Virtue Theory Research Paper

A

Virtue Theory is the theory that right actions follow from becoming a moral person, and that by becoming a moral person we will automatically know what is right and wrong. When we know what is truly right or wrong we have flourished as humans, and we have eudemonia. Virtue ethics is one of the main forms of normative ethics, and often called arêtaic ethics (arête- virtue, from Greek). It contrasts deontology, which emphasizes rules and duties. A virtue is an admirable human characteristic such as courage, kindness or forgiveness that distinguishes good people from bad. Socrates sought a single virtue for human life, while Plato identified four central virtues that should be present in the ideal state. Aristotle said that a moral virtue is
the middle value between two extremes. Christianity preaches virtues such as forgiveness and love to make a moral person.

For Socrates, the ultimate virtue is knowledge. With knowledge he argued, morality comes. If people had knowledge of what was good and bad, people would not sin. He said that all wrongdoing is involuntary, and that if people had knowledge of right and wrong, they would know not to sin.

Plato said the soul had three parts. He said these were reason, emotion and desire. In order to become a moral person, Plato said we had to learn the three virtues to control these parts of the soul. These were wisdom, courage and self-control. With a virtue for each part of the soul, and an equal balance of each part of the soul, Plato said we would become moral people. Wisdom would aid reason to think well, courage would override emotion, and self-control would manage desire. We see ho0w balancing the parts of the soul and having virtues would help us lead good lives in the muffin example. When faced with the option of an apple of a muffin, a good person would choose the apple, because the part of the soul that desired the muffin would be controlled by self-control, the part of the soul that was emotional would have the courage to make the decision, and to ignore the craving for the muffin, and the rational part of the soul would know that apples are better for the body than muffins, and so choose the apple. This way of thinking helps us to lead moral lives, according to Plato.

Aristotle developed a different way of thinking.
He said that virtue was the middle action between two vices. So, for example, modesty would be a virtue as it comes between two extremes or vices; egotism and low self esteem. Another example would be working sensibly. The two vices of working would be overworking and laziness. The middle option would be working sensibly. This, according to Aristotle, is the correct choice of action.

He said we should act in the right way, at the right time, in the right amount towards the right persons for the correct reasons:

"...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."

So if a person was upset, and another person wanted to help them, it would be correct to ask the person what was wrong because a mild amount of curiosity is between two vices (disregard and prying), and to ask the person at the right time: when the person was able to talk about the problem without getting upset, and only talk to the appropriate people- not spread rumours about the problem. The second person should only get involved for the right reasons too- to help the upset
person.

Christians have a different view of virtue. In Isaiah 11, the following virtues are preached:

"There shall come forth a shoot from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of Wisdom, and Understanding, of Counsel and Might, the spirit of Knowledge, and the Fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the Fear of the Lord...."

The four cardinal virtues also come from the Bible. These are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. Christians should strive to be like this. They can also understand how to act from the Seven Deadly Sins, by looking at the opposite of them:

· pride (humility)

· covetousness (liberality)

· lust (chastity)

· anger (meekness)

· gluttony (temperance)

· envy (brotherly love)

· sloth (diligence)

B

I think virtue theory is of some practical use to someone faced with a moral problem, although virtue theory harbours several critical problems, which make it contradictive and difficult to use.
There is disagreement between philosophers and religions. Aristotle thought pride was a virtue, but Christian virtue theorists think it is a vice. Hume disliked chastity, but Christians view it as a virtue. If one were faced with the situation of choosing abstinence how would one know which philosopher to follow?

The precise nature of each virtue is rarely discussed. Is courage in a bad cause really a virtue? Was it virtuous of the Nazi soldiers to conquer their fear in the Second World War and kill Allied troops to defend the Nazi cause? It is also debatable if honesty is a virtue (for Christians), as that may mean never lying. If a psychotic murderer was chasing after your friend and you could save enough time for him to escape, and not be murdered by lying to the murderer about his whereabouts, would it not be more moral to lie? If we put virtue ethics to use in these moral situations, it seems to have dreadful consequences. Virtue ethics fails to look at
these.

However it is does look at the individual, which other theories fail to do. This way we are able to use it practically without becoming unhappy or seemingly careless, as can happen with Kantian theory, when 'duty' overrides happiness or special relationships with friends.

It also looks at down to earth situations- situations we are likely to be in, rather than he harsh moral situations of utilitarianism. For example, instead of discussing saving passengers from a burning ship, we would look at whether it is correct to be a quiet or a talkative person- information we are more likely to use, that is more practical.

Virtue ethics is fairly easy to understand, and applies to everyone capable of having a rational thinking personality. This means, everyone can use it practically, in their day-to-day lives, and many people do, without realising what it is.