. (3) - Answer>> Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics
are two different examples of act-centred moral theories due to
their focus on actions when it comes to making moral
assessments and judgments. They share a common worldview in
that particular actions are bearers of moral value — either being
right or wrong. Aristotelian Virtue Ethics is an agent-centred
theory in virtue of a primary focus on people and their characters
rather than singular actions. For Aristotle, morality has more to do
with the question "how should I be?" rather than "what should I
do?"
What is the good for human beings according to Aristotle (5) -
Answer>> 1) Aristotle claims that every activity has a final
cause, the good at which it aims, and Aristotle argued that since
there cannot be an infinite regress of goods, there must be a
highest good at which all human activity ultimately aims. For
humans this end of human life could be called happiness (or living
well).
2) Our different activities aim at various 'goods'.
For example, medicine aims at health; military strategy aims at
victory.
3) For any action or activity, there is a purpose - its end. An
analysis of the purposes for which we do things is an
analysis of what we see to be 'good' about them.
,4) We undertake actions and activities either for the sake of
something further or 'for their own sake'. Suppose there is an end
we desire for its own sake, not the sake of anything else. Then
this end would be the good for us.
5) Aristotle says this final end is happiness or 'eudaimonia'.
Define eudaimonia (3) - Answer>> Eudaimonia is the good for a
human life. Aristotle says it is 'living well and faring well'. We have
some idea of what it is when an animal or plant is living and faring
well - we talk of them 'flourishing'. So, eudaimonia is 'the good' or
'flourishing' for human beings as the particular sort of being we
are.
Describe what Aristotle means by eudaimonia (5) - Answer>>
1) Eudaimonia is the good for a human life. Aristotle says it is
'living well and faring well'.
2) It is active and not passive. We can talk of people being happy
as a psychological state - it is something that happens to them
rather than something they make. But eudaimonia is not a state of
mind, but relates to an activity - the activity of living.
3) Eudaimonia is not something subjective, but objective. To say
someone is or was eudaimonia is to make an objective judgement
about their life as a good human life. By contrast, if someone says
they are happy or unhappy, it is difficult to correct them or know
better.
4) Eudaimonia is stable and not transient. It does not come and
go as happiness can. For it is an evaluation of a life (a life lived
well) or a person (a good person) as a whole.
, 5) Eudaimonia is the only Good. We never want to live and fare
well in order to achieve some other end.
6) Eudaimonia is the most desirable thing, and we can't make it
more desirable by adding something else to it.
Describe what Aristotle means by eudaimonia (12) - Answer>>
Eudaimonia is the good for a human life. It is usually translated as
'happiness' but Aristotle says it is 'living well and faring well'. So,
eudaimonia is 'the good' or the 'good life' for human beings as the
particular sort of being we are. To achieve it is to live as best a
human being can live.
It is active and not passive. We can talk of people being happy as
a psychological state - it is something that happens to them rather
than something they make. But eudaimonia is not a state of mind,
but relates to an activity - the activity of living. A good life is one
that realises the full potential that a human life has. Aristotle
famously defines eudaimonia as "the activity of the soul in
accordance with virtue."
Additionally, Eudaimonia is not something subjective, but
objective. To say someone is or was eudaimonia is to make an
objective judgement about their life as a good human life. By
contrast, if someone says they are happy or unhappy, it is difficult
to correct them or know better.
Also, Eudaimonia is stable and not transient. It does not come
and go as happiness (in the usual sense) can. For it is an
evaluation of a life (a life lived well) or a person (a good person)
as a whole. These are very stable judgements.
In addition, Eudaimonia is the only Good. We never want to live
and fare well in order to achieve some other end. If there is a final
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