Aristotles Virtue Ethics and Confucianism - Essay Example

Ethics The character or personality of an individual is the ‘product’ of his/her thoughts and attitudes. However, the thoughts and attitudes of human beings differ from one another based on certain factors. That is, each individual displays certain characteristics or personalities some of which are inborn, while most are acquired by him/her through learning, experience, etc. Virtue ethics is one of such trait which can be developed ‘in’ an individual or ‘by’ an individual through habit or learning or actions. Virtue ethics is broader term used to emphasize the need for morality in an individual’s character. It stresses that morality only acts as the driving force for the individual’s ethical and virtuous behavior, rather than the individual exhibiting ethical behavior because of certain rules, to garner expected consequences and because of certain social contexts or compulsions. Standards and concepts of virtue ethics or virtuous behavior were put forth by ancient thinkers like Aristotle and Confucius. Aristotle’s virtue ethics Aristotle classifies virtue as moral virtue and intellectual virtue while defining the dual forms of virtue. “Virtue, then, being of two kinds, intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue in the main owes both its birth and its growth….. while moral virtue comes about as a result of habit, whence also its name (ethike) is one that is formed by a slight variation from the word ethos (habit).” (Aristotle). Thus, Aristotle thinks that moral virtue is the result of habits that an individual forms in his/her life. Moral virtue is not an inborn quality, on the other hand, it is an characteristic, that an individual acquires by habit. “From this it is also plain that none of the moral virtues arises in us by nature; for nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature.” (Aristotle). When a person has a habit of doing virtuous things, the quality of virtue is imbibed in his/her behavior. Aristotle provides the examples of builders and lyreplayers to prove his point regarding the role played by habit in the development of virtue. He explains that to carry out a particular work, an individual is required to learn that work first and this learning is acquired by doing that work. Aristotle further states that intellectual virtue is developed in an individual, owing to the training and education he/she receives. Moral virtue is formed, owing to the habit of the person for doing virtuous things. However, to develop this habit, the person has to learn about virtue and it is here that intellectual virtue plays a role in the formation of moral virtue. “Again, of all the things that come to us by nature we first acquire the potentiality and later exhibit the activity….but the virtues we get by first exercising them, as also happens in the case of the arts as well.” (Aristotle). Thus, for the development of moral virtue, it is essential for a person to acquire intellectual virtue as well. On the whole, both these aspects of Aristotle’s virtue ethics mainly focus on the individual’s internal character aspects. That is, both habit and education, in the above context, are things that can be carried out by the individuals personally, without major influences by external forces Confucius virtue ethics Chinese philosopher, Confucius in his prime went on a long journey in search of inner peace and study. Then in the advancing age, he ‘formalized’ all those teachings as Confucianism and taught those to his disciples. Confucianism is an ancient philosophical and ethical system of China, and the ethical teachings include, Li: includes ritual, propriety, etiquette, etc, Hsiao: love within the family, Yi: righteousness, Xin: honesty and trustworthiness, Chung: loyalty to the state and finally Ren or Jen, which denotes humaneness towards others and importantly is the highest Confucian virtue ethics. (“Confucianism: An Introduction”). Accordingly, Confucius puts forth the point of how personal morality plays the dominant role in developing one’s ethical behavior, and also how it positively influences other lives. That is, as Ren focuses on humanness towards others, Confucius virtue ethics also focuses on how ones’ ethical behavior impacts others. However, the basic and deepest teaching of Confucius is that one’s personal morality has to be upheld to develop an optimum ethical behavior, instead of developing it by following societal rules. “Because his moral teachings emphasise self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and the attainment of skilled judgment rather than knowledge of rules, Confuciuss ethics may be considered a type of virtue ethics.” (“Confucius”). Although, Confucius is against knowledge of rules, he wanted individuals to acquire common knowledge to practice their ethical behavior in a strong manner. Virtuous behavior without knowledge could be susceptible to corruption and other faults, and so the behavior with knowledge will not only aid the individual but also others towards whom the virtuous action is directed. That is, virtuous actions for others always begins with a virtuous and heartfelt thought towards others, and that gets initiated only if one have knowledge about them. Thus, Confucius’ virtue ethics is based upon harmony with other people and building relationship with them, and is exhibited as an ethical practice, which identifies and supports the interests of self and other. (“Confucius”). Comparison When one compares the above aspects of Aristotle’s and Confucius’ virtue ethics, it can be assumed that although both border on the same line, there are certain differences. Both virtue ethics focus on how an individual personal morality leads to better ethical behavior, rather than societal rules and the resultant consequences. Thus, both Aristotle and Confucius put the onus on the individuals to develop or imbibe ethical behaviors in them. In addition, both of them also stress how habit (moral virtue) and knowledge (intellectual virtue) work in correlation and will aid in making an individual virtuous. Aristotle explains that to carry out a particular work, an individual is required to have knowledge about that work first, but at the same time that knowledge can be acquired by doing that work. On those lines, a person can become virtuous by doing virtuous things, and also by acquiring knowledge about the people towards whom virtuous things are directed, which eventually leads to the habit of virtue in the person. Aristotle’s thought that habit and knowledge are vital for the formation of virtue, provides precise information about the things that influence the formation of virtue in an individual. On the same lines, “Confucian ethics does not distinguish between intellectual and moral virtues, so Confucian wisdom represents a fusion of practice and theory by an integrated heart-mind (xin).” (Gier 72). However, the main difference is that, Confucius virtue ethics ‘extends’ to others. That is, as discussed above, Confucius virtue ethics identifies and backs ethical behavior from self and others, while Aristotle’s virtue ethics focus on the internal or personal shelf of individuals. Aristotle believes one could be a good person without being a good citizen and also vice versa, “Confucius would reject this disjunction outright” by stating that “civic and personal virtues” are both grounded in same conformity. (Gier 70). Conclusion Aristotle classifying virtue ethics into two categories, further goes on explain the ‘internal’ factors responsible for the development of moral virtue and intellectual virtue in an individual. While, Confucius even while focusing on both moral and intellectual virtue, provides a contrasting perspective, by delving deep into how certain ‘external’ factors also could be responsible for an individual’s ethical behavior. Greeks focused virtue ethics on the “interior orientation of the soul’, while Confucianisms definition of virtue ethics emphasizes “interpersonal relations”. (“Virtue ethics-1”). However, the critical view is, modern society is lacking in both these forms of virtues, as people are more concerned about fulfilling their own desires and wishes rather than leading virtuous lives. Works Cited Aristotle. “Nicomachean Ethics.” Internet Classic Archive, n. d. Web. 2 Nov 2011. “Confucius.” Nation Master, n. d. Web. 2 Nov 2011. “Confucianism: An Introduction.” Matthew Daniel Dunn Wiseman Foundation, n. d. Web. 2 Nov 2011. Gier, Nicholas F. The virtue of nonviolence: from Gautama to Gandhi. SUNY Press, 2004. “Virtue ethics-1.” Department of Communication, Seton Hall University, n. d. Web. 2 Nov 2011. Read More