Virtue Ethics - Personal Statement Example

VIRTUE ETHICS I have always believed that everything we do and experience is governed by two important things ly, 'environment' and 'trend'. By environment, I mean to say that our actions are largely determined by the way we are influenced by all the things and events around us that drives us to take the appropriate actions. Likewise, I also deem it right to say that our actions are also influenced by the trends of the current times. As such, I would look at virtue ethics and good character as visionary goals that are supposed to act as mere goals in one's quest towards achieving success in all forms.

This is because no man is truly virtuous and everyone has certain deficiencies to appropriate degrees when evaluated against good character. When the question turns towards practices in business, good character and virtuousness do not stand very well in today's world if survival and sustainability are he immediate goals of the business activity. This is because, in accordance with the given situation, one may have to resort to means that may not be harmful to anyone, but do not fall within the framework of righteousness.

For example, if there is a severe competition in the market, then it is not desirable to give way to others thinking that everyone should have an equal share of the business. In fact, businesses would not exist for long if they went that way. According to me, the sole aim of any business would be to strive for the generation of good consequences not only for the business, but also for every other entity as far as possible. As such, I believe that this should be the sole guiding path for a business.

If I were to adopt this path, then my intentions would be multi-faceted. The quest for good results would make me ensure that I provide for the needy to the maximum extent possible. Likewise, I also feel that the people and other entities I am involved or related to must also benefit as a result of my actions and the business' progress. In fact, we get to see so many examples of both individuals such as Bill gates (through the Bill and Melinda gates foundation) and countless other entrepreneurs who have ensured that a major chunk of their earnings is directed for the welfare of the needy.

If the current business practices in existence today were to be reviewed, there seems to be a deficiency in being able to connect between morality and rationality. In fact, the sole aim of business, which is profit maximization, simply professes that the aims of the individual and the organization must be to ensure that their businesses grow as far as possible. Moreover, deciding whether actions were wrong or justified can be regarded as matter for perception. Consider the situation where a business firm takes over another company and sacks closes down a few factories and employees lose their jobs.

In such a situation, the action cannot be regarded as an outcome of intentions, but more as a result of need and objectives. Thus, the basic foundation for deciding whether an action is right or wrong is in fact fluid and depends on individual perception and acceptance. As such, I firmly believe that in today's world, my business intentions and actions would be solely aimed at providing good benefits and consequences to the people and environment around me, which is the utilitarian way.BIBLIOGRAPHY1.

Stephen L. Darwall (2002), Virtue ethics. London: Blackwell publishing.2. Jeffrie G. Murphy (1994), Kant: The Philosophy of Right. Mercer University Press.