Virtues are character traits or dispositions that help us reach our telos and act rightly in any given situation.
Aristotle distinguishes between intellectual virtues (such as prudence and wisdom) and virtues that are important for social life (such as courage or generosity).
When we try to work out how to act, intellectual virtues help us determine the right thing to do. Character virtues help us follow through with that decision.

To act virtuously, for Aristotle, means to proceed thoughtfully and with careful judgement—responding to a situation in a balanced way, without falling into extremes. Take courage, for example: he sees it as a virtue that lies between two vices—cowardice on the one hand, and recklessness on the other.

2.2 Aristotle (Virtue Ethics)

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