Year 8 - Religious education
Virtue ethics
Ethics: how do we know what is 'good'?
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will use a philosophical lens to consider what we mean by good. They will examine various ethical answers given such deontology, utilitarianism and situation ethics. They will conclude by weighing up the issue of suffering in the world.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the development of virtue ethics and reflect on its usefulness.
Key Notes
- Aristotle's virtue ethics focuses on achieving eudaimonia through the development of moral character.
- A virtue is the golden mean, which means a balance between two extremes of deficiency and excess known as vices.
- Philippa Foot is a modern thinker who emphasises that virtues are gained through practical experience.
- One criticism of virtue ethics is that it does not provide clear guidance in specific situations.
Vocabulary To Learn
- eudaimonia: the state of living well and flourishing
- golden mean: the virtue that lies between two vices, which are the extremes of deficiency and excess
- Philippa Foot: a British philosopher who developed virtue ethics in the 20th century
- vice: a bad quality that becomes a habit
- virtue: a good quality that becomes a habit
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Virtue ethics is just about being nice or kind, so it doesn't require much thought or effort.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Aristotle's virtue ethics focuses on achieving eudaimonia through the development of moral character. A virtue is the golden mean, which means a balance between two extremes of deficiency and excess known as vices.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'eudaimonia'
the state of living well and flourishing.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Virtue ethics is just about being nice or kind, so it doesn't require much thought or effort. Correction: Virtue ethics is about developing a well-rounded character through reflection and experience, not just being kind, and requires practising virtues like courage and honesty to achieve flourishing (eudaimonia).
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 8 Religious education guide library.