...tue ethics is a broad term for theories that emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral philosophy rather than either doing one’s duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences. A virtue ethicist is likely to give you this kind of moral advice: “Act as a virtuous person would act in your situation.” Most virtue ethics theories take their inspiration from Aristotle who declared that a virtuous person is someone who has ideal character traits. These traits derive from natural internal tendencies, but need to be nurtured; however, once established, they will become stable. For example, a virtuous person is someone who is kind across many situations over a lifetime because that is her character and not because she wants to maximize utility or gain favors or simply do her duty. Unlike deontological and consequentialist theories, theories of virtue ethics do not aim primarily to identify universal principles that can be applied in any moral situation. And virtue ethics theories deal with wider questions—“How should I live?” and “What is the good life?” and “What are proper family and social values?” Since its revival in the twentieth century, virtue ethics has been developed in three main directions: Eudaimonism, agent-based theories, and the ethics of care. Eudaimonism bases virtues in human flourishing, where flourishing is equated with performing one’s distinctive function well. In the case of humans, Aristotle argued that our distinctive function is reasoning...
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...A View on Morals Introduction Most of the Greek philosophers agreed that virtue is a form of knowledge. They thought that self-testing leads to self-knowledge that then leads to a good life. Aristotle found the moral virtues are based on knowledge in a way that is "about us" whereas Confucius believed that the greatest virtue a person could have was respect for the rules of propriety, the ones governing the attitudes of society. Both Aristotle and Confucius deny the thesis that virtue by its self is enough for happiness, and while they would say that happiness comes about by a process of self-examination, they would not favor cross-examination. Both Aristotle and Confucius habituation, ritualization, and emulating moral persons are essential for the good life. Why Should One Be Moral? One should be moral since it can be very useful as it saves a lot of confusion and having to fight with oneself. Morals allow you to perceive rules clearly and to function well in a variety of cultures without conflict. People with moral standards sleep well at night. They take great pride in knowing that their intentions and actions are honorable. They also stay true to their beliefs, do right by others, and always take the high ground. They enjoy meaningful relationships based on openness, honesty, and mutual respect. When you have well moral character, people know that your character is dependable, your heart is in peace, and your word is good. They don't worry about embarrassment...
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...Aristotle and David Hume developed accounts of ethics that remained true to their own empirical philosophies that are different from more traditional accounts with the overall theme of how a virtuous person would live their life. In contrast, David Hume developed his own account of sentimentalist virtue ethics that challenges, or pushes back on, the virtue ethics Aristotle. According to Aristotle, we should be virtuous people – and as virtuous people do virtuous things. Instead of talking about particular actions and the rules according to which they are undertaken, then, Aristotle requires us to look at virtues, or qualities of character. Within Aristotle, the emphasis is more on character traits than on rules or obligations. Moral agency is not merely a matter of which rules to follow, but a whole way of life, which requires a unity of thought and feeling, which is characteristic of what Aristotle called ‘virtue’. What is a virtue, and what is the virtuous life? Aristotle’s definition is cited by Boetzkes and Waluchow: virtue is “a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e., the mean relative to us, this being determined by rational principle, that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it.” Virtue is a kind of disposition, but that’s not all – for virtue is a disposition to choose well. For Aristotle, virtuous action is action that emerges from one’s disposition to choose the middle point (or golden mean) between two vicious extremes;...
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...Virtue Ethics—Analysis of the Virtue Expected | Virtue ethics draws its inspiration from the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 B. C.). In Th e Nicomachean Ethics he explored the nature of a good life. He thought that the goal of life is happiness. Th is is not happiness in a hedonistic sense. Instead, happiness, for Aristotle, is an activity of the soul. We fulfi ll our goal of being happy by living a virtuous life, a life in accordance with reason. Now, virtue is a character of the soul that is demonstrated only in voluntary actions (i.e., in acts that are freely chosen after deliberation). So, we become virtuous by regularly performing virtues acts. But Aristotle also felt that there is a need for ethical education so that people will know what acts are virtuous. Aristotle thought that we can understand and identify virtues by arranging human characteristics in triads, with the two extremes being vices and the middle one being a virtue. For Aristotle, courage is the mean between cowardice and rashness; temperance is between self-indulgence and insensibility. Th e other virtues of pride, ambition, good temper, friendliness, truthfulness, ready wit, shame, and justice can similarly be seen as the middle way between two vices. Virtue is the golden mean. Th is is not an arithmetic mean, but rather a path between extremes positions that would vary depending upon the circumstances. You need to use your reasoning to identify the mean in each ethical situation, and you become better...
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...The virtue ethics theory is presently one of three most well known points of views in normative ethics. Virtue in itself is moral excellence and righteousness and goodness. It can simply be defined as the theory that establishes the virtues, or moral character. Deontology in contrast to the virtue theory is a theory that governs duties and rules and emphasizes that for every action there is a consequence. Deontological ethics is in staying with Scripture, natural moral law, and intuitions from common sense.In the same sense, the utilitarian theory also focuses on consequences, but in a different light. The utilitarian theory states that people should try to maximize overall well-being. There are many different utilitarian theories, but they all have one thing in common. Each theory basically says that no moral rule or act is intrinsically right it wrong. Morality is a matter of the non-moral good produced that results from moral actions and rules, and moral duty is instrumental, not intrinsic. (Moreland J.P. 2009) Values are the regard that something is held to deserve or the importance or preciousness of something. Values, virtue and morality all go together. People have different beliefs, morals, and values because different people have different perspective on what are right and wrong. One theory I think can relate to a lot of things that have happened in my life is the utilitarian theory. I think I always try to maximize the most good that I possibly can. The world will...
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...The definition of flourishing and happiness can mean many different things for other people. To me flourishing means that someone can be satisfied with their surroundings and have many things going right so they can advance and grow in whatever they are working on or learning. So in turn, flourishing is growing and learning new things successfully. Happiness is being joyful and blissful with what is going on in the current situation and life. Bing happy is being satisfied and knowing joy in your life. I am a happy person in general, and with my current situation in life I am also flourishing. A person who is just flourishing and not happy is a person with a goal in mind and not so worried about happiness on the way. The best example of someone flourishing and not happy is going to be my very handsome cousin Derry. He is driven and flourishing in a large way, running two businesses. But not really worried about being happy over being successful. There is another example of someone who is happy but not flourishing. My ex-husband seems to be happy, but is not going anywhere in life, no drive, no way to move forward unless he tries. To everyone else he seems to be happy with where he is in life. No need to move forward, just satisfied with the situation at hand. I think the best example of someone who is both happy and flourishing is a child that is growing in a happy healthy environment with a loving family and the encouragement to grow in whatever way they need to. ...
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...Yap, Cyndi Merby B. BA-102 N 6:00-7:30 PM MW “Virtue Ethics” Wisdom I can say that I have wisdom before I make decisions in my life I would make sure that I’m doing the right thing or making the right decision. Like, in my everyday life. Courage Not all people can have this virtue; there are some who lack courage. As for me, my courage is tested many times. I and my brother are really close that’s why when he did something wrong it takes a lot of courage for me before I can finally tell our parents about what he did. But since I believe that he should be reprimanded that’s why I tell my parents. Temperance I can say that I don’t really have temperance. If I enjoyed something I just can’t control myself. I cannot do what I’m supposed to do. Like in studying or doing assignments if I enjoyed too much in my Ipad or computer I end up doing nothing or do it already very late at night so I can sleep during dawn already. I guess I should change it because its not good for me and for my studies. It is also bad for my body and health. Justice Justice is really important in each one of us. We all need this. No one wants to be treated unfairly. For me in my family there is justice because who is at fault will be the one who will be punished. It’s not because you are younger you are exempted. Mostly, it’s like that but in my family it’s...
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...Virtue ethics Virtue ethics put emphasis on the role of one's character and the virtues that one's character represents for defining ones ethical behavior. Virtue ethics is one of the three main approaches to normative ethics, often compared to deontology which put emphasis on duty to rules and consequentialism which derives right or wrong from the consequence of ones acts (Wikipedia, 2012). Therefore, virtue theory put emphasis on character, rather than rules or consequences, as the main part of ethical thinking. The difference between these three approaches to normative ethics has a tendency to rely more how moral dilemmas are approached than in how the moral decision is reached. For example, a consequentialist could argue that telling a lie is immoral because of the bad consequences it may produce; yet on the other hand may tolerate a lie if good consequences occur because of the lie, then it is okay. A deontologist on the other hand will argue that a lie is a lie, regardless of any would-be good that might come from the lie. A virtue ethicist, however, main emphasis would be less on the lying; but focusing more on the decision to tell the lie or not tell a lie. A virtue ethicist would say that says a lot about a person’s character and moral behavior (Wikipedia, 2012). Therefore, virtue ethics is about being rather than doing. With virtue ethics, ethics springs from the uniqueness and/or the character of an individual, rather than being a reflection of the actions...
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...In this paper I want to focus on Virtue ethics and why I believe virtue ethics is the way to go when it comes down to personal and professional development in life and business. In personal/life development, virtue ethics transforms the paradigm of doing “what is right and wrong?” to a freedom of thinking in “what kind of person you are and does this action fit into what you are?”. Virtue ethics in personal development allows a dynamic way of thinking that allows a person to grow and learn that everything isn’t black and white as Kantian ethics suggest neither is it as dutiful as Utilitarian ethics. Virtue ethics in professional and business development allows for definition or a guiding light in a sense, in terms of question if your business is performing for your patients best interests if you’re in medicine or are you looking to provide a real solution for your prospects financial trouble and not stealing homes, if you’re in the buying real estate business. To explain and understand virtue ethics, you would first need to know Aristotle and understand his philosophies on virtuous society and what he considers virtuous behavior. Aristotle was an intelligent man being a student of Plato and teaching Alexander the Great. Aristotle’s written and spoken works were very serious and influential in subjects from logic to biology, meta physics to ethics and poetry that he was literally known to his colleagues as “The Philosopher”. With...
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...Virtue ethics is individual-based rather than action based. It can be defined as theories that highlight the functions of character and virtue in moral philosophy rather than performing a duty or an action in order to yield good consequences. In other words, it observes the virtue or moral characteristics of a person performing an action, rather than the ethical rules or consequences or ramification of such actions. In that way, virtue ethics examines the entirety of a person's life, rather than particular actions or episodes. It recommends that one of the best ways to build a good society is to assist its members to be good people, instead of using laws and retributive justice to prevent or discourage bad actions. It is an advantageous theory since human beings are sometimes more interested in evaluating the character of another person than they are in evaluating the’ goodness or badness’ of a particular action; thereby focusing on how to adopt certain...
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...Joseph Krois Philosophy paper 1 PHIL 1110 Ethics Instructor Bearden A case for Virtue Ethics In this paper I will write about virtue ethics, a normative moral theory that emphasizes moral virtues, or character in contrast to following rules or duties (deontology) or that emphasizes the consequences of actions (consequentialiasm). Plato, and perhaps more famously, Aristotle laid out the teachings and characteristics of virtue ethics which was the preeminent school of thought in western philosophy until the enlightenment. After a brief period of relative obscurity virtue ethics reemerged in the late 1950's as the dominant form of moral philosophy in Anglo-American culture. The defining characteristics of virtue ethics over other normative theories is the concepts of practical wisdom, virtuous character traits, and eudamonia which roughly translates to 'flourishing' or 'well being'(Vaughn pg 134). In essence virtue ethics asks the question, 'who should I be?' rather than 'what should I do?'. Because our actions cannot be determined by one set of overarching rules, nor can the outcome of action and therefore its goodness truly be predicted prior to the commitance of the action, it is my belief that virtue ethics is the most practical, and therefore useful theory of moral philosophy. How virtue ethics help us determine right and wrong action is through the development of good character traits, such as honesty, empathy, kindess etc...
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...Threats on Virtue Ethics Situationist theories is now known to pose a threat on to virtue ethics like Aristotle’s. Aristotle’s theory is very simple and straight forward, once people have the ‘right’ or ‘proper’ virtues, with practice it will never change. In this paper I am going to argue against Aristotelian ethics because people do not always keep their virtues in certain situations. Aristotle claims that once a virtue is learned, ‘come to light’, practice and lived by, the person practicing it will never change it. Aristotelian ethics is the practice of virtues, a median between the two vices that is “right”, also known as virtue ethics. Once someone finds the correct balance or the golden median between the extremes, vices, it becomes a virtue once practiced. This is something someone can practice and it becomes habit. Once done enough, it becomes who you are, the very thing you stand for and “will never change”. An Aristotelian argument would go something like this: (P1) A golden mean is practiced. (P2) Golden mean becomes a virtue. (P3) Virtue is something that is never broken. (C1)Virtue is practiced and never broken no matter the situation. This is where I do not agree, “Will never change”. I will provide an example of what I perceive as virtue ethics. This can be related to boot camp. Kids go to boot camp because they are misbehaving, or not acting the way their parents think they should. They don’t value the right things, they have no virtues. Once at boot...
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...Chapter 9 – Virtue theory o Virtues – trained behavioral dispositions that result in habitual acts of moral goodness. o Vice – The opposite of virtue, trained behavioral dispositions that result in habitual acts of moral wrongness. o Virtue theory: based on the central theme of which is that morality involves producing excellent persons, who act well out of spontaneous goodness and serve as examples o inspire others. o Virtue-based concept of theology – focuses on the goal of life: living well and achieving excellence. - Main virtues: wisdom, temperance, courage and justice → cardinal virtues. - Another one is: faith, hope, and charity → theological virtues The nature of virtue ethics - It is not only important to do the right thing, but also to have the proper dispositions, motivations, and emotions in being good and doing right. - Not only about actions, but also about emotions, character and moral habit. It calls us to aspire to be an ideal person. Two types: o Moral virtues: honesty, benevolence, no malevolence, fairness, kindness, conscientiousness, and gratitude. o Nonmoral virtues: courage, optimism, rationality, self-control, patience, endurance, industry, music talent, and cleanliness, wit. The ideal type: Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics - Nicomachean ethics: he identified the virtues as simply those characteristics that enable individuals to live well in communities. To achieve a state of well being (happiness or human...
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...Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics is a theory used to make moral decisions. It does not rely on religion, society or culture; it only depends on the individuals themselves. The main philosopher of Virtue Ethics is Aristotle. His theory was originally introduced in ancient Greek times. Aristotle was a great believer in virtues and the meaning of virtue to him meant being able to fulfil one's functions. Virtue ethics is not so much interested in the question 'What should I do?' but rather in the question 'what sort of person should I become?' It has more to do with character and the nature of what it is to be human, than with the rights and wrongs of actions. Instead of concentrating on what is the right thing to do, virtue ethics asks how you can be a better person. Aristotle says that those who do lead a virtuous life are very happy and have sense of well-being. Happiness is the ultimate goal for everyone in life. Aristotle's definition of happiness is, 'happiness is the activity of the soul in accord with perfect virtue'. To become a better person, we must practice virtuous acts regularly. After a while, these acts will become a habit and so the virtuous acts part of our every day life and the person will be leading a virtuous life. For example, if a singer practices singing everyday, they will become better at it and used to doing it. People who practice their virtues improve their skills and therefore becoming...
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...Unlike utilitarianism, which focuses on the consequences of an action, and deontological ethics, which focuses on moral rules; virtue ethics focuses on doing something simply because it’s the right thing to do based on established virtues. Aristotle (Irbe, 2000) listed several virtues and vices that correspond to different “actions” or “feelings”. Each virtue has two corresponding vices that accompany it, one of the vices occurs when there is an excess of the virtue, and the other occurs when the virtue is deficient. The feeling associated with modesty is shame. If there is too much shame, it would be shyness; however not enough shame would be shamelessness. Virtue ethics focuses on choices that an individual should make based on morals that hold true regardless of the laws and customs of a person’s specific culture. Essentially everyone should be held accountable to the same virtues even if local laws and customs allow the behavior. One should apply virtue ethics to both their personal lives as well as their professional lives. In the 1990’s major concerns were exposed in the manufacturing community about working conditions in factories located in third-world countries (Sethi, Veral, Shapiro, & Emelianova, 2010). Major pressure was then placed on numerous manufacturing companies in an attempt to force them to change their practices and improve working conditions in their factories. While it is the goal of every company to continually increase profits, a company should...
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