Philosophy Now Forum

Anyone here favor Virtue Ethics over other approaches to Morality and Ethics?
If yes, why and also if no, why?

The concept of Eudemonia is a critical concept in Aristotle's Virtue Ethics.

The following are abstracted from IEP.

• “Eudaimonia” is an Aristotelian term loosely (and inadequately) translated as happiness. [flourishing, well-being]
  Aristotle claims that all the things that are ends in themselves also contribute to a wider end, an end that is the greatest good of all.
  That good is eudaimonia.
  Eudaimonia is happiness, contentment, and fulfillment; it’s the name of the best kind of life, which is an end in itself and a means to live and fare well.

Here is Aristotle's Argument, why Eudemonia is Man's Highest Function and Ultimate End to living a life.

• The Aristotlean Function Argument
  Aristotle [] observes that where a thing has a function the good of the thing is when it performs its function well.
  • For example, the knife has a function, to cut, and it performs its function well when it cuts well.
  This argument is applied to man: man has a function and the good man is the man who performs his function well.
  
  Man’s function is what is peculiar to him and sets him aside from other beings—reason.
  
  Therefore, the function of man is reason and the life that is distinctive of humans is the life in accordance with reason.
  
  If the function of man is reason, then the good man is the man who reasons well.
  This is the life of excellence or of eudaimonia.
  
  Eudaimonia is the life of virtue—activity in accordance with reason, man’s highest function.

In the above Aristotle postulate 'reason' plays a critical role in achieving Eudemonia, i.e. the highest virtue of man in contrast to Hume's 'Reason is the Slave of Passion.'

Views?