What is Virtue?
Utilitarianism
Q 1
What is Virtue?
A 1
Virtue is an explicit conduct exhibiting morality and integrity.
R 1
Virtue is a conduciveness for pleasure for protecting against pain. In this regard, it will be felt pleasurable in itself and desired with high intensity.
R 2
Habits can impart certainty both in feeling and in conduct. Therefore, other people will be able to rely on one’s feelings and behavior and to oneself rely on to do the right thing entrenched in habits.
Q 2
Can virtue be considered as desirable?
A 2
Initially, virtue was not desirable and had no motive except for its conduciveness to pleasure and shield from pain. However, through association, virtue has been desired with high intensity just as any other good. This way, virtue is not desired as happiness because it acts as a means to and rather than an end in itself.
R 1
Happiness is considered as an end in itself. Conversely, virtue is a means to some end beyond itself. Therefore, the desire for happiness will be greater than that for virtue.
R 2
As per the utilitarian doctrine, virtue was not and it still not part of the end. Therefore, it is not capable of becoming the end. For that reason, it is desired as a means to happiness rather than part of happiness.
Q 3
Is virtue part of happiness?
A3
Happiness is perceivable as a concrete idea, not as an abstract concept. In this regard, happiness is like the end product of the means that constitute it, in this case, virtue. Considering that virtue is desired for the pleasure it brings, and human nature is engineered to desire anything that is part of happiness, then virtue is part of happiness.
R 1
People want Virtue for pleasures that it gives a person, which is the fundamental aspect of happiness.
R2
Happiness constitutes a sole end to any human action. Therefore, if whatever one desires ultimately leads to happiness, then it is considered as part of happiness.
Q 4
Is virtue a means to happiness?
A 4
Virtue is desired as a means to happiness rather than part of happiness. In that, virtue is not considered as an end itself but part of an end. For that reason, virtue would be deemed to play an insignificant role in achieving happiness.
