Virtue Ethics

To me character means what one likes or dislikes. Amy Tan writes in “Fish Cheeks” how one’s identity is created through Culture. She states, “My relatives licked the ends of their chopsticks and reached across the table, dipping them into the dozen or so plates of food.” She also states, “My relatives murmured with pleasure when my mother brought out the whole steamed fish. Then my father poked his chopsticks just below the fish eye and plucked out the soft meat. “ Amy, your favorite.” he said offering me the tender fish cheek. I wanted to disappear.” There are many ideas on how identity is created, but some might be through Culture, Character, and through family life.

In his writing, A Practical Companion to Ethics, Anthony Weston explains people are more judgmental and it causes a lot more problems than solutions. Anthony Weston feels Ethics requires us to be mindful thinkers, because it helps fight unjust prejudgment. I personally feel this could help fix court systems, federal, and state wide corruption. Most importantly being a mindful thinker could help businesses. There are so many reasons that could fall under Anthony’s theory. Getting to know the author and his work. I feel his mindful thinking is to reach out to others and interact with more people in an expressive way. Weston believes this will help our community progress in a positive manner towards others. I think he feels ethics requires us

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.

Each of us has different individual characteristics and factors, and it is the combination of these that make up who we are.

I. Provide answers for five (5) of the following (6 points each, total of 30 points):

Aristotle’s idea of Virtue Ethics was influenced by his belief that all things and all humans have a purpose (a telos). For him a complete explanation of something has to include its final cause or purpose which essentially is to realise its potential. Virtue Ethics itself is concerned with the characteristics of a person rather than how a person behaves and it is this he outlined in his book Nicomachean Ethics. A ‘’virtue’’ are qualities that lead to a good life e.g. courage and honesty. Aristotle explains for a person to adopt these qualities into their own lives is to maximise their potential to achieve a happy life and he goes

Luke is in charge of ABC Company’s land development project in building an adult entertainment store on the land they recently purchased. Unfortunately, his brother, Owen, happens to live in the same area. Luke remembers Owen once told him he is thinking about selling his house, since he recently received a decent offer from a real estate firm. However, he is debating whether he should sell it or waits for the real estate to rise. Luke realizes with the appearance of adult entertainment in the near future, the values of Owen’s house and other houses in neighborhood are likely to drop significantly.

Virtue ethics is a concept that is used in the process of moral decision making. It is dependent on the individuals themselves rather than on society, culture and religion. Aristotle was one of the main philosophers involved in virtue ethics. He was an advocate for virtue. Virtue ethics are associated with the type of person that one should become. It is solely concerned with human nature and morals. This essay will explore Aristotle’s conception of virtue. I will discuss Aristotle’s belief that virtue ethics are vital in achieving the ultimate goal of happiness. I will further consider and examine his theory of the Doctrine of the Mean. Finally, I will explore how Aristotle distinguishes between the two kinds of virtues and this will result

Different ethical theories would view this issue in various ways. Virtue ethics believes in placing a heavy focus on moral character, while focusing less on the action itself. In this situation a virtue ethicist would evaluate if ending or continuing Samantha's treatment would impact her moral character. The beliefs of strong moral character carried by a virtue ethicist would encourage Samantha to further her parents wishes of continuing treatment. A virtue ethicist respect for human life causes them to believe that Samantha should continue treatment because of the courage and strength it shows. However some virtue ethicist might argue that because of the value for human life, Samantha should be allowed to discontinue treatment to end the immense suffering she is in. A virtue ethicist would considered all of the details of the patients suffering before making a

In the consideration of MAID from a virtue ethics standpoint, the concern is whether a nurse assisting in the end of life process of a patient is morally and thereby ethically right. As a result of the core values of nursing focusing on saving lives and returning individuals to a state of good health, assisted dying promotes a conflicting value. Through my research I have found three consistent themes, moral intent, autonomy, and healing. I propose these be used as guidelines to determine the ethical nature of assisted dying, on a case-by-case basis. If one of the proposed guidelines is not met, the act of assisted dying is to be considered unethical. Medically assisted dying with the help of a nurse is right as long

Ethics and virtue have been a very contentious issue facing society for centuries. Many argue over the merits of various theories, each with its own philosophies and assumptions. It is this argument that has given rise to many popular and followed theories of ethics and virtues. The theories discussed primarily in this document include the virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological theory. Each is very distinct to the others in regards to its principles and assumptions regarding human behavior. Each however, has merit in regards to question of ethics and virtue, and how it should subsequently be valued.

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).

Virtue, when I hear that word I think of value and morality and only good people can be virtuous. When I hear the word ethics I think of good versus evil, wrong and right. Now when the two are put together you get virtue ethics. You may wonder what can virtue ethics possibly mean. It’s just two words put together to form some type of fancy theory. Well this paper will discuss virtue ethics and the philosophy behind it.

you ask what the virtues are, it is likely you would be told that we

Virtues contribute to people’s actions in today’s society. Society as a whole has a common set of virtues that many people agree on. In today’s society, these are known as laws. Virtues also mold the individual outlook on life, and give them the moral’s to do what is right. In The Republic, Plato divides the city into three classes: gold, silver, as well as bronze and iron souls. Each class is designated to posses a specific virtue. He believes that wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice combine together to form The Republic. However, Plato’s four virtues individually do not necessarily produce a utopian society. A combination of the four in each citizen is imperative in producing the ideal society. In Plato’s search for the