Feminism and Ethics
Assignment # 13
Read the entire 12th chapter (Virtue Ethics) in the text book, THE ELEMENTS OF MORAL PHILOSOPHY, Rachels, 8th edition or 9th edition—either one works.
View this video: Aristotle and the Good Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFPBf1AZOQg
View this video: Aristotle’s Ethics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbZ1qzcHo4g
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvtOWEXDIQ
Look at this chart:
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MORE ARISTOTLE (To think about)
Aristotle believed that everything in nature had a purpose (and pretty much only one purpose.) So, for him (and also for the Catholic Church which based much of its doctrine on Aristotle) the purpose of marriage is to produce offspring. Thus he (and the Church) would oppose same-sex marriage because the union could not serve the purpose of marriage. The same holds true for sexual intercourse—nature intended it (according to Aristotle) to produce a baby. Thus the opposition not just to abortion but also to contraception. This position, along with Kant’s absolutes, results in a total prohibition on abortion—remember, for Kant killing is ALWAYS wrong. So, how would an Aristotelian (or Roman Catholic respond to the position that abortion was acceptable in cases of rape or incest?
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