Virtue Ethics
One of three major approaches to normative ethics is virtue ethics. It may be initially identified as one that emphasises virtues or moral character, as opposed to approaches that emphasise duties or rules (deontology) or the consequences of actions (consequences) (consequentialism).
• Assume it is self-evident that someone in need should be assisted. A utilitarian will argue that doing so will maximise well-being, a deontologist will argue that the agent will be acting in accordance with a moral rule such as "Do unto others as you would be done by," and a virtue ethicist will argue that helping the person would be charitable or benevolent.
• Virtues are positive character traits, while vices are negative character traits. Virtues, as positive character traits, can and must be intentionally cultivated. They are necessary for the individual's survival and well-being, as well as the societies.
• The habitual or regular doing of good deeds or actions in changing situations develops a good life or moral life.
• A man's character and behaviour are inextricably linked. A man's behaviour is an expression of his character in a variety of situations. On the other hand, a person's moral character is formed when he consistently and persistently performs good actions.
• Virtues, also known as character-values, can be cultivated in this way. Because virtues can be cultivated, they can also be described as a virtuous person's acquired dispositions. As a result, virtues denote human character excellence, whereas vices denote character flaws. In other words, these virtues refer to a person's inner qualities. As a result, they make up morality of being, whereas duty and good deeds refer to morality of doing.
• Duties are actions that must be performed. A man fulfils his responsibilities. The moral quality of a person is referred to as virtue. As a result, we can correctly say that a person is virtuous if he possesses positive characteristics.
• Not only is such a virtuous person good, but he also does good deeds. He doesn't take vacations from his virtues. The presence of virtues in a person can be inferred from that person's habitual good behaviour. It is up to the individual to choose to be virtuous and follow the path of good and right action.
• Virtues promote the well-being of their owners as well as society, whereas vices are detrimental to their owners' well-being.
• Virtue ethics is person-centered rather than action-centred, focusing on the virtue or moral character of the person performing the action rather than ethical duties and rules or the consequences of specific actions.
• Virtue ethics addresses not only the rightness or wrongness of individual actions, but also the characteristics and behaviours that a good person should strive for.
• As a result, virtue ethics is concerned with a person's entire life, rather than specific episodes or actions. A good person is someone who lives virtuously - someone who has the virtues and practises them.
• It's a useful theory because people are often more interested in judging another person's character than they are in judging the goodness or badness of a specific action. This suggests that rather than using laws and punishments to prevent or deter bad behaviour, the best way to build a good society is to help its members become good people.
• However, it would be counterproductive if one had to be a saint to be considered virtuous. To be truly useful, virtue theory must only suggest a minimal set of characteristics that a person must possess in order to be considered virtuous.
VIRTUE ETHICS TEACHES:
• An action is only right if it would be carried out by a good person in the same circumstances.
• A virtuous person is someone who acts in a virtuous manner.
• If you "possess and live the virtues," you are acting virtuously.
• A virtue is a moral quality that a person must possess in order to live a happy life.
• The virtuous person, according to most virtue theorists, is one who acts virtuously as a result of rational thought (rather than, say, instinct).