Virtue Ethics and Character Traits

Virtue Ethics is a concept that emphasizes the importance of character traits, such as bravery and compassion, in making moral choices. It is based on individual harmony and honesty, rather than societal or cultural norms. Aristotle and Plato both contributed to this concept, with Aristotle dividing virtue into intellectual and moral virtues, and Plato emphasizing the importance of seeking inner fulfillment and happiness through virtue.

Virtue Ethics is a concept used to make moral choices. It does
not rely on belief, society, art, music, and literature. It changes
with the individual. The approach in this paper will highlight the
person’s harmony and honesty. These distinctive qualities are
components of ethical thinking rather than understanding
about the acts themselves. Therefore it is understood a good
person is someone with morals lives virtuously. Additionally In
understanding the theory one gains useful insight in the virtue
or harm of a particular action rather than assessing the
character.
According to Aristotle, virtue makes way for rational choices, he
divided virtue into two general classifications: intellectual
virtue and moral virtues. Through wisdom both intellectual and
moral virtue is sown REFERENCE. The intellectual virtues he
maintained are based on excellence and skill. These virtues
incorporate understanding and forethought, fact and fairness.
The moral virtues comprise bravery, self-control, certainty, and
tolerance. The foundations for intellectual virtues are therefore
nurtured through growth, knowledge and practice.REFRENCE
Plato explains that every individual soul has the yearning for
virtue and a divine truth that will enlighten ones life in this
world. Like other ancient philosophers Plato argues a virtue
based eudemonistic notion of ethics. That is to say human well-
being (eudemonia) is the utmost aim of moral belief and virtues
the essential skill needed to achieve it. Virtue is an integral
part in attaining moral well-being and also happiness and inner
harmony. The awareness of psychological well being innately
sought by humans is referred to as eudemonia. This is the good
humans seek naturally through self-fulfilment. Therefore to be
a virtuous person one needs to seek gratification. The
relationship between virtue and happiness is shown in people
who value inner peace, love, sympathy and friendship. The
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contrast in low happiness assessments was interrelated with
lack of morals such as independence, freedom and economic
success.
Aristotle describes contentment as an essential purpose of life
and a goal in itself, he draws out that happiness changes with
virtue. Aristotle was convinced that a contented life needs the
ful physical as well as mental well-being. In this way, he
presented the idea of happiness.
According to Plato, moral virtue is concerned with actions and
passion and in this there are three levels excess, defect and
intermediate. While intermediate is suggests fear, confidence,
appetite, anger, pleasure and pain, these may be both felt
slightly or in abundance. However, they need to be felt, at the
right times and the right actions.
Aristotle writes that all excellence marks what is good, and also
allows it to accomplish its purpose well. The example of
excellence of a healthy body enables it to function well.
Likewise, the excellence of a car makes it a good car, and so
good at travelling and carrying the passengers. If this is correct,
in all situations, then the excellence of a human being will be
that nature which makes him or her a good human being and
which allows him to function well.
Aristotle introduced this way of rational into his description of
ethical excellence, or excellence of character. Physical power
and wellbeing, are damaged by excess and deficiency. Too
much sustenance, or too much exercise, are bad for wellbeing.
Just as too little sustenance or exercise are. The same holds in
ethical matters.
Plato’s notion of happiness, is mysterious and his backing for
morality of happiness seems passive and there are numerous
explanations. First, his idea of happiness varies in important
ways from regular views. Second, the positive explanations
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treat happiness as a state of excellence. This being, out of the
state of normal thought. In other discussions he restricts
himself to diverse aspects of what is good. Third, Plato’s moral
ethics appear severe; in the explanation the soul is to remain
separated from the wills of the body.
At no stage in Plato’s philosophy is there a complete
management of and commitment to important values of ethics.
Plato, does not explain the origin of rules and standards of
human communication. There is an absence of up-to-date
thoughts. The difficulty in evaluating Plato’s ethical thought,
has no suggestion that the pursuit for goodness and the human
goes beyond the human state. There is not, as there is in
Aristotle, much talk about happiness as a self-supporting state
of the functional individual.
In summary, virtue ethics is concerned with character traits, or
virtues and vices such as bravery, weakness, compassion
(callousness) and kindness (miserliness). The individual, must
observe these character traits. In an effort ,to comprehend
which specific actions might be correct or incorrect. And how
we ought to live our lives. As a theory, virtue ethics has made
an important recovery in recent history, both standing as a
substitute to, and, in certain means, complimenting recognized
academic views such as utilitarianism and deontology.
However, there is still little material available that offers virtue-
ethical methods to modern problems.
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Reference list:
Boss, J.A. (1998). Ethics for life: An interdisciplinary and
multicultural introduction. Mountain View, California:
Mayfield Publishing Company. (pp. 385-422).
Aristotle, (2005). Extract from ‘ Ethics Nichomachea’ in
T.F. Wall (Ed.), On human nature: An introduction to
philosophy (pp.125-136). Australia: Wadsworth/Thomson.
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