Virtue (Areté / Virtus) — A stable excellence of character disposing one to act well. For Aristotle, virtue is a habit (hexis) acquired through practice, situated between two extremes (vices of excess and deficiency): courage is the mean between recklessness and cowardice. The cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance) were identified by Plato (Republic IV) and canonized by Stoic and Christian tradition. Virtue ethics was revived in the 20th century by MacIntyre (After Virtue, 1981) as an alternative to deontology and utilitarianism.
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