Theories of Ethics

· A personal experience to explain the relationship between virtue, values, and moral concepts as they relate to one of the three theories

Virtue Theory is one of many different moral theories that exist today. It is based off of Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics which focuses on having an ideal character. The main focus of Virtue Theory is the role of one’s character, which is closely related to its roots in Aristotle. A Virtue Theorist would do things because it is who they themselves are, not because it is good to do them or because they will get something good from doing them.

Virtue ethics is a theory of ethics in moral philosophy in which it emphasizes that the notion of virtue is key to a

The Virtue Theory, also know as Virtue Ethics, refers to the character of each person. This theory states that every person should try for excellence. The characteristics of each individual are made up from their environment that they are a part of. The theory would further suggest

The principles may include: The Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill declares that morally right decisions are those that result in ‘happiness for the greatest number. ' Kant 's Duty Defined Morality explains how acts performed out of duty have moral worth. Aristotle 's Virtue Ethics dictates that moderation is the best course. Divine Command theory holds that proper decisions follow God 's will. And lastly, Natural Law id grounded in the notion of an eternal law (in God). According to this paper, the Kant 's Duty Defined Morality is better than the other ethical theories.

They are preconventional, conventional and post conventional. Two types of moral theory are moral relativists which claim that people create reality and that there are no universal or shared moral principles that apply to all and moral universalists, which claim that there are universal moral principles that apply to all. The idea that morality is universal is deontology. Deontology claims that duty is the foundation of morality and that moral principles apply to everyone. The categorical imperative in the main concept of this theory. It states that “Act only on that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” Virtue ethics are a part of the idea that morality is universal. Virtue ethics emphasizes character over right

Virtue theory uses practical rationality to explain why one ought to act morally. Considerations that stem from human needs help us find reason in our actions. Those actions are ones that help us retain the function of our human will and the goodness of that will.

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory that judges an action on its outcomes and aims to maximize happiness. This means finding the action that generates the “greatest good for the greatest number”.

Utilitarianism is the moral doctrine that we should always act to produce the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone affected by our actions (Shaw & Barry, 62).

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that seeks to define right and wrong actions based solely on the consequences they produce. By utilitarian standards, an act is determined to be right if and

When considering the theory of morality. There are many different views about the guidelines humans should follow in order to be a good human and live in a functional environment. Monism, pluralism, and particularism are three different ideas about how one should make decisions. Pluralism seems to be the most plausible in our society.

Virtue ethics concerned with the character of the person, instead of their action. Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas were supporters of this theory. This theory focuses on individual 's disposition as the key factor of ethical reasoning instead of the principles

The third ethical theory is virtue ethics. Virtue ethics is character-based, which mean virtue ethics shows how a person’s character matter above everything else. It focuses more on a person’s character rather than the action. Being virtuous mean that no matter the situation your character will depict how you respond to that situation. Which is why when determining if an act is morally good or bad it depends on the character and motive. For example, if someone is having a bad day and gets upset at you and start yelling at you, your response isn’t going to be getting mad at that person and yelling back at them. Instead of doing that a virtuous person would show kindness toward that person so that they can make him or she feels better. The moral excellence of a person or being a good person is a start to being virtuous.

virtue. According the Mosser (2013), the three main ethical theories, utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, offer sophisticated and rigorous ways of both describing and resolving the ethical challenges we confront. Some of the themes or ideas that unite the different ethical theories are equality, wellbeing, contentment, and generosity.

Utilitarianism is one of the most influential and best known ethical theories. Just like other versions of consequentialism, utilitarianism is premised on the idea that whether an act is morally wrong or right depends on its effects. Essentially, the only aspects of an action stat are important to a utilitarian are the effects the act produces. There are two categories of utilitarianism: act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. According to rule utilitarianism, a particular action is morally right if it conforms to some justified moral rules. This perspective implies that the morality of individual actions should be evaluated in reference to existing general moral rules. Act utilitarianism is often regarded as the most natural interpretation of the ethical theory of