Philosophy 20: Ethics

Pierce College

Department of History, Philosophy, & Sociology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group Exercise for Aristotle's Virtue Theory   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Notes on the importance of group exercises.

 

 

 

 

 

In this activity each group will work on the vices and the virtues (one virtue for each group).  The goal in the end is to represent relevant vices, and a virtue, as exemplar responses to a situation of your group's crafting.  

 

Example: Represents the cowardly response, the courageous response, and the rash response to seeing a bully on the playground.              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In groups:

 

1) Choose a virtue to center your discussion on.  (We'll do this step together as a whole class so that each group is working on a different virtue.)

2) Fabricate a situation in which your relevant virtue would be called for.  

3) Identify the relevant feelings or passions that will play a role in your situation.

4) Craft three obvious examples of vicious and virtuous responses (two vicious and one virtuous) to your situation.

5) Craft subtle examples of vicious and virtuous responses (two vicious and one virtuous) to your situation.

6) Prepare to present your findings.