CAS PH 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Ethical Egoism, Virtue Ethics, Egotism

• School: Boston University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: CAS PH 150
• Professor: Cameron Anderson

Document Summary

Is caring about virtue too much focused on myself? . Annas regards the implication from virtue ethics to ethical egoism as an objection to virtue ethics. She believes that ethical egoism is false. If virtue ethics implies ethical egoism, then virtue ethics is also false. Her problem stems from the belief that the very basic thought that ethics is fundamentally about the good of others, not my good. So any theory that is egoistic is not a good theory of ethics. Virtues are character traits which embody a commitment to some value, in a way which may benefit the agent, but equally may benefit others . Annas" understanding, not necessarily everyone"s definition of virtues. A character trait developed by taking certain actions over and over again. Takes into account the agent"s motivations/ deliberations . Formed in part on the basis of rational activity that leads us to believe certain things (on an objective list) are valuable.