Skip to content

Virtue Ethics

This is the third branch of normative ethics (along with consequentialism, deontology)

Virtue ethics takes more account of the character of the actor, their emotions, and their relationships with others. The problem with consq and deont is they ignore these aspects, this is called "the integrity objection". Virtue ethics puts these things at the core. Bernard Williams brought up this idea of the integrity objection back in the 1950's.

This is going back to Aristotle and all: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit"

Virtue ethics "a trait of character, manifested in habitual action, that is good for a person to have". It's not about what to do, it's about what to be. (Rachels)

Aristotle was interested with how to live "the good life", living up to the full potential (or flourishing); eudaemonia

Some potential problems: what is the good life? how do you know when you've acheived your potential?

  • Arete - identify and exercise the virtues/excellences
  • Praxis - this is a virtue that you must learn through practice
  • Phronesis - the practice will lead to a practical wisdom, and develop a moral character

Practical Wisdom, it's all about learning the subtleties of each issue, it's anchoring your experience in real cases

Aristotle said there are objective virtues that we should all aim towards, that it's not all subjective, it's not just "what makes you happy?"

Virtue ethicists are interested with actions. The moral appropriateness of an aaction is measured with its confromity with habits

It's also about attitutes/predisposition to act (e.g. "A kind person would not find a cruel joke funny")

Aristotle talked about 4 different types of moral agent:

  • The Virtuous
  • The Strong Willed
  • The Weak Willed
  • The Vicious

Virtuous: Do the right thing, for the right reasons, and take pleasure of it Strong Willed: Do the right thing, for the right reasons, but don't really want to and have to overcome their own nature to do it Weak Willed: Fail to do the right thing, they know the right reasons, but aren't able to overcome their own nature Vicious: Fail to the right thing, they know the right reasons, but delight in doing the wrong thing

[What about the mistaken moral agent?]

Virtue of the mean

This was aristotles "doctrine of the mean". Virtues lie in the middle between excess and deficiency.

Nietzsche, says this is a bit rubbish, a bit weak, the idea that moderation of everything.

But aristotle would counter this and say the virtue may not be exactly at the midpoint between two vices.

Example Virtues

What do you need as a virtue?

Ancient Greeks: - Courage - Prudence - Temperance - Justice

Beauchamp: - Trustworthiness - Integrity - Discernment - Compassion - Conscientiousness

Ideas suggested by Rachel's: - Benevolence - Courage - Generosity - Loyalty - Civility - Fairness - Compassion - Honesty - Moderation - Friendliness - Justice - Self Control

How does Virtue Ethics work?

Aristotle thinks we're all born with a mixture of good and bad tendencies.

We then learn these virtues from family/friends/church/community

But a problem is we can all get taught different virtues from different societies

Eventually we'd pick virtuous actions for their own sake

Practical Wisdom

Its the ability to work out what the right thing to do for a person, for this situation.

Emotion

Virtue ethics recognises the role of emotion. {Add in Gardiner's quote "Humans are sophisticated creatures"}

Continence

Continence recognises that strength of will is important, that is difficult to act virtuously all the time.

Virtuous Action Formula

There's Hursthouse, Slote, Swanton

Benefits of Virtue Ethics

  • Recognising role of emotions
  • Thinks the motivation of an agent to be crucial importance
  • It allows choices to be adapted to the particular circumstance
  • This flexibility allows creative solutions to tragic dilemmas
  • It recognises that tragic dilemmas can not be resolved to the satisfation of all parties, and likely to leave some pain and regret

Disadvantages

  • It's self regarding
  • Culturally relative
  • Depends on moral luck, to have good role models
  • Circularity: How do you work out what's a virtuous agent unless we already know what a virtuous action is.
  • How can you tell when somones virtuous
  • Is it fair to patients to have a "not-yet" virtuous doctor in charge of their care?

Application in Modern Healthcare

Nursing in England uses the 6 C's model:

  • Care
  • Compassion
  • Competence
  • Communication
  • Courage
  • Commitment

Misselbrook talks about something similar for GP's.