UNIVERSITY OF SAN AGUSTIN

Gen. Luna St. Iloilo City

College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Education
Philosophy Department

Course: Ethics

Course code: GE 8
Course description: Designed for students of ethics under the new CHED General Education. Thus the course
deals with both the substance as well as the pedagogy of ethics. The former concerns the principles of ethical
behavior in modern society at the level of the person, society, and interaction with the environment and other
shared resources (CMO 20 s2013), while the latter pertains to the various methods of teaching the course, as
well as the skills necessary to accomplish it, in a way that incorporates the most recent principles of and insights
into learning in the college level.

General Objectives:

During and at the end of the course, a student would be able to:

1. Recognize the basic moral theories and their proponents.;

2. Discuss and analyze the arguments that support the moral principles and their application to moral issues;

3. Make a stand on moral issues, strengthen, and deepen the sense of responsibility towards fellow human
beings as a transformative community builder oriented towards God;

4. Demonstrate an appreciation for various moral concepts and find the possible application in their lives as
Filipinos.

Course outline:

1. Morality, Ethics and Moral Philosophy

2. Morality as Compared to Other Normative

3. Traits of Moral Principles

4. Difference Between Moral and Non Moral Standards

5. Moral Dilemmas, Three Levels of Moral Dilemma,

6. Freedom as Foundation for Moral Acts, Culture and Moral Behavior

7. Domains of Ethical Assessment

8. The Purpose of Morality

9. Relativism in Ethics

10. Cultural Relativism and Filipino Moral identity.

11. Universal Values,

12. Stages of Moral Development Reason and Impartiality

13. Feelings and Reason

14. Aquinas’s Natural Law Theory and the Value of Natural Law Theory

15. Utilitarianism

16. Bentham and Mill’s Utilitarianism

17. The Strength and Weakness of Utilitarianism

18. External Criticisms of Utilitarianism

19. Deontology: The Ethics of Duty

20. Immanuel Kant and the Categorical Imperative

21. Kant and rights

22. W.D. Ross: Duties are Prima Facie

23. John Rawls and Justice as Fairness

24. Virtue-Based Ethical System

25. Aristotle’s Theory

26. The Strengths and Limitations of Virtue Ethics

27. Globalization and its Ethical Challenges

28. Millennials and Filinnials : Ethical Challenges and Responses

Requirements of the Course:

1. Readings
2. Accomplishment of worksheets
3. Passing of Examination
 Module 8/Week 8

Virtue Ethics of Aristotle

Prepared by: Prof. John Christian Cabales

Time allotment: 3 hours

Overview:

This module comprises one (1) lesson. It is expected that you will:

1. List and interpret the central tenets of the virtue-based ethical system;

2. Identify the nature of virtue ethics.

Lesson 1
Virtue Ethics of Aristotle

Objectives:
This lesson will help you –

1. List and interpret the central tenets of the virtue-based ethical system;

2. Identify the nature of virtue ethics.

Introduction

Was there a time in your life you realized that what you’ve done so much and regretted the consequences? Do
little, and become unhappy about the results? Our next lesson will teach us the value between excess and
lackness. Let the principles of Aristotle guide us to uncover the virtue behind it.

Content

Aristotle

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Virtue ethics date back to Aristotle (325B.C.) in his Nichomachean Ethics.
Aristotle’s central question: “What is the good of man?

The Supreme Good

Happiness is the supreme good chosen for itself and never for something else. It is more than a mere truism.
What is the nature of happiness? How do we achieve happiness?

Virtue and Function

Aristotle holds that happiness (or that which makes someone happy) is tied to the proper functioning of a thing.
“good hammer”, that which functions well at hammering. What is the unique function of man? Aristotle holds
that the unique function of man is his power of thought. Full development of reason will make man happy, Life
of Reason is the activity of the soul in conformity with virtue that is guided by the Rational Principle (Golden
Mean).

The Golden Mean

Virtue is the mean between two extremes relative to the individuals.

For example:

Excess-------Mean-------Deficiency

Rashness-----Bravery-----Cowardice

The good person is one who habitually follows the mean. Virtue (defined): a trait of character, manifested in
habitual action, which is good for a person to have.

Examples of Virtues: (Partial list – no absolute or complete list)

Benevolence, Fairness, Self-Discipline

Self-Reliance , Honesty, Tolerance
Conscientiousness, Loyalty, Justice

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Nature of Virtues

Are the virtues the same for everyone? All people need virtues but they vary in degrees. Certain virtues will be
necessary for some cultures. Believers of radical virtues ethic seven wants to get rid of the notion of morally
right and morally wrong and apply the concepts of virtuous and non-virtuous.

Importance of Virtues

Virtuous person will fare better in life. Virtues are needed to live well. We need virtues to live in community
with others. It is necessary to pursue our own ends and cope with life’s challenges.

Advantages of Virtue Ethics

It provides moral motivation, certain situations are handled by an appeal to virtue rather than right action or
duty. In visiting a friend in the hospital, we inculcate in ourselves the virtues of Friendship, Love, Loyalty.

Figure 1

Figure 2

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 Figure 3

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Evaluation

1. What makes you happy? Can you share to us how you apply the golden mean to reach that level of
happiness?

2. In what circumstances can you say that you have lived a life of Virtue and avoided vices?

Limit your answer to the spaces provided.

3. Look at Figure 3.Choose a mean virtue and relate it to situation that challenges you to make crucial a
decision.

Limit your answer to the spaces provided.

Enrichment activities

1. For further reading, read Introductory text to Philosophy.Makati: Best Books, Inc., 1987. Adrales, Venancio
B. Dictionary of Philosophy. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1981 Avey, Alber E. Handbook in
History of Philosophy. New York: Barns and Noble, Inc., 1968 Black, Max. Critical Thinking. 2nd ed. New
York: Prentice-Hall, 1955 Beck, Lewis W. Eighteenth Century Philosophy. New York:The Free Press, 1966.

2. Fieser, James. Moral Philosophy Through the Ages. USA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2001.

3. Ruggiero, Vincent Ryan. Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues, 6th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, 2004. ANGELES, ANTONETTE AND ROWENA AZADA. “Medicine Prices, Control and the
Pharmaceutical Industry.”

4. - http://mises.org/misesreview_detail.aspx?control=172 -http://www.philosophers.co.uk/john-rawls.html
-http://www.liberal-international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=686

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5. Stumpf, Samuel Enoch and James Fieser. Socrates to Sartre and Beyond, A History of Philosophy, 8th Ed.
New York: McGraw Hill Companies Inc., 2008.

6. Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development. USA: Harvard
University Press, 1993.

7. Noddings, Nel. Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education. USA: University of California
Press, 1984

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