Module 5: Virtue Ethics 1
UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Political Science
MODULE 5 IN SOCIAL SCIENCE 101N (ETHICS)
LESSON 2
VIRTUE ETHICS: ARISTOTLE & ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the topic, students are expected to:
1) To describe the moral philosophy of Aristotle and St. Thomas.
2) To explain the differences and similarities of Aristotle and St.
Thomas’ philosophy.
TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITY/LESSON PROPER:
VIRTUE ETHICS
ARISTOTLE
The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote his Nicomachean Ethics with these
questions in mind. For him, the ultimate purpose cannot be understood
without understanding the place of reason in ordering one’s life. Aristotle
considers that morality is not merely a matter of knowing the good, just like
Plato’s proposition, but actually doing the good habitually. We become what
we are not what we know but what we do. According to him, self-realization
is the highest good attainable by man. Self-realization is termed as
Eudaimonia or well-being or happiness.
This happiness is not the same as possession of wealth or pleasure; while
pleasure is good, it is not the ultimate good. Happiness is the natural outcome
of the active exercise of functions. The full realization of functions refers
to fulfilling, realizing, actualizing, and developing one’s nature with all its
potentials.
Eudaemonia is sought for its own sake. All other ends, such as wealth,
health, power, are sought because they are perceived to be instrumental in
one’s flourishing. It is, as the proper end of man, not some kind of inactive
state but actually something that one does. for Aristotle, our chief good is not
something we merely possess in mind but something that we continually
actualize in practice. According to him, Eudaemonia is an activity of the soul in
accordance with virtue.
Threefold Nature of Man
Each of these must be fulfilled as the realization of each is accompanied by a
state of pleasure and happiness.
1. Vegetative- it refers to the physical body which is cultivated by
wholesome food and proper exercise. The body needs food, drink, work,
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Module 5: Virtue Ethics 2
and rest in order to survive and to keep oneself physically fit.
2. Sentient- Man as full of senses has sentient nature. Man’s sensual
feelings and emotions must be fully developed through appropriate sex
activity within the limit of his social conventions. One needs to make his
feelings and emotions fine to satisfy his senses.
3. Rational- Human bearings are rational animals. the full realization of
their vegetative and sentient nature keeps them longing for more
lasting satisfaction. food and shelter cannot satisfy their thirst for self-
realization. one develops his rational nature in the pursuit of scientific
knowledge. philosophical truth, political activity, religious commitment,
and creative, artistic endeavor.
Therefore, for Aristotle, upon the realization of man’s highest nature, there
is good, happiness.
Determinant of Morality
The doctrine of the golden mean is central in the self- realization ethics of
Aristotle, especially in the full exercise of functions regarding the development
of man’s vegetative and sentient nature. reason seeks the balanced course
between too much and too little. Extremes and excesses are always evil,
hence, to be avoided.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
St. Thomas’ philosophy began with the standpoint of faith. He is known to
be one who Christianized the philosophy based on his theories and ways. His
perspective presupposes the existence of God who is the author (source) and
the goal (end) of all realities. According to him, there exists a natural law
which is the interpretation of man from the Eternal Law. In his view, the source
of the moral law is reason itself. in its operation, reason recognizes the basic
principle “Do good and avoid evil”. He used the term synderesis to describe
this inherent capacity of an individual to perceive what is good or bad. In
short, the moral law is the dictates of the voice of reason, and this dictate is
expressed in the principle that good must be done and evil must be avoided.
The voice of reason is also called the conscience, in so far the conscience
refers to the immediate judgment of practical reason applying the general
principle of morality.
What is good for St. Thomas?
St. Thomas asserts that what is human good is which is suitable for and
proper to human nature. Thus, whenever an act is suitable to human
nature as such, then it is good and it must be done; whenever it is not proper
to human nature, however, then it is evil and it must be avoided. So, human
nature is the proximate norm of morality. In St. Thomas View, the good is
built into human nature, to which we are directed by our natural inclinations:
self-preservation, just dealings with others and the propagation of the species.
Three Natural Inclinations of Man
1. Self-preservation. We are inclined to preserve our life. Self-
destruction, first of all, is unnatural as far as St. Thomas is concerned.
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Module 5: Virtue Ethics 3
This urges us to care for our health, not to kill ourselves or put
ourselves in danger.
2. Just dealings with others. Reason by nature leads us to treat others
with the same dignity and respect that we accord ourselves. This is the
basis of justice which arises out of human relations. Thus, any act of
injustice is against human nature.
3. Propagation of the species. We are naturally inclined to perpetuate
our species which is viewed as a natural good. We are obligated not to
pervert this natural inclination. the reproductive organs are by nature
designed to reproduce and to perpetuate the human species. And any
intervention against such nature must be evil.
Determinant of Morality
1. Object- the Act itself
2. Circumstances-are conditions which, when superadded to the nature
of the moral act, will affect its morality. It answers the question of who,
what, where, by what means, why, how and when?
3. End of the agent- The end here is taken in the sense of end or
purpose of the agent or the doer
ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITY/OUTCOME:
Answer this situation using St. Thomas’ determinants of morality.
Giving alms to a beggar is good in itself. Try to explain this proving
that there can be an evilness in it.
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