Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics Essay

Aristotle originally introduced truth moral philosophy to society in ancient Greek times. Virtue ethical motive tells us that we should look at the character of the person instead of the actions or duties a person performs. Instead of concentrating on what is the right matter to do, moral excellence ethics asks how you can be a transgress person. Aristotle claims that leading a immaculate living story is easy, and those who do, do so to be happy. Happiness is the last goal for every sensation in life.To beseem a better person, you must work virtuous acts regularly. After a while, these acts will become routine and so the virtuous acts will be nonhing more than everyday life and the person a virtuous person. Aristotle said that although faithfulnesss should become a usage we must never forget that we behave in such a means beca habituate it is right. For example, if a singer practices singing everyday, they will become better at it and used to doing it. This is the sa me as pile who practice their virtues and before long automatically act in the right way, by practicing our skills we improve them, befitting happier. Virtues should not be an effort, just now simply a part of everyones personality. Aristotle says that virtue is something that we acquire and are not provided born with, large number are not inherently good or giving, but become good or bad according to the habits they develop.Aristotle said that a virtue was a Golden Mean in between to vices. These Vices are deuce extremes of a scale at opposite ends, one of excess and one of deficiency. For example the vices would be shamelessness and shyness, and the virtue modesty. An separate example of this would be rudeness and a sense of peevishness as the two vices and the virtue as wittiness. Such virtues must be cultivated, we must learn when to use certain virtues and to what extent, for example we must not ever use humour in excess to act like a fool, but at the same time we mus t also not pass into rudeness. cardinal philosophers, Anscombe and MacIntyre say that there has been a mistake in how virtues have been portrayed. The majority of deal look at the actions a person does to tag whether they are virtuous or not. The way in which we behave provides an opportunity for others to judge our virtues and vices. This however is not right. People should look at the character at bottom andlook at what the person believes is right and how they think they should armed service people instead of what they do to help. A famous example of a virtuous person is Mother Theresa. She helped millions of suffering people across the world and for this became thoroughly known as a virtuous person. There are hundreds of other virtuous people who would have liked to have helped but were unable(p) to do so in such a huge way who are not considered as virtuous, but these people are just as virtuous but not recognised for it.Aristotle tells us that we are most likely to lear n virtuous behaviour from watching others. If we bed others organism kind to us and see the happiness it creates we are more likely to practice it then if we were just told to do it. For example, if we were told to be brave we may occasionally stand up for small things that we disagree with, but if we see someone telling others off for not doing the right thing then we are more likely to not allow bad behaviour towards ourselves. Aristotle said that the best way of becoming virtuous was to view in the footsteps of a virtuous person, e.g. Mother Theresa and do what they do.Virtue Ethics is relative Aristotle recognised that virtues in one country may not be the same as virtues in another. He believed that there was no absolute platonic good beyond our world. As virtues have evolved by means of habits of society it is probable that different societies would deem different actions good or bad. However there is no difference between the virtues of a alliance and individuals within that community, the supreme happiness that Aristotle talks some is one for the community, and not just and individual. MacIntyre suggests that philosophy is too far removed from ordinary life and said that it is not good enough that philosophers spend their time debating the character of ethical language or forming reasoned theories of morality in a way that is far removed from real people and real life. completely actions are done in order to reach an aim. A accompanying series of actions are also for an aim, for example getting up in to morning to go to work, is to adopt money, is to feed our families is to go on practiced holidays is to but them nice things etc. all ultimate aims is to make people happy, everything is subordinate to the supreme good, which is happiness. Everyone hasdifferent ideas of what happiness is and different things all make different people happy, and Aristotle called this feeling of all round well being eudemonia.Therefore, Virtue Ethics concentrates on what a person is then what a person does. Its aim is to achieve something, which people genuinely want preferably then being based on arguably incoherent ideas about the after-life. It is a system, which can be easily applied and understood by all. It fits into a variety of philosophies, and religions, which both do and dont complicate God. However, there are a few problems with Virtue Ethics. Ones of these which has been pointed out by MacIntyre is that although a virtue is the golden mean between two vices it cannot be applied to all virtues.Virtues such as promise keeping, loyalty, and compassion do not fall between any two vices and so Aristotles theory of this does not really work. Another problem with this theory is that it is of little help to people faced with a moral dilemma. It does not help them make a decision like other theories such a natural law or utilitarianism.