Virtue Ethics - Essay Example

?Sur Lecturer Virtue ethics The major issue of concern in ethics is that of selecting the most appropriate action that an individual finds himself or herself comfortable with. Virtue ethics has a rather different approach as compared to this notion. These kinds of theories under the virtue ethics lay little or no emphasis at all on the kinds of rules people opt to select in favor of the others. The theory focuses on helping people have great character traits that are accepted in the society. Such characters are the ones that help people to develop well in life with such traits as kindness, as well as generosity. (Maria 16) The people that have this kind of virtue based ethics tend to ask the major question on which action to choose when they are faced by a dilemma where a basically moral decision has to be taken. The theory also tends to train people on how to overcome the vices such as that of greed or even unnecessary anger that may stand in the way and stop someone from being a good person. The theory of virtue ethics has been in the background of all forms of discussions whereby they have been given a low profile when people meet to discuss issues of morality and the theories involved. In western philosophy, the ancient Greek thinkers had the thought that this kind of ethics was the oldest in terms of time. According to Aristotle, who dealt with the issue of virtue ethics in detail, when a person acquires forms of good habits, then such a person has the ability to regulate emotions and reason in instances that require rationality. Aristotle, therefore, points out to the idea that such understanding can help people make decisions that are morally correct when they are face with situations of difficulties. (Maggio 28) The major reason as to why virtue ethics can be said to remain popular and relevant is because it makes a major contribution that would enable us get to understand morality in depth. The discussion also talks majorly of the kind of role played by motives in the whole agenda of morality. Certain forms of virtues remain relevant as they are quite necessary for the actual accommodation of acceptable moral decisions thereby making it rather necessary for the moral decisions to engage correct motives so as to get more desirable end results of the ethical appreciation. Moral decisions are further scrutinized and it is discovered that moral theories do not rely heavily on motives so as to be able play a vital role in the evaluation of our moral decisions. (Maria 19) Correct motivations should be, therefore, encouraged so as to facilitate the evaluation of moral education that the young people are taken through. The practitioners of this understanding point out the importance of selecting the desire of achieving a certain outcome then keep up with the need to accomplish the said goals by the kinds of actions that can make it acceptable when fully scrutinized. It is also important to note that the other reason why the theories under virtue ethics are prone to be more attractive as compared to the other theories is the idea that most of the other theories have the common way of facing difficulties and challenges that come as a result of calculations that are conducted under moral understanding as well as further problems that arise as a result of the lack of knowledge on the kinds of actions to accompany which kinds of moral duties that have to be emphasized. Theories under virtue ethics point out the understanding that once we are successful in selecting the type of person we want to be, it is possible that arriving at decisions that are morally acceptable will most obviously come out naturally. Virtue ethics has the tendency of making individuals dig deep into their thoughts to establish the sort of people we want to be, the virtues that are expected of the persons we are trying so hard to be, the kinds of actions that will make us as individuals cultivate the kinds of actions that virtue ethics require us to have if we are to be successful in becoming the people we want to be. The ethics tend to polish people to be more reliable members of the society who have the understanding to do what is virtually right. (Maggio 35) Virtue ethics also experiences many problems like in the case of many theories that have positive influence on lives of the people. The theory isn’t as smooth and neat as many people would like to imagine. Many people find it easy to take the easy way out in committing to ethical issues without checking into the side effects involved. However, the moral dilemmas involved in this ideology require those involved to make decisions that constitute thinking and reasoning. Having the right form of character is not the only requirement in the business of correct decision making. Other rules such as that of duty based systems that are ethical. (Maria 21) The other problem experienced under the system of virtue is that of deciding what to consider as the right form of behavior as many different people will consider different definitions of the word right. Some people think that the most appropriate way to determine what is right is by asking a virtuous person but that will be too much assumption that will facilitate question begging while others may advocate for the idea that the only possible way is to ask the happy people. This again suggests that this will be an assumption that virtue always coincides with happiness which might not be the same some of the times. (Hargadon 28) In conclusion, virtue ethics is an approach that tends to revolve around the morality and the act of helping people have the ability to choose what is basically right in the eyes of the society. The theory suggests that people should make it a point to do the right things to make them feel a lot more at ease with their lives. Works Cited Hargadon, Andrew. Virtual Ethics and the Issues involved. Vol 24, 2002. Print. Maggio, Di. What is Right? Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print. Maria, Carl. Issues on Ethics: New York University, New York, 2009. Print. Read More