Aristotle: Virtue Ethics
On Virtue Ethics
Describe the acorn/oak tree analogy as relevant to Aristotle’s virtue ethics.
What is the ultimate goal that Aristotle thinks all action aims at?
What are external goods? Provide examples and an explanation of their value.
What are internal goods? Provide examples and explanations of them.
Which of the two types of goods are most important for human well-being? Why?
Explain the Golden Mean and how individuals gain the ability over time to rightly judge what good moral behavior is.
Which of the types of goods does Aristotle say is most important and why?
How does Aristotle say that our character is formed? (Explain how habits develop and how our will is shaped by action.)
How does Aristotle relate politics (and institutions more generally) to ethics? Why is Aristotle’s ethical position known as a virtue ethics?
