Comparison between Virtue Ethics and Confucian Ethics - Essay Example

Virtue ethics do not center the argument on breaking any rules. Rather, they concentrate on the person’s image (Carden 17).
Virtue ethics mainly focuses on developing good character traits in people to influence the kind of decisions that they make. Virtue ethics written by Aristotle emphasizes that a person is deemed to be upright if the choice he or she makes or if his or her actions display a morally virtuous character. This implies that for a person to develop the right moral virtues, he or she must mull over his or her thoughts, feelings, and attitudes.

Confucian ethics, on the other hand, are defined as kinds of virtues. Some people have described them as the virtues of virtues. This is because they are virtues that are in a much-defined and detailed manner. Confucius expounded on virtue ethics, adding his principles and integrating them with the religious views of the Chinese people. Confucian ethics mostly focuses on the humanity of a person. This is where he explains the need for compassion among human beings, good-heartedness, and altruism. Confucian ethics also focuses on the morality of a person, which he describes as righteousness. Since Confucian ethics are not bound by any law, he also articulates the fact that morality comes by reason and differentiating between what is good and what is wrong.

In the Confucian ethics of humanity, the ethics have a characteristic of placing human beings before property. Confucius elaborates clearly that humans are to be more valued than property such as horses. He focuses on the generosity of fellow humans but not on the property. Virtue ethics, on the other hand, describe a moral person as one who will treat all things within his reach with care and concern. Virtue ethics are meant to change a person’s overall character traits, not only towards humans but also towards other things, as long as they are of importance to him or her (Shun and Wong 23).
One more difference that comes out in analyzing Confucian and virtue ethics is that virtue ethics considers a person as being responsible both to himself and to the community. Confucian ethics, however, give a different view concerning the duty to the community. Confucius points out that a person’s self and his or her family should come before the community. In his definition of virtue ethics, however, Aristotle emphasizes that good morals shape persons’ character traits, thus helping them make the right decisions. And, in turn, these decisions will affect the community as a whole.

Value of the comparison
Looking at the above comparison, one understands that virtue ethics help us in decision-making. According to Aristotle, it is virtue ethics that shapes our thinking and our emotions, thus determining the decisions that we make (Carden 20).
Virtue ethics, when well applied, also assist us in solving difficult life situations. When a person is faced with difficulties in life, he or she can solve them by having other people in mind, so that his or her decisions do not affect the community negatively. In this case, I would say that the comparison is important, since, unlike what Confucian ethics say, the community is of great importance to our thinking. The same applies to our property. In my opinion, we should also have our properties at the back of our minds when we are making any decisions.

Confucian ethics, on the other hand, guides us in our relationships with our fellow human beings. By applying the ethics of humanity and compassion, human beings can co-relate well with each other. Thus, by combining the two values, a person can develop good character traits and be morally upright, which is the central motive of both virtue and Confucian ethics (Shun and Wong 33).
Potential Problem
A potential problem that exhibits itself is the difference in people’s opinions.

Confucian ethics have a potential problem of creating confusion due to their detailed nature. Confucius applies allusion and tautology in forming Confucian ethics, thus creating prolixity and redundancy. Many people, therefore, have difficulty differentiating themselves from each other and choosing which ones to apply. Confucius also applies innuendo in his formulation, so many people are likely to just brush off his ethics by taking them to be only his personal preferences, which are of no importance.