Virtue ethics is a branch of normative ethics that emphasizes the importance of developing virtuous character traits, such as honesty, courage, and compassion. Virtue ethics is concerned with questions such as:
What kind of person should I be?
What character traits are necessary for living a good life?
How can I cultivate virtuous character traits?
Key Concepts
Virtue ethics is based on the idea that morality is not primarily about following rules or maximizing happiness, but about developing a good character and living a virtuous life. Some key concepts in virtue ethics include:
Eudaimonia: The Greek word for "happiness" or "flourishing." According to virtue ethics, the goal of human life is to achieve eudaimonia, which is achieved by cultivating virtuous character traits.
Virtues: Virtues are positive character traits that enable us to live a good life. Examples of virtues include courage, honesty, compassion, and generosity.
Vices: Vices are negative character traits that hinder our ability to live a good life. Examples of vices include cowardice, dishonesty, cruelty, and greed.
Virtue Ethics vs Other Moral Theories
Virtue ethics differs from other moral theories in several ways. For example:
Consequentialist theories, such as utilitarianism, focus on the consequences of actions rather than on character traits.
Deontological theories, such as Kantian ethics, focus on moral rules or duties rather than on character traits.
Virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of developing a good character and living a virtuous life, rather than following rules or maximizing happiness.
Criticisms of Virtue Ethics
Critics of virtue ethics argue that it can be difficult to determine which virtues are most important, and that it can be hard to apply virtue ethics in practical situations. Some also argue that virtue ethics is too focused on individual character and does not take into account the broader social and political contexts in which ethical decisions are made.
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