Virtue Ethics

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  • Created by: AnnieMaeB
  • Created on: 14-05-19 09:33

Virtue Ethics

Advantages

  • Virtue Ethics avoids the need for strict laws and rules .
  • It encourages people to be good or the sake of it rather than for some heavenly reward.
  • It provides practical ways to develop virtues through the Golden mean.
  • It is a holistic theory that looks at the moral agent's whole life rather than single actions.
  • It look at what makes a life worth while rather that just right and wrong.
  • Virtue ethics recognises human intellectual ability and autonomy to make decisions on what is virtuous. It encourages people to develop their own idea of what is good rather than telling them so.

Disadvantages

  • Virtue ethics can struggle to provide clear guidance on ethical issues.
  • It is a secular system which doesn't fit with Christianity, especially the view that humanity is somehow fallen and incapable of the perfect state Aristotle suggests.
  • Virtue ethics can appear good on the outside but be driven by non-virtuous motives. Slote, however, emphasised the importance of intention.
  • The Golden mean has recently been abandoned due to its inability to incorporate human rights. Also, virtues such as truthfulness have been questioned - how can you be too honest?
  • "The possibilities for moral excellence are as unlimited both ad individual is complex and human experience original" - Own Flanagan. It is difficult to have examples of virtuous people as its so vague and subjective.

Evaluation

Overall Virtue ethics is not a strong ethical system as it leaves too many uncertainties and the idea of a virtuous being is too subjective. However there is something to be said for expecting people to develop their own view of 'goodness' rather than accepting what is taught. 

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