This week's reading really clarified something that I think I overlooked as I did last week's reading on consequentialist. As I stated in my last reflection paper I really agreed with some of the points the textbook mention about Kant’s ethics. Although I agreed with some of those points I did not agree with all of them. I like the idea of naturally knowing what the right things is and naturally doing it not because someone told you once that you should do it, but simply because you just feel like it is the right thing to do. For example, there was a scenario in the reading about a woman named Helen who was a practitioner of virtue ethics. Basically, she witnessed someone lie and she instantly knew that he was a liar, not because she follows …show more content…
As I started to read the section this week on Virtue Ethics and reading about who modern virtue ethicists trace their theoretical roots too. I learned that there are also points that Aristotle made that I agree with. Stated in our text was “[Aristotle] says the moral life consist not in following rules that stipulate right actions, but in striving to be a particular kind of person- a virtuous person whose actions stem naturally from virtuous character” (136). I agree with this statement so much, but I also disagree with it a little. I think that for some people being good and doing the right thing might not be all so natural to them or they have gotten to a point in their life where they are unable to tell right from wrong. I think people get to this point by the environment they are around or even raised in. If you are told your whole life that a certain way to act or do something is right then that is what you do and how you act, so your action or the virtues that Aristotle called are moral virtues. Therefore, the virtues, like fairness, honesty, and loyalty, that Aristotle believed was embedded in the character traits of all of us could be
An employee of ABC Company, Luke is in charge with a project of developing new purchased land. The company is planning to build an adult entertainment retail store which confidently lay near where his brother, Owen, lives. If the plans are announced to the public, the property of the surrounding neighborhood will drop significantly. What concerned Luke is that Owen just told him about the offer to sell his house at a decent price compared to the current real estate market. However, Owen is considering if he should wait for a couple year and sell his house later at a higher price as the estate value may increase.
According to Aristotle, there are two types of virtue. These are: intellectual and moral virtue. Intellectual virtue stems from growth and teaching. In order to be intellectually virtuous one must have a great amount of experience and have allocated a great amount of time in studying whatever task it is they are looking to be virtuous in. On the other hand, moral virtue is given birth through habit. It is not an object that we are just born with it. Moral virtue originates from constant repetition.
Aristotle develops his virtue ethics by first considering ends and goods. He claims that “every action and decision, seems to seek some good” (Shafer-Landau 2013, 615). Aristotle states that we pursue certain things because of the benefits it brings itself and other consequences it may bring. Aristotle suggests that this is the same for goodness. We must pursue what is good for good itself and for any other benefits it may bring. Furthermore, Aristotle suggests that through pursuing the good, we are able to determine the best way of life (Shafer-Landau 2013, 615).
He stated, “So virtue is a provisional disposition… virtue is a mean; but in respect of what is right and what is right and best, it is an extreme (Aristotle, 42).” Here Aristotle explains that moral virtue is determined by reason and that it avoids the states of too much, excess, or too little, deficiency. He believes that our soul is the principle of living because it is inside of us. Therefore, for Aristotle the soul was morally which is where we are given the right reason. He believes that, “there are two parts of the soul, one rational and one irrational (Aristotle, 145).” The rational part, which is how he believe we should do our actions upon, consists of possessing reason, part that can think and command, and intellectual virtues, which are virtues that come from time and experience. Courage is a moral virtue. When having courage, you either have too much fear, which makes you a coward, or you have too little fear, where you’d be considered rash or fool hardy. Generosity is also a moral virtue. When you are generous, you are either giving too much, which makes you profligate, or you are giving too little which would consider you as a stingy person. Moral virtues lead you to happiness because of their intermediate state that is by
According to Aristotle, we learn moral virtues by habit and they are developed through practice. A person’s character is formed by what they do and the structure of their habits. We are all born with the potential to be morally virtuous, but we must behave the right way consistently in order to train ourselves. Since there are no absolute rules to follow, we can only observe that it consists of some mean between the extremes of deficiency and excess. For example, truthfulness consists in finding a mean between the extremes of being suspicious and being over-trusting. By calling excellence of character a state, Aristotle means that it is not a mere tendency to behave in specific ways. Virtue is a disposition, not a feeling. It is disposition to be...
Aristotle argues that it is not a person’s actions that reflect their ethics, but it is infact that persons character that is a reflection of their ethics. It is said that a virtuous person is the product of the examples of virtue that person has experienced, this is their training. If a person experiences bad examples of virtue, their virtuous character will not develop:
As engineers rise in the ranks of a company, they are eventually put in charge of some other employees. This includes the power to make decisions about hiring and firing of employees. In jobs for which an engineer will be hiring someone, safety is a large and recurring concern. Additionally, in the NSPE code of ethics, one of the main rules for engineers is that they only work on jobs within their field of expertise. This cannon introduces the concept that engineers have a moral responsibility to be good at their jobs. By broadening the scale of this rule, one could argue that employers have an ethical obligation to employ only competent engineers, and to fire any who are under-preforming. However, firing an employee will almost always cause
He claims that virtue of thought is taught and that virtue of character is habitually learnt. Either way, virtues do not “arise in us naturally” (216, 1103a20). He argues that humans have the capacities for virtues, but they must act on them (216, 1103a30). Thus, a person must learn to use the capability of being virtuous, meaning someone needs to teach them those virtues (217, 1103a10). To be virtuous, it is not just the action that matters, but the reason behind the action too. Aristotle says that a person should be consciously acting virtuous because this would result in him living a happy life (221, 1105a30). This takes time and a person must constantly repeat these actions to achieve the end goal of being virtuous (221,
The Ten Commandments, Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Virtues, and the Attitudes are the sets of laws that people base their lives around in becoming good Christians. Each set of the laws affect a Christian individual, more than any other because of the laws are rooted to the bible and Christian beliefs. So, a Christian individuals knowingly or unknowingly bases what they do in life around these sets of law. The Ten Commandments and seven deadly sins tell an individual on what they are not supposed to do. The Seven Virtues and the attitudes tell an individual on what they must do and how they can combat the deadly sins. However, even though some of the laws are outdated they still play a role in how we act. Each set of laws has its own distinct characteristic, for example some tell people what not to do in their lives and some tell people what to do in their lives and how to live their lives.
It has more to do with character and the nature of what it is to be. human, than with the rights and wrongs of our actions. Instead of concentrating on what is the right thing to do, virtue ethics asks how. you can be a better person. Aristotle says that those who do lead a virtuous life, are very happy and have a sense of well-being.
not at all bad idea in many cases) but it could well be seen as
has more to do with character and the nature of what it is to be
According to Aristotle’s definition of happiness, in order to flourish or live well one must be morally virtuous. Aristotle says, “Virtue, then, is a state that decides consisting in a mean, the mean relative to us…It is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency” (1107a 1-2). Aristotle suggests that virtue of magnificence is necessary to live a happy life. Aristotle describes magnificence as dependent on wealth. Specifically, he says that “magnificence is expenditure that is fitting in its large scale” (112b 2).
Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Nietzsche all had their own ideas for which one could reach happiness in his/her life. All have similarities in there reasoning except Nietzshe, who contradicts the others entirely.
Ethics is a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is acceptable for both individuals and society. It is a philosophy that covers a whole range of things that have an importance in everyday situations. Ethics are vital in everyones lives, it includes human values, and how to have a good life, our rights and responsibilities, moral decisions what is right and wrong, good and bad. Moral principles affect how people make decisions and lead their lives (BBC, 2013). There are many different beliefs about were ethics come from. These consist of; God and Religion, human conscience, the example of good human beings and a huge desire for the best for people in each unique situation, and political power (BBC, 2013).