Aristotelian Virtue Theory of Ethics and its Application in Australian Businesses

This article discusses the Aristotelian Virtue Theory of Ethics and its application in Australian businesses. It explores the association of the theory with the case of ethics education in Australia and its limitations. The article also discusses the extension of the theory through virtue ethics and epistemology.

Running Head: BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
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BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL ETHICS 2
CONTENTS
ADDITIONAL THEORY.....................................................................................................................3
Aristotelian Virtue Theory Of Ethics.................................................................................................3
Association of Aristotelian Theory of Virtue with the Australian Business Case..............................3
Limitations of the Theory With Respect To the Case of Australian Businesses................................4
1. Moral Schizophrenia:.............................................................................................................4
2. Lack of Focus:.......................................................................................................................4
3. Self-centered Attitude:...........................................................................................................4
THEORY EXTENSION THROUGH VIRTUE ETHICS & EPISTEMOLOGY..................................4
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................6
Utilitarian Theory of Happiness:.......................................................................................................6
Kantian Theory of Goodwill:.............................................................................................................6
Aristotelian Theory of Virtue:...........................................................................................................6
Virtue Epistemology & Virtue Ethics:...............................................................................................6
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................8

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ADDITIONAL THEORY
Aristotelian Virtue Theory of Ethics
The Aristotelian theory of virtue discusses the belief that virtue is not a capacity or a
feeling; it is hence, a state of mind. It also revolves around Aristotle's belief in virtue through
the following reasons;
1. Acquiring the principles of conduct is ineffective and useless because of the fact that
we are already having virtues. This can, however, be the opposite in some special
situations.
2. These principles of conduct might become defective in the time of practical matters
(Hutchinson, 2015).
Association of Aristotelian Theory of Virtue with the Australian Business Case
The case links the factors of why many businessmen think ethics education is
imperative in the modern times, which includes shaping the minds of the young people who
will become future entrepreneurs of Australia and the international world. In general
research, the ethics of duty and virtue share the following four tasks that may or may not be
applicable to both of the factors;
1. Morality understanding.
2. Prescribing of the social norms and rules.
3. Justification of those social norms and rules.
4. Describing how all these factors fit into our daily lives (Van Hooft, 2014).
The Aristotelian theory solely relies on the completion of a virtuous deed through the
character of an ethically virtuous person (Hutchinson, 2015). It also discusses how the
decision of making ethics education necessary in Public schools across Australia might be a
virtuous act as it is helping in the shaping of young minds into better people, entrepreneurs,
managers and the inculcation of these behaviors in them so that they can be protected from

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getting ideas that might pollute their minds or make them bad people in general (Zagzebski,
2010). The Aristotelian theory focuses on the virtuous act of the Australian Stakeholders and
businessmen, which includes their investment in funding for a better future through the
education of the younger generation. But, it also ignores uncertainty of the ultimate
motivation behind this decision as being moral or immoral.
Limitations of the Theory With Respect To the Case of Australian Businesses
1. Moral Schizophrenia: - Which is the result of rule-based moral philosophy, where
the Government intervenes and imposes the seemingly moral and virtuous decision of
the Australian businessmen which might complicate things and encourage resistance
from the parents of children receiving the ethics education without consent (Han,
2015).
2. Lack of Focus: - The theory’s limitations might take into perspective the fact that
there will be a lack of focus regarding the ethics education and its importance might
be ignored because of the no-consideration rule of the Government.
3. Self-centered Attitude: - The virtuous act of the Stakeholders and businessmen of
Australia funding for this factor might be mistaken as self-centered according to the
analysis of this theory because it may come off as their own selfish way of becoming
responsible without the consideration of how this will be accepted and taken by the
other people (Hutchinson, 2015).
THEORY EXTENSION THROUGH VIRTUE ETHICS & EPISTEMOLOGY
The research paper is taken to aid in the discussion of the topic "Should Australian
Businesses fund Ethics Education” is related to virtue ethics and its application in different
aspects of life, in light of the Aristotelian Theory of Virtue Ethics (Hutchinson, 2015;
Simpson, 2017). The aim of this essay is to check the claim that epistemologists—virtue
epistemologists in particular—have abundant resources to find out from virtue ethics. The

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essay begins with a top-level view of the virtue ethics itself. It also concludes that a pure
variety of virtue ethics will generally be unattractive, that the virtue philosopher ought to
examine the ‘‘impure'' views of real philosophers. The author's system of the mean is
delineating, and it's explained however that the particular system would give a framework for
an account of the philosophy virtue. The conclusion of the essay includes that virtue
philosophy supports analogies with virtue ethics, though well priced, developing and
considering, can face many challenges in fulfilling the numerous guarantees that are created
on its behalf. The paper relates to the usage of the Virtue ethics in a broad perspective, taking
into account that the usage might, at times have some drawbacks that will have a need to be
overcome. It describes that a Virtuous Ethicist is a person directed by the aim to act and live
through the daily routines of our lives virtuously, but that no philosopher has actually ever
advocated for this type of behavior as it might lead to that person being focused only on
oneself, being misguided and having a general lack of focus towards the aims in life (Crisp,
2010).
It also further elaborates how the Aristotelian theory of virtue will resonate with the
case of ethics education in Australia through an understanding of how and why Australian
businessmen consider this an important step in changing the way future entrepreneurial minds
function. This aspect can also be associated with the analysis of the fact that there is one
common objection with the virtue theory and that will be the unknown motive behind this
funding. The theory might only take into consideration that a good deed is being done, it will
not research whether the donators have an ulterior motive apart from the one described or
whether their decision is morally right or wrong for the people of Australia in a general
perspective. Virtue Epistemology also discusses how this case can be described through the
rise of serious ethical disagreements in the association of whether funding of ethics education

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is a virtuous act or not because it disregards the feelings and sentiments of the parents and
students associated with it (Crisp, 2010).
CONCLUSION
The conclusion to this research can be provided in light of the following four
perspectives;
Utilitarian Theory of Happiness:
Discussion of how different businesses in Australia are morally driven towards this
cause and that the role of social institutes and the Government, in this case, is an ethical one
because it focuses on the well-being of the youth.
Kantian Theory of Goodwill:
The decision is an ethical one, because it focuses on building the creative thinking and
socially responsible attributes of the youth (Campbell & Zegwaard, 2011), but does not help
with resolving the conflicts in this duty through its application.
Aristotelian Theory of Virtue:
This theory solely focuses on the virtuous deed and its completion and that is the only
factor of importance, ignoring the emotions and sentiments of the people involved to just
focus on one's moral and virtuous character (Hutchinson, 2015).
Virtue Epistemology & Virtue Ethics:
There might be serious disagreements with the virtuous epistemology of this case as it
reflects only the virtuous deeds of the businessmen without considering the emotions and
willingness of the affected parents and students (Crisp, 2010).
Currently, the situation analysis reveals that even after the various forms of resistance
from parents and children, this induction of ethics as a primary part of education is continuing
to grow in schools across Australia (Munro, 2017). In the light of various theories, it is safe to
say that the decision is made for the greater good of the students but it should provide some

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feasibility for those who want to be exempted from it. This will remove the seemingly
authoritative rule of the Government and will make the decisions completely ethical as it is
not only focusing on a good deed only but also on the feelings of people and considering their
level of willingness. Australian business stakeholders should first work on raising awareness
regarding this matter and on trying to make people understand how this can help their
children in different phases of life, and that it is not only for entrepreneurial purposes. Where
the importance of this good deed is understandable, the approach should be amended slightly
to make people agree to this campaign with confidence, something that was also made clearer
through the extension of the Aristotelian theory of virtue (Simpson, 2017). Hence, it can be
finalized that this research points towards and suggests through different theories that once
subtle changes are made in how these educational parts are implemented, this decision can be
carried forward and used to help the future generations and will be a good action done on
behalf of the businessmen of Australia as this will benefit the youth of Australia in making
better entrepreneurial decisions.

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REFERENCES
Campbell, M., & Zegwaard, K. E., (2011). Values, ethics and empowering the self through
cooperative education Retrieved from
https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/6054
Crisp, R. (2010). Virtue ethics and virtue epistemology. Metaphilosophy, 41(1‐2), 22-40
Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-
9973.2009.01621.x
Han, H., (2015). Virtue ethics, positive psychology, and a new model of science and
engineering ethics education. Science and Engineering Ethics, 21(2), 441-460
Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11948-014-9539-7
Hutchinson, D. S., (2015). The virtues of Aristotle. Routledge.
Munro, K. (2017, January 28). Ethics classes in NSW primary schools growing despite
barriers to enrolment. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/education/ethics-
classes-in-nsw-primary-schools-growing-despite-barriers-to-enrolment-20170124-
gtxppa.html
Simpson, P. L. (2017). The Eudemian Ethics of Aristotle. Routledge.
Van Hooft, S. (2014). Understanding virtue ethics. Routledge.
Zagzebski, L., (2010). Exemplarist virtue theory. Metaphilosophy, 41(1‐2), 41-57 Retrieved
from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9973.2009.01627.x