Virtue Ethics

Virtue or Nicomachean ethics is an ethical theory that places importance on one’s character, rather than duty or seeking good consequences. There are several different virtues that one aspires to have. A few examples of the virtues are: kindness, honesty, bravery, and wisdom. In virtue ethics you are constantly trying to act in a virtuous manner. These character traits must be practiced until they become habits.

This theory was developed by Aristotle, a greek philosopher born in 384BC. He was a student of Plato and later tutored Alexander the Great. Aristotle had multiple children, one of which was named Nicomachus, which he named virtue ethics after. Aristotle is recognized as one of the world’s greatest philosophers. His work is loved and valued by ethicists and people around the world today.

In virtue ethics there are virtues and vices. A virtue is the positive character trait and a vice is a negative one. For each virtue there are two negative extremes. For example, courage is a virtue; not enough courage is cowardliness, too much courage is rashness. Cowardliness and rashness are vices. Courage is the perfect middle.

Virtue ethics is a popular theory because it is universal. Patience is a virtue in any culture. Meanness is a vice no matter where you go. Cultural norms do not affect the theory; unlike cultural relativism or moral subjectivism. Virtue ethics encourages people to be the best people they can be. You are supposed to be honest, wise, kind, patient, etc. If we were all virtuous, we would be living in a utopia.

In virtue ethics one can be virtuous in their acts and still be doing something that is wrong. Suicide bombers act with bravery and courage, but most would consider killing innocent people to be morally wrong. Although they are showing bravery and courage, they are not being kind. Hitler was knowledgeable, committed, patient, ambitious, courageous, as well as other things that would be considered virtues. These traits don’t make Hitler a good person. An act can be virtuous in one way and vicious in another. The hard part is determining which trumps the other.

Your grandma gives you a sweater that you think is ugly. If she asks you if you like it, what are you to say in order to abide by virtue ethics? On one hand you could be honest and tell her you think it is ugly; or you could be kind and tell her that you love it. What are you to do? Virtue ethics doesn’t take into account how our actions affect other people.

Like every ethical theory, virtue ethics has its good points and its bad points. The question is whether or not its positives outweigh its negatives. After studying the theory I have come to the conclusion that this is not a usable theory. It has far too many flaws to be able to work in the real world.

Works Cited

"Aristotle Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.

"Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.