Virtue Ethics

One of the oldest ways of answering this question comes from the Ancient Greeks. They defined good actions as ones that reveal us to be of excellent character. They believed what matters is whether our choices display virtues like courage, loyalty or wisdom Virtue ethics begins with the insight that our actions shape our character.

What we do determines who we become. The more times we choose to be honest the more likely we are to be honest in future situations especially when the stakes are high. By contrast, if we make a habit of telling lies then in moments when it is crucial to tell the truth we'll be less able to do so.

So, if the goal is to become an excellent person how do we do that? The Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle had a simple suggestion: For example, if we act as though we are already generous by making choices aligned with the most generous version of ourselves then eventually, the gap between who we are and who we want to be will disappear. We'll become the best version of ourselves.

But that's not the end of it. The next challenge is to go beyond mere habit and come to understand for ourselves what it means to live a good human life. It can be difficult to work out exactly what the virtuous version of us would do in a tough situation.

One practical principle that can help is called the golden mean. When facing a choice, think about the most extreme courses of action you could take and try to find a middle option between them. The two extremes are likely to be vices but the middle way is likely to be the virtuous option.

Imagine your colleague asks you for feedback on a project they have been leading. You think the project has been poorly managed and unsuccessful but you also know their self-esteem has taken a hit lately. You could tell them exactly what you think shattering their self-esteem.

You could tell them they've done a great job inflating their ego by lying. Finally, you could offer feedback on what could be improved for next time without focussing on the failures from the current project. Option one is tactless.

Tactlessness is a vice. Option two is dishonest. Also a vice.

Option three is honest and empathetic. Of the three options it strikes a balance between the need to care for your colleague and to tell them the truth. That's the option you should take.

Think about your habits. What kind of person are they turning you into? If you were the best version of yourself, would your habits be any different than they are today?