Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Book ll, is about his idea of how people should live a virtuous life. Throughout this book, he explains that humans learn virtue from instructions and we learn virtue from practice too. Virtue is something that is very important because it is a moral habit that results in keeping our moral values. Aristotle believed that nobody is born with virtue, everyone has to work at it daily. After reading Nicomachean ethics, Book ll, my main conclusion of it is that us as humans are better off being virtuous than simply doing what we feel like doing at any moment in time.
Aristotle describes virtue theory as an ethical theory that emphasizes an individual 's character rather than following a set of rules. Breaking it down even further to specify knowing right from wrong, being able to read an atmosphere by knowing what is right, and it is the midpoint between two extremes. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. display to be a virtue ethicists through his letter oppose to being a deontologist or utilitarian. Laws define a set of rules that the people should follow; however, there are unjust laws that are meant to be challenged.
For instance, Margaret A.McLauren describes the role of feminism in virtue ethics as the most promising context. According to Aristotle, as Duffy mentions in this essay, happiness always comes from a life with purpose. For example, the knife has the function to cut, the plant to grow, and the horse to run. Therefore, it is a rational conclusion that human beings also have a purpose that makes them different from things and animals. Following this, the most significant improvement in modern virtue ethics comes from a theory for differentiating between right and wrong, a theory for responding to specific situations.
Moral virtues to some may seem outdated in the contemporary times, however, they are necessary in most aspects of day to day life. For example, according to William W. Fortenbaugh in Aristotle’s Conception of Moral Virtue and Its Perceptive Role, “[…] good deliberate choice requires both moral virtue and practical reason” (77). Making a good decision requires guidance and moral virtue accompanied by practical reason help to make it. This, “good deliberate choice,” is what makes moral virtues needed still in today’s society and support Aristotle’s moral theory. Whether the good deliberate choice is helping someone else or doing what is morally right, they are usually shadowed by a virtuous undertone.
For instance, an honest person is honest because he does it for his own sake, but that’s not virtue since they are not acting rationally but are acting according to their natural
The relativist’s objection Aristotle’s writings are the best prototype of virtue ethics. Contemporary virtue theories do not grasp nor represents the Aristotelian theory, because they think that it is impossible to escape the charge of relativism in virtue ethics. According to the relativist approach, ethical goodness is relative to each society depending on its traditions and practices. It is thought that virtue can only be outlined locally with reference to a single locale. Relativists reject the idea that there is a general rule, based on specific virtuous actions, that leads to the good life i.e. they reject that there is a single virtue (or norm of flourishing life) that is able to flourish the life of all human beings.
Virtue ethics emphasizes that moral decision-making should be guided by these righteous character traits, rather than by rules, principles, or consequences. In virtue ethics, the
Virtue Ethics is the theory of morality that makes virtue the central concern. Aristotle is a philosopher known for virtue ethics, his theories relate to society, self, education, and metaphysics. Virtue ethics rely on ourselves and it doesn't have anything to do with society or religion. When it comes to virtue ethics you’re asking yourself “what should I be?”, instead of “what should I do?”. Morality goes from what's right or wrong; this goes with the principles and values of a person.
What signifies a noble, valuable and satisfying life? Aristotle says that good life comes with the implementation of virtues ideas. By definition, Aristotle states that virtue entails the act of attaining excellence and having the ability to know good and righteous and be able to accordingly (Foot, 2002). That virtue is a state of character that is helpful in achieving a satisfactory and happy life, which, according to Aristotle is a life with reason. Doctrine of the mean
One of the most powerful tools people have is introspection. Introspection has guided our decision making throughout the history of humanity, but in an age where technological development has reduced the need for full mobilization of communities, misguided youth and adults abound. There exists a vast store of self-help guides, career guidance articles and related modern literature, but it is worth looking for a system of core values conducive to a principled life. Aristotle provided such a set of principles in his system of Virtue Ethics. In what follows, I use Aristotle's Virtue Ethics to reflect on my standing as a software engineer.
Paul Conway March 11, 2018 Professor VandenHombergh Philosophy 1301 Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics is one of the three main theories in normative ethics. Virtue Ethics is meant to focus on the moral character of someone or emphasize on their virtues. If someone who possess the virtue of being honest, they do not lie correct? An honest person who identifies as being honest and actively practices honesty, is only an honest person if they act without outer stimuli telling the person to be honest. An honest person would not lie because it might have consequences or they might let someone down, an honest person would not lie simply for the fact of it “being a lie” and because lying is “wrong.”
It allows for people to actively seek out the things which they admire in those around them, and it makes them look for the good in each other. It is based on people learning from each other and and each other’s mistakes. Virtue ethics encourages people to self reflect on their lives. Look around themselves and list out the thing that like about those around them and list out the things that they do not like as well. Look at that list and see how many of those they are doing, adopt the good and and let go of the bad.
Virtue ethics is an expansive theory inspired by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. In contrast to deontology and consequentialism, virtue ethics emphasizes the moral character (ideal traits) of a person. Aristotle believed that nature produced humans with the desire to be virtuous, just how seeds are built with the drive to become trees. This concept can be related to the term eudaimonia, which translates to the flourishing of a human being; a happy and well-lived life.
Virtue theory is more comprehensive and practical than traditional approaches to business ethics because it is about the type of person. Virtue theory is concerned with the cultivation of character and it provides happy life. Moral growth comes from choice rather than rules. Virtue ethics emphasizes the process of individual moral character development. Virtue theory helps to develop principles, tactics and procedures of business.
Virtue ethics started drawing attention since the modern ethics exposed its limitation and reconsideration about the priority was needed. Contemporary ethics focus on “What we should do”, instead of “What kind of person we should do”. In consequence, the moral codes in modern era solely emphasizes moral duty and rules, while neglecting personality and character of individuals. Virtue ethics support the traditional criterion that consider moral virtue and personality of individuals as important. The virtue of good engineer includes creativity, good understanding of culture, morality, and capability of communication.
