文档介绍：UNIT A6
Virtues
In the discussion of moral principles in Unit A5, the main emphasis was on making choices. In this unit, you will be thinking about the ethics of character, also referred to as virtue ethics. Here the primary question is "What kind of person should you be?" rather than "What choices should you make?" This is not to say that moral character and moral choice are unrelated. Instead, moral character precedes moral choice in two ways. The first is psychological: to reliably perform good deeds, you must have acquired a good character. So character formation is an important part of morality. The second is cognitive: a good person has good judgment and so knows what is right and appropriate under different circumstances.
Virtues are basic to good character. The Greek philosopher Aristotle1 (384-322 .) said that virtues were either intellectual or practical. Intellectual virtues such as objectivity and rigour centre on knowledge-oriented activities. Practical virtues are centred on making good choices and carrying them out; practical virtues include courage, temperance, and fairness. We are not born with practical virtues. Acquiring a virtue is much like ing a good athlete; it takes lots of persistence, hard work, and good coaching. Simply wanting to be a good athlete or a virtuous person is not enough.
Virtue as a counter to emotion
The modern philosopher G. H.