Virtue Ethics - 1184 Words

Introduction 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 ones 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†¦show more content†¦Aristotle says we are most likely to acquire virtues by observing others in our society. If we experience other people being kind to us and see the happiness it creates we are more likely to practice this virtue then if we were just told to practice it. Aristotle said that the best way of becoming virtuous was to follow in the footsteps of a virtuous person, e.g. Mother Theresa. Aristotle said that a virtue was a Golden Mean in between two vices. These Vices are two extremes of the scale; one vice of excess and one vice of deficiency. For example, for the virtue modesty, the vice of excess would be bashfulness and the vice of deficiency would be shamelessness. Aristotle mentions 12 virtues that all fall between two vices. Some examples of these virtues are honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence. Such virtues must be refined; we must learn when to use certain virtues and make sure that they do not fall into the vices; in other words we must use them in moderation. For example we must not ever use modesty in excess as we will become bashful, but at the same time we must also not pass into the vice of deficiency-shamelessness. Virtue Ethics is dependent; Aristotle realised that virtues in one country or society may not be the same as virtues in another. As virtues haveShow MoreRelatedThe Ethics Of Virtue Ethics1796 Words   |  8 PagesAlthough Hursthouse accepts that virtue ethics ‘†¦cannot tell us what we should do’, she nonetheless reasons in a different way to show how virtue ethics aids us. Furthermore, Hursthouse would refute virtue ethics being insufficiently action-guiding because we have v-rules in the form of virtues and vices to provide action-guidance (Hursthouse, 1999). Elizabeth Anscombe in ‘Modern Moral Philosophy’ (1958) also contributed to virtue ethics and put forward the idea that modern moral philosophy is misguidedRead MoreVirtue Ethics And Care Ethics1938 Words   |  8 Pagesparticular—virtue ethics and care ethics, have continued to catch much attention since the mid-twentieth century. Although each of these theories are often associated with one another, they both contain their own distinct philosophies. As a result, it is important to clearly understand what each theory entails before concluding that one is derived from the other. Although virtue ethics and care ethics share similar beliefs and rejections, virtue ethics is clearly separate from care ethics. VirtueRead MoreThe Ethics Of Virtue Ethics1502 Words   |  7 PagesVirtue ethics is a philosophical theory that focuses on what sort of person one should be, instead of on actions. 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However, this response fails to recognize that certainty is not just In this paper, I will critically examine Rosalind Hursthouse’s argument on â€Å"Virtue Ethics† about the reasoning of a virtuous person by delving into the topic. I will then expose a particular problem within it. Perhaps the strongest point of the argument on â€Å"Virtue Ethics† that Hursthouse gives relies on the claim of moral philosophy. Moral philosophy claims that a virtuous person would act and make decisions like what a virtuousRead MoreWhy Is Virtue Ethics?1881 Words   |  8 PagesWhen considering virtue ethics, the focus of an individual’s morality is based on their character rather than any one of their specific actions. When confronted with a difficult situation virtue ethicist would strive to always act virtuously, or as someone with ideal character traits would. Aristotle defined these ideal character traits as traits that are derived â€Å"from natural internal tendencies†, and that these traits â€Å"need to be nurtured; however, once established, they will become stable.† [1]Read MoreAristotle s Virtue Ethics And Ethics1027 Words   |  5 Pagesknowledge. However, virtues are a fundamental to en gineering. Virtues create a purpose for an engineer to design and invent as well as push them to excel in their field. Aristotle’s virtue ethics gives us a framework of how we can define and classify these virtues. In this paper I will explain some key concept of Aristotle’s virtue ethics, as well as share the virtues I have learned as a student of engineering and how they will impact my future career. Aristotle’s virtue ethics attempt to answer the