Virtue Ethics Vs Utilitarian Approach

Virtue ethics is a normative theory whose foundations were laid by Aristotle. This theory approaches normative ethics in substantially different ways than consequentialist and deontological theories. In this essay, I will contrast and compare virtue ethics to utilitarianism, ethical egoism, and Kantianism to demonstrate these differences. There is one fundamental aspect of virtue ethics that sets it apart from the other theories I will discuss. For the sake of brevity and to avoid redundancy, I will address it separately. This is the fundamental difference between acting ethically within utilitarianism, egoism, and Kantianism. And being ethical within virtue ethics. The other theories seek to define the ethics of actions while virtue ethics does not judge actions in any way. The other theories deal with how we should act, while virtue ethics determines how we should be.

Aristotle takes the key to morality to be the concept of “virtue,” which he argues to be activity in accordance with rational principles. He bases this argument on a concept of what is “natural” for man, but his discussion is clearly limited to a small class of Greek male citizens, whom he views as the

Morality is a complicated matter, one which requires rationality, but is often driven by emotions. A person’s behavior is almost completely driven by emotions and often times emotions are what tell us when something might be wrong or right. Motivation also comes from emotions, so without feelings of anger, depression, frustration and the like we would hardly ever do anything in order to change things in our lives (Shafer-Landau, 2015, p. 258). Virtue ethics then is concerned with what makes a person virtuous versus vicious when it comes to making moral decisions, with emotions playing an important role. In this paper, I support Aristotle’s emphasis on emotions as a key to being virtuous, especially since emotions tell us what is important and motivate us to act (Shafer-Landau, 2015, p. 257-258).

Regarding the case of the Citicorp Building, utilitarianism and virtue ethics have interestingly similar views.

The three ethical theories I will discuss from Chapter 1 include: utilitarianism, virtue and care ethics. First, the utilitarianism is moral standard and a theory of action by humans that are morally right in action. Utilitarianism is an action that is morally right if its consequences are more favorable. One way for businesses’, as our reading suggests (Fieser & Moseley, 2012), is make a list of all the good and bad for any particular act. If the good outweighs the bad then that action should occur. If the bad outweighs the good, then the action should stop. Utilitarianism theory attempts to keep things on the positive, happier side of the spectrum. A company using this theory is probably functioning well due to their morale analysis of actions related to safe products, good quality products and customer care, a fair price, and fair and equal treatment to their employees. In addition, because utilitarianism is a morale standard, a company would be environmentally conscious and find ways to help the community and the world. A company would work at making their products in an environmentally safe way, recycle surplus and make their products within the United States to support the economy. A company would also look at balancing goods over harm produced to the environment or people. Lastly, if a company were to be very successful, they should donate some of their proceeds back into the community (environmentally or local community support) or employees (bonuses,

What is ethics? Ethics is how one acts and is based on what a person feels is morally wrong (Ethics, 2017). Since everyone has their own basis of what is right and wrong, ethics is hard to describe. What one person deems as unethical another person may not see it that way. Each person has an innate feeling that they follow regarding what they consider to be honest, true, and worthy to fight for. Ethics does not involve a specific law that is broken; only one’s belief that something is right or wrong. Therefore, there can be circumstances that are ethically wrong; however, morally right. An example of this is a woman is raped and then becomes pregnant. Perhaps this person’s ethics are against

AVirtue ethics or the virtue theory, is an ethical theory that examines the character of a human for morality (Dreisbach, 2013). When discussing the ethical and moral reasoning behind the racial divide of incarceration rates, virtue ethics requires us to evaluate the morality of the person doing a given act, rather than the act itself (Dreisbach, 2013). Using virtue ethics, you can look at the racial disparity from two perspectives that of the offender and that of the people enforcing the laws. From the offender’s perspective you have to look at the values of each individual offender who breaks the law, you have to dissect their upbringing to determine their moral compass. As far as the government officials whether local, state, or federal each individual person’s morals have to be looked at, whether they are the person who drafts a law or bill to help or further harm the issue of racial disparity in incarceration rates.

For hundreds of years, philosophers have been creating new ethical theories, all with different views. Although, they might be different, many of them have close to the same ideas. Utilitarianism and virtue ethics have some similar views and both have some arguments that I really like. Duty ethics has some good viewpoints just like the others, they just contradict each other a lot, especially with utilitarianism. In my theory, everyone should always respect everyone, act on principles that could become universal laws, and never use someone as tools for your own good. I am choosing to adopt this theory because it is the very reasonable and people would like to follow it. I will explain the differences between these three theories and tell why

Based on the traditional utilitarianism, founded by philosophers and political radical, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, they declare that an action is ethical if it maximizes utility/benefits, pleasure, and happiness over harms. In order to take a decision, they assume that decisions are quantifiable where we can add the quantities of benefits produced, then subtract from the quantities of harms the action will produce. Based on their philosophy of utilitarianism, the action is deemed ethical if the overall consequences bring maximum happiness.

Murdoch is a novelist and philosopher who is best known for writing about good and evil, and morality. In her text, she explains how both sides of morality and religion are related, then has the reader decide. Virtuous behavior is someone who practices good conduct, knows the difference between right from wrong, and lives life with high moral standards. For example, when you use virtuous described in action, such as, “your decision to cancel vacation plans because your mother is sick,” you have a choice to make. If you chose to go on vacation, you will feel guilty for leaving her behind; but if you stay, you will also feel disappointed because all you thought about was the vacation – so what do you do? What is the right thing to do? With that

After filling out the Ethical Inventory again I found that Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics are the two areas that made the most persuasive thinking for me. Utilitarianism looks at the consequences and weighs the positives to see if it is going to bring happiness to the greater number. Every situation is looked at from a pros and cons point of view and a decision is made from there. One statement that is on the inventory sheet says, “When I am trying to decide what the right thing to do is, I look at the consequences of the various alternatives open to me.” In this example for myself I usually don’t think about consequences and react on emotions. After reacting from emotions I think about the consequences and realize most of the time it wasn’t the right thing to do. There are many times that I react and then realize I could’ve done things differently in that situation. I think about my own self interest before I think about the effects of the greater number. I see myself now looking at the situation and seeing both sides of it. I look at the positives and negatives before I react on emotions. By learning more about utilitarianism and changing my thought process I see my virtue ethics in a different perspective compared to what I did before this class. All the virtues that are stated in the book are virtues I hold very deeply in myself. These virtues are courage, generosity, honesty, loyalty to friends and family. Courage was one I had a hard time with because I don’t always

For centuries, philosophers have debated the human condition what is good, what is evil, what makes the individual moral, and how are ethics balanced with virtue as a means for the actualization of the individual. Virtue, for many, becomes the theory of the way individuals should follow morality to become, eventually, the best person we can be. Part of being an enlightened human, for instance, is knowing the difference from right and wrong, of making that distinct individualized decision; we have contemplated our own humanity and actualized. Virtue theory, then, is a concept taken up by more than Aristotle that helps individuals define and contrast normative ethics by using deontology, which tends to emphasize cause and effect through rules and duties. Virtue theory, then take admirable human characteristics and tries to find the way in which humans should live best. "...To experience these emotions [fear, courage, desire, anger, pity, and pleasure] at the right times and on the right occasions and toward the right persons and for the right causes and in the right manner is the mean or the supreme good, which is characteristic of virtue" (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, II).

Aristotle established what is known as virtue/character ethics where morality is realized in the development of character traits. Immanuel Kant, however, refers to ethics as that which focuses on objectives, where if one has the intent to do well, they will achieve happiness described as deontological ethics. The next concept, utilitarianism, expanded by John Stuart Mill, is similar to Aristotle’s virtue ethics in its dependence on happiness but emphasizes that some pleasures are more valuable than

In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics he accounts that humans should make sacrifices and should ultimately aim first and foremost for their own happiness . In the paper I will argue that it is really in a person’s best interest to be virtuous . I will do this by first describing Aristotle’s notion on both eudaimonia and virtue , as well as highlighting the intimate relationship between the two . Secondly I will talk about the human role in society. Thirdly I will describe the intrinsic tie between human actions . Finally I will share the importance of performing activities virtuously .

Aristotle’s ethical views were based around humanity pursuing a good life, or Eudaimonia. Aristotle defines eudaimonia as happiness, and postulates that it is the end goal of people.2 Eudaimonia is realized by acting virtuously. Aristotle’s view on virtues is that they are what make things exceptional. For example, a knife is exceptional, or virtuous, if it is an excellent knife. The virtues for a knife might be sharpness, ergonomics, and being otherwise well designed for its task. Likewise, virtues for humans are what make them “outstanding specimens”.