Utilitarianism, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics

Utilitarianism, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics
Initially, my understanding of ethics was merely to determine what is right and wrong in certain
situations. Although, after learning about Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Virtue Ethics, I have
realized that certain characteristics of each play a role in determining what ethics truly are.
Utilitarianism characterizes the definition of ethics, by making all choices have the greatest positive
impact, while minimizing the risk. Deontology on the other hand would rather we not get involved
because there is never a justifiable means to an end. Finally, there is virtue ethics, which would have
us aspires to have certain characteristics that we hold above all others. Let's further expand on what
Utilitarianism means and how it affects ethics. Utilitarianism focuses on actions that will appeal to
the greater good, while causing the least amount of harm. When in respect too many superheroes,
they seem to have a mixed set of ethics. In White and Arp's Batman and Philosophy, they discuss
why Batman has decided not to kill the Joker, even though time after time the Joker has proven
himself to be a menace (2008, p.5–6). What it boils down to, is that Bruce doesn't want to stoop to
the level of the criminals he has sworn to protect the city from, which could be the answer of what a
Deontologist would say on this matter. On the other hand, a utilitarian would want to kill the Joker,
as it would save countless lives that would be in danger otherwise. This showcases how Batman
could save
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The Theory Of Virtue Ethics
The function of this paper is to determine why and how three members of the cast in the videos
"RPG Embedded in Soldier" made the choices they did in relation to the groups of values that are
commonly found within the theory of virtue ethics. In short, virtue ethics stresses being an
inherently good person versus simply doing good actions. This means that a virtuous person will
typically choose the right action simply because it is the natural thing for them to do. Applying this
concept to the video will help to further ascertain why the individuals in the video acted the way
they did. Moreover, to back the concepts and claims made in this paper specific examples shall be
cited from the video clip. As a result, this paper shall contain both concepts contained within virtue
ethics and examples from the media piece.
Criteria:
– Three virtues shall be assigned to each of the chosen cast members based upon the viewpoints they
expressed and actions they made
– These virtues shall come from the categories: conscientiousness, benevolence, self–discipline, and
self–assertion (with respect to others)
– Using these virtues and specific examples from the clip, reasons as to why and how they
conducted themselves shall be given
The Three Chosen Cast Members in Question:
– The pilot who violated military policy by flying the wounded soldier to the hospital
– The sergeant who helped the doctor perform the surgery to remove the RPG
– And the medic who was there when the solder was

Virtue Ethics
Theoretically, there are many approaches that can be considered when attempting to define
acceptable social behaviors and the formation thereof. Among these theories are virtue theories,
utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. Each type of theory has been extensively argued, yet no one
approach is definitive.
Virtue ethics are theories that highlight the importance of character and morals over dutiful
behaviors. Many virtue theories are rooted in Aristotle's teachings, which argue that a "virtuous
person is someone who has ideal character traits" (Athanassoulis, 2004). Virtue theories are founded
upon the contention that sets of universal principles, virtues, can be applied across a variety of
situations. Virtues are defined as conformity to a standard of right or particular moral excellence
(Merriam–Webster, 2012). Presently, virtue theories have seen resurgence, specifically
Eudemonism, agent–based theories, and the ethics of care (Athanassoulis, 2004). Eudemonism
"bases virtues in flourishing, where flourishing is equated with performing one's distinctive function
well" (Athanassoulis, 2004). Agent–based theories argue that individuals seek to emulate virtuous
qualities they see in others based on common–sense intuitions, whereas the ethics of care argues that
qualities such as caring and nurturing should also be considered as virtuous traits.
Utilitarianism, on the other hand, attempts to define morality in "terms of the maximization of net
expectable utility for

Virtues Of Happiness & Moral Ethics
Virtues of Happiness & Moral Ethics
An individual's virtue ethics does not depend on the society that they live in, the spirituality that
they follow, or their culture/upbringing; but they depend exclusively on the individuals themselves.
Aristotle introduced moral ethics theory in his Nicomachean Ethics books. The idea of ethics is
questioning long term goals, 'what sort of person do I want to be' instead of instantaneous decisions
that question 'what should I do in this situation?' Virtues are not so much to do with right or wrong
but rather where that decision is coming from. What is in the heart of the person that answers/acts is
what matters in the virtuous world. Instead of concentrating on what is the right thing to do, virtue
ethics asks how you can be a better person. According to Aristotle this pursuit of constantly trying to
improve one's self to be a better person is what true happiness is in life, as he underlines in his own
definition of happiness: "happiness is a certain activity of the soul in conformity with perfect
virtue." (1) (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Book 1).
As it is with all things, the more you practice something, the better you will be at it. Virtues are not
born into us, so the same principle of habits applies to our development of a virtuous life or to a
person's behavior throughout their lives. The more you develop the habit of acting virtuous, the
closer you will become to achieving a virtuous life. This is a lifelong commitment as a person

Why Is Virtue Ethics?
When 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 "from natural internal
tendencies", and that these traits "need to be nurtured; however, once established, they will become
stable." [1] In the story of Smith, Smith successfully walks through his entire life cheating.
Throughout his time spent in grade school, junior high, high school, college, and even his career in
the business world Smith is not caught. Instead of learning valuable life skills, like the ability to
spell, Smith only learns one thing: how to cheat. Going back to Aristotle's statement about how if
virtuous traits are nurtured they will become part of an individual's character, we can see the
opposite effect happening here. As Smith drifts through life without getting caught cheating, he is
only rewarded for his actions. In his mind, this internalizes the idea that it's ok to cheat even when
everything around him says that it is not. Looking at this story through the eyes of a virtue ethicist,
one could say that Smith is not living a "good life". Time and time again, Smith continues to cheat
in order to succeed. While others around him work hard and struggle to act honestly, and thus
virtuously,

What Is Virtue Ethics
Chapter nine talks about the environment within and virtues. Christian virtue ethics focus on the end
of an act instead of on the consequences because the end says more about the agent (p.164, M). If
one person does something that doesn't seem of good virtue, then Christian virtue won't judge that
person till the end because their means for doing something could be different than one thinks. The
goal of virtue ethics is not better decisions but better deciders (p.164, M). Virtue ethics is about an
individual making a decision that may or may not be a good one. Then, people outside of that
decision have to decide if that individual's decision was worth changing or leaving it be.
Environmental virtue ethics aims for the formation of good people, because good ... Show more
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For example: courage is a virtue, but excessive courage is recklessness (a vice), and insufficient
courage is cowardice (also a vice) (p.167, M). Therefore, a virtue must have the right amount of
balance or it becomes a vice. Some virtues are called "dirty" virtues. Calling virtues "dirty" is a way
of reminding people of their intrinsic connectedness with dirt and with everything around them
(p.170, B). A "dirty" virtue is a virtue that is connected to the earth and it's environment. Dirty
virtues help people to live in good relationship with the animals, plants, water, air, and earth that are
our neighbors and without which we would not survive (p.170–171, B–T). These virtues are the
ones that drive people to protect the environment and see that nature is something that we need to
survive and cannot continue to destroy. However, virtues are something that are developed as one
continues to put them into action. Not all virtues are ones that we are born with. Virtues are acquired
and continually perfected as one practices being the kind of individual one wants to be (p.171,

Virtue Ethics Vs. Sentimentalist Virtue
Virtue Ethics vs. Sentimentalist Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics is defined as "any character–based
approach to normative ethics that emphasizes some conception virtues and vices; often including a
universal conception of human flourishing" (Blakley, Christopher). Aristotle and David Hume
developed accounts of ethics that remained true to their own empirical philosophies; both of which
stray away from the more traditional accounts. Their opposing theories contain the overall theme of
how a virtuous person would live their life. In contrast, David Hue 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 therefore perform virtuous acts. 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. Aristotle's teachings emphasize more on
character traits rather than rules or obligations. "Moral agency is not merely a matter of which rules
to follow, but a whole way of life. It requires a unity of thought and feeling, which is characteristic
of what Aristotle, called 'virtue'" (Boetzkes and Waluchow, p. 23). What is a virtue, and what is the
virtuous life? Aristotle's definition is cited as "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

Virtue Ethics and Ethics of Care Essay
Fried Pataters
Mr. Hahn
Phil 2310
10 May 2010
Virtue Ethics and Ethics of Care Aristotle and Rita Manning both have different theories when it
comes to ethics. Aristotle uses virtue ethics to answer questions about morality whereas Manning
uses what is called ethics of caring to do the same thing. Virtue ethics claims people's actions aim
towards the highest good of happiness. From happiness, moral virtue stems from reasons governing
the desires of the soul. Manning on the other hand believes that moral actions extend from people
caring for one another on a personal level. By developing the ability to care for others, people
become morally aware of how to act in certain situations. When the question of: "how ought I live
my life?" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Then there are the two extreme ends of the states of character which is superhuman virtue and
brutishness. Superhuman virtue is displaying virtuous character in every case including extreme
situations. On the opposite end, brutishness is absent of reason and the desires are so morbidly
wrong that the actions are morbidly wrong as a result. Aristotle feels people should strive for the
superhuman virtue state, yet because being superhumanly virtuous is incredibly difficult, being
virtuous or continent is seen as good as well. Rita Manning's approach to ethics is referred to as
ethics of caring. She claims that ethics of caring has two elements, the first being disposition to care.
Disposition to care "is a willingness to receive others, a willingness to give the lucid attention
required to appropriately fill the needs of others" (Manning 477). The disposition deals with a
commitment to caring for the needs of others. Manning claims that humans are obligated to care for
not only the needs of others, but also what is required for the needs of others. A great example is
sending beef to India after a natural disaster. By sending provisions, people are showing they care
but they fail to realize that Hindu people do not eat beef. Instead, people should learn more about the
people they are helping so that they can send provisions that will do the most good. Manning states
that we need to be aware of the individual needs of certain people in

Theories Of Virtue Ethics
Summary of Virtue Ethics. For a non–consequential theory, I will use Virtue Ethics. This theory is
developed by philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. All of them have a different perspective of
the theory, but they have the same central principle of Virtue Ethics, which is a personal character to
lead to happiness and fulfillment in one's life. There are two different types of virtues in Aristotle's
Theory: Intellectual virtues and moral virtues. The intellectual virtues reflect what is unique and
important about human nature across the board, but the moral virtues conduct well the normal
affairs of daily life in society. In addition, Virtue Ethics has ancient roots, in both Latin and Greek
culture, it means "excellence" in being a model person. Therefore, it helps you to live the good life.
While, Aristotle's virtue ethics has some ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Self–control is the ability to control oneself about one's emotions and behaviors. Therefore, if one
doesn't have this ability, then he or she will react with one's passion for every situation or conflict. It
sounds more tired and getting more stress. Care is one of the important virtues. It makes you to feel
comfortable and warm. Additionally, courage is important, too. All the time when you start
something new, you need the courage to act. These virtues will affect your life.
Applying Virtue Ethics. There are three steps to apply Virtue Ethics. First, determine the virtues
called for by the situation. Secondly, evaluate options, looking for Golden Mean solutions. Golden
Mean is the ideal moderate position between two extremes. For the last step is choosing the wisest
course of action, consistent with the virtues and the Golden Mean. The ethical decision should make
the stakeholders' lives are more beneficial. The evaluated options are below:
Hiring John to work in Laura's company. It shows courage and wisdom of Laura to follow her
decision that based on her wise and gets a response about

The Ethics Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is a normative theory whose foundations were laid by Aristotle. This theory approaches
normative ethics in substantially different ways than consequentialist and deontological theories. In
this essay, I will contrast and compare virtue ethics to utilitarianism, ethical egoism, and Kantianism
to demonstrate these differences. There is one fundamental aspect of virtue ethics that sets it apart
from the other theories I will discuss. For the sake of brevity and to avoid redundancy, I will address
it separately. This is the fundamental difference between acting ethically within utilitarianism,
egoism, and Kantianism. And being ethical within virtue ethics. The other theories seek to define the
ethics of actions while virtue ethics does not judge actions in any way. The other theories deal with
how we should act, while virtue ethics determines how we should be. The first theory I will compare
virtue ethics against is ethical egoism. The two theories share a commonality apart from being
normative in nature. They both seek what is best for the doer. Aristotle claimed that happiness is
ultimately attained by striving for the "function of man" which is the excellence found within virtue.
This is comparable to ethical egoism because of it's principle of exclusively acting in one's own best
interest. While virtue ethics states that a virtuous character is the goal, ethical egoism is not specific
to what is in a person's best interest. If attaining a virtuous character is

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue Ethics is neither deontological nor teleological, since it is concerned with neither duty nor
consequences, but rather the state of the person acting. Aristotle believed that once you are good,
good actions will necessarily follow, and this belief is at the centre of Virtue Ethics. Rather than
defining good actions, Virtue Ethics looks at good people and the qualities that make them good.
The non–normative theory, although very effective in determining the morality of individuals, is
particularly flawed when applied to whole societies. This weakness is largely due to its imprecision
and abstraction; however, before these weaknesses can be considered, it is necessary to give an
account of the theory itself. Virtue Ethics is centred on the belief that everything has a purpose and
that, when something fulfils its purpose, it is good. For example, the purpose of a knife is to cut, and
so a knife that cuts well has achieved its purpose. This links in to Aristotle's ideas about the Four
Causes and the Final Cause. Plato and Aristotle agreed that the purpose of humanity was the
fulfilment of flourishing, and this is known as eudaimonia. When a person has achieved eudaimonia
they will be fully content with their lives and they will act morally because they want to. He referred
to eudaimonia as "an end in itself". Aristotle insists that this telos can only be achieved through the
use of reason, since the 'ergon' (function) of reason in practice is virtue. He says: "The good

Virtue Ethics And Care Ethics
As various ethical theories continue to be debated, it can be difficult to determine which model
provides the best criteria. However, two theories in particular–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. Virtue ethics, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages,
stresses the importance of an individual being virtuous, which comes from developing a virtuous
personal character. It also allows for the possibility of many right choices, since virtuous people can
make choices differently. Aristotle was the only person to come up with a "clear–cut" virtue theory.
He believed that people should be virtuous in order to achieve happiness, or eudaimonia.
Additionally, Aristotle found that in order to become virtuous, a person must know the right thing,
intend the right thing, and have their actions stem from their established character. He also came up
with term "golden mean", which seeks to achieve a balance in one's virtues. For instance, Aristotle
felt that one should find a balance of anger. When seeking a balance of anger, it is

Virtue Ethics And The Moral Life
Virtue ethics is concerned with the traits of character that make one a good person. Virtue ethics
seems to be more personal because it is not about choosing which side of an issue one would prefer
to take part in, but the kind of person one wants to be. A virtuous person is considered to be a
morally good person, and virtues are good traits. For virtue ethics, the moral life is about developing
good character. Aristotle was one of the earliest writers to ground morality in nature, and
specifically in human nature. For Aristotle, virtue was an excellence of some sort. According to
Aristotle, there are two types of virtues: intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues are
excellences of the mind, such as the ability to understand, reason, and judge well. These traits can be
learned from teachers. Moral virtues on the other hand, dispose us to act well. These virtues cannot
be taught, and they are learned by repetition. Aristotle's list of virtues includes courage, temperance,
justice, pride, and magnanimity. However Aristotle is probably most well known for his position
that virtue is a mean between extremes. For example courage is to be understood as a mean between
the two extremes of deficiency and excess. Too little courage is cowardice, and too much is
foolhardiness. When we concern ourselves with virtue ethics I don't think that there are any virtues
that can be universalized because the character traits apply mainly to individuals. Some may say that

Ethics, Deontological, And Virtue
From the moment we are born, our parents make sure to teach us the right from wrong. As we grow
older we begin having our own thoughts and learning the ethical and unethical things of life. In
today's society, we are all expected to be more open–minded and respecting of others way of life and
culture. That's what being a Global Citizen is about. Through Global Ethics we have learned so far,
that we can all relate to three important moral theories. These theories are known as
Consequentialist (Utilitarian), Deontological, and Virtue. Through this paper I will also be
discussing a case study found in chapter two, based on the Selling of Human Body Parts, and how
it's seen through the lenses of Cosmopolitanism and its four criterions, as ... Show more content on
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In other words, a deontological person thinks more about themselves and their duty. An example
also given is class similar to the previous one. Is that if a manager is told to fire an employee due to
insufficient funds, the manager would complete the task without even thinking about because of
his/her duty to the company. They don't really think about the consequences that this causes the
employees personal life. Lastly, we have Virtue. A virtues person attempts to discern character traits
(virtues and vices) that are or could be motivating the people involved in a situation (Contrast
between the three Ethical frameworks, Moskwa,). In other words, a virtues person not only watches
for themselves, but they also watch out for others who need help who are within their same virtue.
For example, if a friend is going through a hard time, a virtues person would be there for them and
watch out for their best interest. Consequentialism, Deontological, and Virtue all help shape our
moral values. As we go along on the book we focus on chapter two's case study based on the sale of
body parts. Through the lenses of cosmopolitanism, we see that a cosmopolitan may have different
views when it comes to the selling of body parts compared to non–cosmopolitan. A non–
cosmopolitan would agree with the selling of body

Decline Of Virtue Ethics
"Achieving a Decent Society"
See
The Decline of Virtue Ethics in the Modern Society and Its Different Forms
The Modern Society
The modern society may be moving forward in terms of scientific and technological advancements
yet as years go by, the development of ethics and morality tends to move backward. Due to our
utmost fascination to material advancements, we tend to forget what truly matters. According to
Smith (2014), the modern society rewards material progress while neglecting moral progress. As
such, people of the modern age disregard moral and intellectual virtues as if they are a nuisance to
their everyday lives. Furthermore, the society prioritizes other affiliations and pursues their own
endeavors without considering the possible consequences that might arise due to their unethical or
immoral practices. In addition, the modern society is heavily influenced by copious ... Show more
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For instance, we allocate bigger budgets for science research and we give prestigious rewards to
outstanding achievers in science. But society allocates far smaller amounts to advance moral
interests or to reward moral achievers (Smith, 2014). Moreover, the decline of virtue ethics due to
the flawed educational system is explicitly depicted through the immoral practices of the modern
youth that they perceive as something worth bragging about or something that they consider as an
achievement. The modern society also disregards ethics for the reason that they think it is something
that is "old" or irrelevant for the modern setting. In lieu with the aforementioned statements, the
educational system merely gives importance to the development of the sciences without taking to
account the importance of ethical and intellectual virtues in the overall development of a

Virtue Ethics : A Theory Of Morality
Virtue Ethics is a theory of morality. It only takes into account the individuals themselves when
distinguishing morality. As defined in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Virtue Ethics is the
theory that "emphasizes the virtues, or moral character, in contrast to the approach which
emphasizes duties or rules (deontology) or that which emphasizes the consequences of actions
(consequentialism)." It is because of it's seemingly "rule less" structure that the theory has shown
appeal. Virtue ethics places the emphasis on the type of person performing the action as oppose to
action itself. This leaves room for the importance of character and a greater emphasis on the
intentions of the person rather than the consequences or rules as above stated. This also means that
people can learn to improve their moral life by becoming more virtuous. Those in oppose to Virtue
Ethics argue that the rules of deontology and consequentialism provide the rigid action guidance
lacking in v–ethics and because of this, what is "right" or "good" is' obliviously' more clearly
defined. Without clarity in what is right/good, how can we know what is more virtuous of a
decision? In this paper is will refute the objections to virtue ethics stating that virtue ethics, (1.)
Does not specify what the "right action" is and (2.) Does not provide action guidance.
Firstly, a definition of "right" and is needed to understand the basis of which we will be discussing
virtue ethics. According to Rosalind

The Ethics Of Virtue Ethics
Although 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 misguided, asking if there can be any moral laws
if there is no God. In turn questioning what does right and wrong even mean without a lawgiver?
Her approach argued for a return to Aristotelian ethics, specifically on his idea of eudaimonia of ...
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Despite these claims held by Aristotle, Hursthouse and Anscombe they are not strong enough to
contend against the main assertion at hand of virtue ethics being insufficiently action–guiding. Such
accounts fail ultimately because, they do not change the fact that virtue ethics does not provide any
guidance for our actions. Principally, how can an ethical theory be judged on its sufficiency (hence
why virtue ethics is insufficient) when it does not even promote any guidance for our actions in the
first place?
As a result of all the weaknesses discussed, it further validates my stance on how virtue ethics is
insufficiently action–guiding. Despite virtue ethicists asking questions such as 'how should I live my
life?' the fundamental problem continues to be echoed, for no guidance is given to support how I
should do this. Robert Louden in 'On Some Vices of Virtue Ethics' supported this view, arguing how
virtue ethics does not help anyone facing a crisis. This is primarily because virtue ethics fails to
provide anything near to a rulebook for the moral life that a person could consult with, in shaping
what they ought to do in certain situations. Surely, this is what is required for it to be seen as a
successful moral theory and thus, explains why it provides little value to us as an action–guiding
ethical system. Thus, virtue

Virtue Ethics Deontology And Teleological Ethics
There are many ways to go about a situation at hand and the way you go through these instances is
all about your ethics and how you go about life. Three important ethical approaches that are all very
relatable to the lives we live today are virtue ethics, deontology and teleology. Virtue Ethics are the
ethics that highlight a person's character and traits and ignore rules about the certain situation
themselves and the consequences that could take affect after the situation is finished. Deontology or
deontology ethics take place when one's ethical position on a situation is based on the rules at hand.
This ethical approach can also be named "rule–based ethics" because you are following the rules and
not acting upon your own characteristics or beliefs. Teleology or teleological ethics is "theory of
morality that derives duty or moral ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I am a calm and respectful person who is ambitious and is always trying to learn something new. My
friends and family call me a "social butterfly" because of outgoing I am and how easy it is for me to
make friends. I am loyal and I keep my promises to my friends and family. To support that claim of
me being a loyal person, I have been dating my current girlfriend for the past two years now and our
relationship only continues to grow stronger and stronger as time progresses. I am mature, patient,
thoughtful of others and always optimistic about everything. All of my personal values, I believe, go
hand in hand with the meaning of virtue ethics. The ethical approach of virtue ethics is derived from
one's way of thinking and what one feels is the best way to go about the situation, despite what may
happen at the end of the conflict or instance. I believe that because of this, virtue ethics best fits me
and is how I go throughout life whenever I'm in a tough position and need to make choices and

Pros And Cons Of Virtue Ethics
Martin Zemlock
Ethics in Public & Private Life
Essay
Dr. Dan Johnson
11/15/2017
Flaws of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics
When most think of philosophy a list of people come to mind. You have your "greats" such as Plato,
Nietzsche, and of course Aristotle. However, this does not mean that their ideas cannot be
challenged and questioned, as no one is above criticism. Aristotelian Virtue Ethics have a major flaw
that strikes at the heart of the idea. There is a severe lack of guidance both in what a virtue is, and
what happens when they conflict. The mains question is, is one virtue more important than another?
What is Aristotle's virtue ethics theory exactly? Aristotle was one of the first to describe this type of
theory and he based it largely on Eudaimonism. "Eudaimonism bases virtues in human flourishing,
where flourishing is equated with performing one's distinctive function well" (Virtue Ethics). For
humans, Aristotle believed that our main function is reasoning and to "live well" we would need to
reason well. The largest part of virtue ethics is the titular "virtues" that decide whether or not a
person was truly flourishing or not.
To first create an argument over the conflict of virtues one must first understand what makes a virtue
a virtue. In Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, a virtue is described as something a virtuous person does. In
turn, a virtuous person is someone who does virtuous acts. This is where a big issue arises in this
theory. There are hardly any ground laws

Virtue Ethics Research Paper
Virtue ethics contends that to live ethically is to live virtuously, and conversely, to live virtuously is
to live ethically. This roots in Nichomachean Ethics and Aristotelian philosophy that to cultivate a
happy life over time, one must make a habit of excellence as it does not come from singular acts.
Vaughn presents this as, "what should I be?" A virtue ethicist is not concerned, or defined by acts
alone, but the virtues that motivate them such as compassion, honesty, and loyalty. This also relates
to a whole being, again harkening back to Aristotle, rather than just a rule or principle being
followed as a matter of rightness. To reference on the website http://www.pursuit–of–happiness.org/,
Aristotle said that, "for the same reason we cannot say that children are happy, any more than we
can say an ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His example: the right action is performed by a virtuous person and a virtuous person performs the
right action can be likened to the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? To end the
debate, additional ethical models must be applied and this leads away from pure virtue ethics.
Certainly, all people should want to do what is right and live a life of happiness, but there comes a
point where one is likely to have to apply something more than virtue to a situation (i.e. the
examples at the end of the chapter where the decision is more between two or virtues than what is
simply right or wrong). This is where Aristotle has given additional, well thought guidance in
applying Golden Means, the balance between two extremes. And not just the most extreme in the
strictest definitions, but rather as applied to everyone given their situation, their life, their decisions
and the basis for them as well as the virtue in question. To live the sum of a happy life, all things
should be considered with this in mind, aka all things in

The Ethical Theory Of Virtue Ethics
According to Holland (2011) there are few criticisms of virtue ethics. First, virtue ethics is really
complicated and multiple varieties of the theory of virtue ethics exist. Hence a single summary of
VE cannot completely do justice to this theory and the complexity it encompasses. Second, as VE is
attempted to be used on more specific cases and is tried to be made more concise, the theory tends to
become more inaccurate. The article further suggests the needs for a more comprehensive and
specific explanation of virtue ethics. Although there are criticisms of virtue ethics, there are positive
remarks about it as well. Stephen (2011) cites McDougall, according to whom, virtue ethics might
be the best way to think about and approach ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Utilitarianism focuses on the greatest good of society rather than of individuals" (Garbutt, Davies
2011) and the theory makes the assumption that prediction about the results of action can be made
and thus "end justify the means" (Garbutt, Davies 2011) if the result leads to greater good. So if the
technology can be perfected harming as few individuals as possible and if it can be used to enrich
the lives of many people, more than that was harmed, then a utilitarian approach would approve of
this technology.
Virtues and Vices of Utilitarianism/Consequentialism
A major issue with a utilitarian approach is that when looking at the greater good it sometime
neglects the needs or values of the smaller group. This approach somehow devalues what the
smaller group needs. And this is does not seem just to treat people. Just because a greater number of
people requires a certain treatment, the happiness of the other group should not be sacrificed. But
that is what utilitarianism is about, to make the greatest number of people happy at the cost making
the smaller group unhappy. This aspect of utilitarianism to provide happiness to the greatest number
of people at the cost of others does not seem like a fair approach for an ethical principle. And
especially in medicine this kind of approach should

Consequentialist Theory Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is a theory that usually has a role of character and virtue in the world of moral
philosophy rather than either doing one's duty or acting in order to bring about good consequences.
In some article they said that some people that give professional advice about moral are called virtue
ethicist. When talking about virtue ethics theories, you need to understand that it came from
Aristotle who declared that, "a virtuous person is someone who has ideal character traits." He also
said that these traits are originated from natural internal tendencies, but need to be cherished;
however, once established, they will become stable.
One example would be, a virtuous person is someone who is always kind in any situation over a
lifetime because that is her or his personal character and not because she wants to maximize self–
value or gain favors but simply do her or his duty. In the other hand, deontological and
consequentialist theories (that are in the same category) are theories of virtue ethics that do not help
primarily to identify universal principles that can be applied in any moral situation. When talking
about virtue ethics ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It may initially be identified as the one that emphasizes the virtues, or moral character, in contrast to
the approach that emphasizes duties or rules or that emphasizes the consequences of actions. Here
are some examples of these normative ethics. A person is in need and it is clear that this person
needs to be helped. A utilitarian will go to help this person to the fact that the outcome of doing so
will maximize well–being, in the other hand the deontologist would go and help this person to the
fact that, in doing so the agent will be acting in accordance with a moral rule such as "Do unto
others as you would be done by" and the last one, a virtue ethicist would go and help this person to
the fact that helping the person would be helpful or

Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Aristotle's virtue ethics is engrossed in this story through and through. The "highest good", while it
may not be applicable to the people hurt by the hurricane, can be seen in the actions of J.J. as well as
Mark Cuban. The fact that they were able to put this complex of a mission together on such short
notice is not only an attribute to their virtues and rationality but can also be herald to their ability to
complete such a task so well; functionality. To simply donate a few dollars would have been an
example of completing one's function to support the relief but to use privately owned property,
donate, and start a fundraiser that is now raking in aid and money to help the city rebuild is to go
above and beyond normal functionality. The virtue

Problem Of Virtue Ethics
"The rapid changes caused new problems– economic faulty, thoughtless and unethical decisions
have led to unpleasant consequences such as failed businesses, deteriorated relationships, and
conflicts in society as well as in organizations". To put in other words, the main problem is the lack
of ethics and virtues in business that have resulted in wicked outcomes which affected on only
businesses but the society in general as well. In his essay entitled "Vocational Virtue Ethics:
Prospects for a Virtue Ethic Approach to Business", David McPherson concludes by proposing a
number of solutions as to how business organizations must overcome this problem that challenges to
vocational virtue ethics. In this essay, I focus on analyzing three of the solutions, to wit, having a
clear mission statement and hiring employees according to their willingness to commit to it,
possessing a moral leadership, and reducing the tendency to avarice.
Before moving on to the solutions, I believe it is pertinent to give some insights behind the theories.
McPherson's essay mainly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many theorists have tried to explain virtue. Yet, common sense seems to indicate that virtue is
highly moral behavior. McPherson bases most of his arguments in Aristotle's virtue ethic principle,
which implies that one must commit himself to identify purposes of human nature that are worthy to
pursue and fulfill those purposes through exercising virtues, which would then, establish a higher
mode of life/ Eudaimonia (2013, p. 284).
McPherson argues that a way of applying vocational virtue ethics to business is by acknowledging
the notion of work as a calling or vocation. He explains his perspective further by distinguishing two
types of calling, general and specific. From his perspective, general calling is what we normatively
ought to do, while specific calling is the "particular way in which we seek to realize this general
calling" (2013, p. 290). Moreover,

The Founding Fathers Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is considered as one of the three major approaches in normative ethics. The founding
fathers of Virtue ethics are Plato and more particularly Aristotle. "It suffered a momentary eclipse
during the nineteenth century but re–emerged in the late 1950's in Anglo–American philosophy"
(Virtue Ethics , 2012). The re–emergence had an effect on the other two approaches. The
consequence of this is the fact that is now necessary to distinguish "virtue ethics" from "virtue
theory. Kant's virtue theory has conveyed philosophers' attention to Kant's "Doctrine of Virtue" and
the utilitarian's have developed consequentialist virtue theories. "A virtue such as honesty or
generosity is not just a tendency to do what is honest or generous, nor

Five Theories Of Virtue Ethics
Virtue Ethics
All along the history of man, there has been that big question of who or what determines what is
moral. Ethics started to take shape when man began to question his actions and the reasons
surrounding those actions. Am I doing the right thing? How do I know if it is the right? In a bid to
explain the different ways in which individuals view morality, ethical theories evolved. There are
five main theories; Intuitionism, Consequentialism, Deontological theory, Virtue ethics and Natural
law. For the sake of this discussion, I will be focusing on Virtue Ethics. According to Aristotle, a
virtue is "a trait of mind and character that helps us achieve a good life". (Routledge, ND) Aristotle,
like his predecessors, Socrates and Plato, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It assumes that it is by being virtuous that one acts morally thereby becoming better members of the
society. This is because one is not prompted merely by duty to the state to do good but by virtues
which makes his good actions innate. For instance, a student reporting a bully to the school not out
of duty to the school but because of her abhorrence for injustice. Aristotle believed that it is by
acting in the right way over and over again that one becomes virtuous. For instance, it is by an
individual's ability to make wise decisions that makes him prudent. If every individual is striving to
do what is considered to be the right thing, the society becomes a better place. Who is a virtuous
person? This is a question we should all ask ourselves. Aristotle identified virtues based on the
characters appreciated by his society that time and studied the ways in which they could be acquired
and improved. Therefore, it right to say that the term "virtuous" varies from society to society
according to different cultures. For instance, if one is considered virtuous in Ogun state, this does
not mean that that same person will be considered virtuous in Imo state because both cultures differ.
This simply means that virtue ethics is not

Virtue Ethics And Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics revolves around an individual's character traits, which often times crosses over to one's
career, or in this case engineering. According to Aristotle, if a person has obtained certain virtues, it
will be reflected in their behavior. Engineers have a responsibility to protect the public from harm,
as well as promote the public's wellbeing. Therefore, an engineer must contain several vital
character traits, or virtues, in order to perform their job accordingly. In this paper, virtue ethics will
be further evaluated as well as applied to the engineering discipline. In order to understand
Aristotle's virtue ethics, the words eudaimonia and arête must be acknowledged. Eudaimonia is
defined as happiness or flourishing. This state of eudaimonia is achieved by striving for goals in life,
which in turn results in the individual's success and happiness. The individual is always setting new
goals in order to become the best person they can be. Arête, on the other hand, is defined as a virtue,
or what makes something outstanding. According to Aristotle, virtues are a mean between
deficiency and excess. This means that an individual has acquired a virtue when presented with a
situation, the individual preforms ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to Aristotle, the four cardinal virtues are prudence, temperance, courage and justice. Each
of these character traits are essential for an individual to become virtuous, in both their personal and
professional life. These traits are formed through practice, and developed throughout an individual's
life experiences. Prudence is defined as having practical judgment, or being rational. Temperance is
containing self–control, or control over an individual's behavior. Courage can be thought of as the
ability to face one's fears, and act bravely in a situation. Lastly, justice is defined as an individual
behaving in a fair

Analyzing Virtue Ethics
My purpose of this essay is to explain and analyze virtue ethics. According to virtue ethics, in order
to live an ethical life, one must possess the right character traits, which are virtues, and as a result,
they will have the appropriate moral character. While virtue ethics does have many strengths to it,
such as that it places a central role on character, I have to disagree with this theory because it is too
difficult to identify which virtues we should acquire. Unlike most ethical theories, virtue ethics
understands morality in terms of good and bad character rather than the rightness or wrongness of
actions. It tells us not how we should act but how we ought to act. Virtue ethics emphasizes the role
of character and virtue rather than ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One weakness of virtue ethics is that it is not action–guiding. Other theories rely on one rule or
principle that offer a clear direction on what to do. As long as someone knows the principles, they
can apply them to practical situations. Virtue ethics fails to give any help on how we should behave
and lacks focus when it comes to determining actions that are morally acceptable from the ones that
need to be avoided. Instead, it focuses more on the qualities an individual needs to improve in order
to become a good person. Another problem with virtue ethics is that it is hard to determine what
traits are virtues and whether they are so in all circumstances. Virtuous characteristics can be
performed even when the actions carried out are unethical. For example, courage is often regarded
as a virtue, but can there not be courageous thefts? It seems that a theft could exhibit courage while
robbing a store, yet everyone usually agrees that stealing is morally wrong. There are also so many
different opinions and perspectives of people that come from diverse cultures and societies. These
aspects can lead to differences on what is morally right or wrong for people and make it hard to
identify virtues. Are there really any traits that are universal? Finally, virtue ethics can be all about
luck. The path to becoming virtue is difficult and many things outside our control can go wrong. The
right education, influences, or habits can help someone develop virtue, while the wrong influences
can encourage vice. Some people will be lucky and receive the help and encouragement they need,
but others will not. Therefore, it is not fair to reward the virtuous and blame the vicious for
something they could not

Utilitarianism And Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethicist may be defined as concepts that emphasize the role of character and virtue in moral
theory rather than making difference through action. They emphasis on undertakings that
encourages or makes a person more generous or benevolent. According to Aristotle virtue are of two
kinds; intellectual virtue which originate from birth and grows from teaching and through
experience and time. The second one is moral virtue which comes through human habits especially
one that is hard to give up, (Aristotle, 1931). It is important to differentiate this from deontologist
which uphold the the concept of doing unto others what you want others to do unto you.
Utilitarianism in contrast with virtue ethicist emphases on actions that give the maximum benefit to
a large number of people as possible.
In Hill's article about ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We can come to the conclusion that we are required to ensure our relationship with the Earth and it's
inhabitants is just and they're able to live full, dignified, lives; that we need to ensure our existence
as humans is sustainable throughout the future generations to come; that it's an environmental
injustice to not reduce our consumption of especially toxic chemicals; and finally, the quality our
person in question seems to lack, is the courage to stand up to the fear and powerlessness we might
feel towards those violating the previous three virtues. When lacking that virtue, it's important to be
reminded that many other people succumb to fear, especially with terrifying new scientific
knowledge being released on a regular basis showing our carbon impact as a society. Having the
courage just gives individuals and societies the strength to persevere through the harder moments of
environmental justice. Having all of these very important virtues means someone's character has the
right amount of "eudaimonia" (Mosser,

Kantian Virtue Ethics
Ethics is an attempt to offer a rational response to answer how humans best live their lives, as
argued by Aristotle. Thus the nature of human well–being. For Aristotle, man has a 'nature' that is
definite and makes it worthwhile to be a human being. This nature is reached through virtuously
flourishing, which is argued to be reached when we reason well. Aristotle takes an agent–centered
approach to answer the question of how one should efficiently ethically live, therefore informing
ethics. For Aristotle, 'humans' are unique beings with rationality distinguishing them from other
beings: 'the function of man is activity of soul in accordance with reason.' Whilst 'nature' is the way
of life, 'human' and 'nature' is the unique way of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hursthouse supports Aristotle's view that there is an inherent moral value, a 'manifestation of virtue,'
within the feeling of certain emotions. Furthermore, she argues that the Aristotelian image of human
nature creates an area for the emotions in the desiderative part of the soul. The desiderative part
allows us to feel emotions that non–rational animals are not subject to. However, Hursthouse argues
that it is more significant through reason being able to drastically alter an emotion that humans
definitely share with animals, for example, fear. An animal may run straight away from fear whilst a
human may face it if rationally evaluated. The emotion of other beings are argued to be
fundamentally associated to 'physical self–preservation,' this can be altered in human beings into an
emotion linked with the 'preservation of what is best, most preserving, in us and our species.'
Therefore, virtuous people make the 'right' decision more often through the act of being virtuous,
which then helps us with moral deliberations. Overall, as seen, Hursthouse supports Aristotle's thesis
of human nature and successfully argues how human nature informs

Virtue Ethics And Virtue Ethics: Case Study In Ethics
INTRODUCTION
Lying is one of the ethics cases that usually happen in our daily life. We know that lying is a one of
unethical behaviour that everyone must avoid because it will give harm to a person that has been
cheated. The case study that we choose was written by Tim C. Mazur about lying. Based on this
case study, Tim C. Mazur was written about Ross Perot's who a politician person that lied about he
secretly investigated his presidential campaign volunteers. And according to a philosopher,
Immanuel Kant said that lying was always morally wrong. Besides that, second perspective which is
virtue ethics that Tim C. Mazur was discuss in this case study also maintains that lying is morally
wrong but though less strictly than Immanuel Kant perspective ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Virtue ethicists focus on the development of character or what people should be. As we know, it is
not always good point to lie in a business. But there may be some situations, where it is okay to lie
in business context when the person who is lying in a positive purpose. For example when someone
is lying for attracting the investors because they are going to help out the company to sale out their
share and dividends. When a person is lying it should be for positive purpose means to avoid the
risk and to attract the customer buy their share. Their intentions are not based on their self but there
are thinking about other, in this case the worker makes a decision to lie only for their company
behalf. And it's not fair to fire the employees are lying because first of all manager should analyse
the situation because whenever an employee lie they may be a situation in which he cannot speak
the truth. The managers should notice the outcome of the lie of their employees. How advantages
they are, in short what I can say that the manager should analyse that, why employees are lying,
what would the situation behind his action. The employee may have some reasons to lie so, the
manager should understand the nature of the problem. Manager must give her employees a second
chance to explain why she was lying. Maybe she was lying because of positive

Understanding Virtue Ethics
Noe Beltran
Per. 4
12/6/16
Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics is the theory which is centered on character rather than focused on actions. An
individual's actions are the main element of ethical thinking rather than actions themselves (which is
known as Deontology) or their consequences (which is known as consequentialism). A virtuous
character would have to have virtuous traits. Some traits include courage, patience, and truthfulness.
To understand virtue ethics one must first understand the virtues that make a good human being. A
virtue is defined as a behavior showing high moral standards. For example, a common characteristic
quality displaying a virtue would be honesty. If someone is honest, They are believed to never lie or
cheat which ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Not only this, but there is also a common burden of virtue ethics is that it does not produce a solid
base of principles since having virtues is unable to guide or justify good actions. Virtue ethicists also
face the reality that adequacy is a problem because a person does not need virtuous traits to perform
a good action, not only that but if a virtuous person were to cause a wrongful action, it does not
always have to mean that they are still not a virtuous person.To put this into perspective, if a
murderer were to kill someone, and walk away from the crime, and he sees a homeless man and the
murderer gives the homeless man a dollar, he has just performed a good deed. Or if lets say a priest
was to curse in church, it does not mean he is not a virtuous person. Virtue ethics also is problematic
because of its relativism. Its relativism is a big issue to this because every culture has different ways
of defining virtues. Which means that everyone following virtue ethics would ultimately disagree
with each other about

Theories Of Virtue Ethics
1. According to virtue ethicists, virtues are developed by routine. The majority of virtue ethics
philosophies take their motivation from Aristotle who stated that a virtuous being is somebody who
has supreme character qualities. These qualities stem from innate inner predispositions, but need to
be cultivated; yet, once seeded, they will grow to be firm. For instance, a virtuous individual is
somebody who is thoughtful through several circumstances throughout a lifetime, as that is their
personality and not because they want to get the most value or increase favors or merely do their
obligation. Contrasting deontological and consequentialist philosophies, notions of virtue ethics do
not have the intention to predominantly isolate general values that can be functional in any ethical
circumstances. And virtue ethics concepts manage broader demands such as how one should live
and what are the correct familial and social values.
2. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Situationist psychology is a theory that behavior is a main response to immediate situations.
Situationism is the psychology of the individual in social psychology, as influenced by one or more
other people, who make up the social situation. The concept of situationism is that the theory
suggests that behavior is the primarily response to an immediate situations. In other words, you are
going to act however the majority of the people you are around act and that is simply because of the
situation and acceptance from the majority. The impact of situationism on individual behavior can
cause someone that is normally quiet to be loud because the situation may demand them to be.
Situationism can really have an impact on your personality by changing how you perceive a
situation and, in return, how you react to

Virtue Ethics' Application to Business Ethics Essay
Virtue Ethics' Application to Business Ethics
As with all forms of ethics, whilst written about in a general sense the ethical thought appear a
feasible process and an appropriate way to act and behave, it however needs to stand up against
certain moral issues to 'test' its fallibility. Business ethics would be one such example.
Aristotle, the farther of virtue ethics felt community care is the reason for the market system. A
business would be selfless economic structure and ethos. Aristotle's word, 'oikonomikos' is used to
show this household trading and community–based economy
Virtue ethics as described by Aristotle has a central thesis of improving oneself to be a better person.
If ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Macintyre would agree that the latter would fail is the tow crews were in competition, he would
however maintain that the sense of pride of work is more important than the pursuit of profits.
Macintyre would argue that current ethics of Western corporations is unethical, Milton Freedman's
article explaining a firms only aim is to maximise profits and has no social responsibility would be
absolutely contested by Macintyre, who would argue that money is not the end rather a means to a
further end of social responsibility.
Kindness would be an important virtue to own, and with this character trait you would expect the
individual to shown compassion and lovingness in a situation. For example is it acceptable to sack
able workers purely because they are excess to needs of the company and by saving money on there
wages you can earn more for yourself. The virtuous answer would be no it is far better to treat your
staff with the up most respect than to run a business for the maximisation of profits.
Proponents of virtue ethics could argue that by treating your staff more virtuously you will reap
finical rewards anyway. They may be more willing

Virtue Ethics
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 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 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
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 have

Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
Ethics in Engineer, Is it Virtuous?
Aristotle developed a type of ethics that many use throughout the world, virtue ethics. Virtue ethics
can be defined as an act that is right if, and only if, a virtuous person performs it for the right reason.
That begs the question, "What is a virtuous person?" A virtuous person is someone who conforms to
moral and ethical principles. For the sake of argument, morality is the difference between right and
wrong. I will discuss Aristotle's virtue ethics, how they apply to engineering, and how Dr. Harris's
claims differ from those of Aristotle.
Aristotle laid out three points in his theory of virtue ethics: eudaimonia, arête, and telos. First,
eudaimonia is achieving ultimate happiness within oneself. In Aristotle's mind, eudaimonia means
you have lived a good life and you are using reason to help feed the soul. The second point in his
theory is arête or virtue. Aristotle describes arête as becoming the ultimate of ones kind. According
to Aristotle, humans should strive every day to be the best we can be and to live the good life.
Finally, telos is said by Aristotle to be the final cause or end. All of us are living our lives here on
earth and take different paths along the way. One component of our lives is the same no matter our
culture, religion, or ethnicity and that is death. The way we live our lives and seek that final cause is
what Aristotle believes is important. Engineers are use to derivations, Aristotle believed that any
moral

Aristotle 's Virtue Ethics And Ethics
Engineers are many times assessed only by their technical knowledge. However, virtues are a
fundamental to engineering. 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 question of how to live a good life. Three key concepts
of Aristotle's virtue ethics are Eudaimonia, arête, and telos. Eudaimonia is described as happiness or
flourishing. Aristotle believed that humans have the unique ability to govern their action with
reason. The ideal practice of reason is exemplified through one's work. People are able to experience
the good life through excelling in fulfilling work. The idea of excelling is described by Aristotle's
concept of arête. Arête is best defined as virtue or being an outstanding example of its kind. It is the
idea of achieving excellence based on your end purpose or telos. Aristotle believed that virtues
become perfected as our potential of reaching our unique telos are actualized.
Along with these key concepts Aristotle presented two types of virtues. The virtues of thought
consist of traits such as wisdom and intelligence, and virtues of character. A young man going to a

Ethics Of Caring And Virtue
Ethics of Caring and Virtue
Ethics of virtue is the belief that if a person wants to be considered good, they do good things
(Pollock, 1988). In ethics of virtue, happiness is always the outcome of a situation. The main
premise of virtue theory lies upon three main principles; virtues, practical wisdom and eudemonia. A
virtue is a mean state which lays between two vices. A virtue is a characteristic a virtuous person
possesses, for example courage. Courage is a virtue which lays between 'cowardice ' and
'foolhardiness'. Virtue can vary in meaning for each individual depending on their background and
history.
Aristotle states that all humans have a one end goal which is called eudaimonia (Greek for
happiness), and that happiness ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Therefore, only those with good character can be truly happy. Just so that we can live virtuously, we
must avoid extremes and maintain a balance, which Aristotle terms as the "golden mean" (Pollock,
1988). The "golden mean" is the balance between the extremes, and we must use rational thinking
and reasoning in a balanced fashion.
Repeated actions lead to a condition, which makes an action distinct from a condition, therefore
meaning one virtuous act does not make a person virtuous. Acts of virtue must become a habit, so
that virtuous acts become second–nature. These repeated virtuous acts lead to the condition of
virtue, and the condition of virtue equals good character, and vice versa. This creates an assumption
of a link between being able to see who we are and what we do, between being and doing.
Ethic of Care is a theory of how we care for each other and all of the people around us. It makes us
realize how much we value the human relationship. Ethic of Care theory allows us to see the moral
value that is placed upon our communities, as well as, persons and asserts that one action can
possibly take place in the context relationship. However, the Ethic of Care does not support a
dependency relationship between people. The Ethic of Care is about maintaining a relationship that
is very mutual.
We should always try to constantly maintain a relationship that offers both mutual opportunity and
benefits, as well as, consider the implications of

Utilitarianism, Deontology, And Virtue Ethics

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