WHAT IS IT?
Virtue Ethics (or Virtue Theory) is an approach to Ethics that emphasizes an individual's character as the key element of ethical thinking, rather than rules about the acts themselves (Deontology) or their consequences (Consequentialism).
Virtue Ethics (or Virtue Theory) is an approach to Ethics that emphasizes an individual's character as the key element of ethical thinking, rather than rules about the acts themselves (Deontology) or their consequences (Consequentialism).
MAIN IDEAS
The main goal in the human life is "eudaimonia" (which means "happiness", "well being", "human flourishing" or the "good life"). This state of eudaimonia can be achieved by practicing a life of virtue. The Google definition of virtue is "behavior showing high moral standards", adding onto that definition; it is a quality that allows one to succeed at their purpose in life. It also "concerns your actions, emotions, emotional reactions, choices, values, desires, perceptions, attitudes, interests, expectations, and sensibilities"--class notes. The real test of what kind of a person you are is when you are faced with difficulty. "A good person will find it easier to do the right thing in a hard situation"(--class notes), but it really depends on how much you've incorporated the virtues into your life.
The main goal in the human life is "eudaimonia" (which means "happiness", "well being", "human flourishing" or the "good life"). This state of eudaimonia can be achieved by practicing a life of virtue. The Google definition of virtue is "behavior showing high moral standards", adding onto that definition; it is a quality that allows one to succeed at their purpose in life. It also "concerns your actions, emotions, emotional reactions, choices, values, desires, perceptions, attitudes, interests, expectations, and sensibilities"--class notes. The real test of what kind of a person you are is when you are faced with difficulty. "A good person will find it easier to do the right thing in a hard situation"(--class notes), but it really depends on how much you've incorporated the virtues into your life.
ARISTOTLE
"Ethics was not merely a theoretical study for Aristotle. He believed that the virtues of character are dispositions; the habits of behaving in a certain way."--Garth Kemerling
It is worth saying that the opposite of a virtue is a vice. It the the "repetition of wrongdoing"(--class notes). Aristotle thinks that a virtue must embody an equivalence regarding the certain personalty trait. A person cannot obtain "too much" or "too little" of a certain virtue. Aristotle believed that there were two vices paired with each virtue.
"Ethics was not merely a theoretical study for Aristotle. He believed that the virtues of character are dispositions; the habits of behaving in a certain way."--Garth Kemerling
It is worth saying that the opposite of a virtue is a vice. It the the "repetition of wrongdoing"(--class notes). Aristotle thinks that a virtue must embody an equivalence regarding the certain personalty trait. A person cannot obtain "too much" or "too little" of a certain virtue. Aristotle believed that there were two vices paired with each virtue.
CRITICISMS
A major flaw with this theory is the "difficulty of establishing the nature of virtue ethics"--philosophybasic.com (all quotes in this section will be from this website). It's hard to define what a virtue is because everyone is different, and the people in India may have different ideas of what a virtue is than the people living in the US. Which makes sense looking at it from their perspective.
Another flaw is that "the theory is not 'action-guiding', and does not focus on what sorts of actions are morally permitted and which ones are not, but rather on what sort of qualities someone ought to foster in order to become a good person".
I thought that this next argument is a good point. Some argue that they think this theory is very "self- centered because its primary concern is with ones own character, whereas morality is supposed to be about other people".
A major flaw with this theory is the "difficulty of establishing the nature of virtue ethics"--philosophybasic.com (all quotes in this section will be from this website). It's hard to define what a virtue is because everyone is different, and the people in India may have different ideas of what a virtue is than the people living in the US. Which makes sense looking at it from their perspective.
Another flaw is that "the theory is not 'action-guiding', and does not focus on what sorts of actions are morally permitted and which ones are not, but rather on what sort of qualities someone ought to foster in order to become a good person".
I thought that this next argument is a good point. Some argue that they think this theory is very "self- centered because its primary concern is with ones own character, whereas morality is supposed to be about other people".