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Virtue Ethics and Great Philosophers

            In the 17th and 18th century, virtue ethics was criticized on the basis that it was simply too obscure and impractical when getting down to applying itself to the absolutes of right or wrong in the way that theories such as Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics did. Despite this, virtue ethics experienced somewhat of a revival. This is perhaps due to the declining basis of traditional morality through religious teaching, and therefore a greater desire to understand the ways of living a good and prosperous life rather than following strict rules; something which the agent-centered nature of virtue ethics inherently achieves. .
             Elizabeth Anscombe published a paper in the 1950's named 'Modern Moral Philosophy', which questioned morality on the basis of: How can we be ethical if there is no ultimate standard or lawgiver (God)? Through such logic, she presented her belief that moral laws cannot exist if God does not exist. She saw other contemporary ethical theories as heavily reliant on a basis of punishment and reward such as Kant's rewarding of morality through the 'Summum Bonum'; therefore they could not provide a guideline to achieve the moral life. She also saw these theories as too rigid in that they do not allow any deviation in their respective principles, for example Kant's theory allows no exceptions of the maxims within the Categorical Imperative, whereas the 'right thing' may beg us to follow otherwise. Hence, what Anscombe believed in was a return to the ideals of Eudamonia and a morality that is focused on the person rather than on the consequence of actions. By emphasizing Eudamonia, morality does not need to depend on strict moral principles, which she felt gave too much emphasis to autonomous actions and disregarded the social aspect of morality that may give rise to the 'polis', for example virtues cultivated through active citizenship. .
             On the other hand, the philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre attempted to resurrect thinking about virtue.


Essays Related to Virtue Ethics and Great Philosophers

1. The Comprehensive Good - Contrasting Beliefs on Virtue

... tangles with many questions, one could surmise from the readings that the universal goal of most (classical) philosophers was to answer the question "what is the best life?" A logical presumption would be that nearly all human beings aspire to live the best possible life, and undoubtedly that life would be measured in happiness. The quest to "live the good life " is unique ... the virtues of thought such as wisdom, comprehension, and prudence (Nicomachean Ethics 265). This type of virtue is only gained through study, and therefore requires a great amount of time and experience. Virtues ...

  • Word Count: 2653
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Aristotle on Nicomachean and Virtue Ethics

... 139-140). With this, Aristotle is attempting to understand how we should act in order to become a virtuous person and attain the "good life"; this being a foundational principle of virtue ethics. Another way in which Nicomachean Ethics is an example of virtue ethics is that Aristotle states that we need to conduct ourselves according to the right rule, but it must be recognized ... who fears nothing and runs head-on into every danger becomes careless or rash, but when the intermediate between the extremes is achieved, he becomes courageous. Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers o...

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3. Christian Ethics in a Postmodern World

... of divine reality, cosmic meaning, and an enchanted nature. Such philosophers as Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, Henri Bergson, Alfred North Whitehead, and Charles Hartshorne are recognized as representatives of revisionary postmodern philosophers (Griffin et al 1993). Premodern, Modern, and Postmodern From the previous survey we ... which all our signs can be seen to point (the "transcendental signified-). A great number of candidates for this role-God, the Idea, the World Spirit, the Self, substance, matter and so on-have thrust themselves forward from time to time. (Eagleton 19...

  • Word Count: 5543
  • Approx Pages: 22
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Ethics, Happiness, Freedom, and Virtue

... they lose the concept of reality or freedom. In this case, Beth is obsessed with the fact of having a "happy and loving" family that she again does not realize that her life is not great. She is a woman in a male dominated world, and that control hypnotizes her to not see reality in her own eyes. She was obviously obsessed with the particular role ... definitions presented by Aristotle and Plato. Relating their definitions of the attitudes and defining ethics, virtue, freedom, happiness, and showing how they all are linked to one another give you an idea about how the same perception is...

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5. Compare the views of Plato and Aristotle on justice.

... functions of different citizens' strata that correspond to three parts of soul, the stratum of philosophers, corresponding to rational soul with wisdom as its virtue, the stratum of warriors, whose virtue is courage, the stratum of craftsmen, the desiring part of soul, with abstinence as its primary virtue, conforming to it. Such a division of aims detracts nothing from the principle of justice, ... of Plato's system. In his book, Bertrand Russell makes the following analogy. None considers it just to include the best football-players into a football team, although thus they gain a great...

  • Word Count: 2447
  • Approx Pages: 10
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6. Aristotle - A Great Philosopher

When I think about all the great philosophers of past and present the person that first comes to mind is Aristotle. I know that he was a famous philosopher and a brilliant man but when I really think about it I have no idea what he was so famous for or what his thoughts were on the basic philosophical issues like ethics, logic, and the big one, the meaning of life. I knew he ... happiness, but happiness for others and for the greatest number of people. Personal pleasure is a very small part of the big picture of happiness. It's not the same as personal peace because Aristotle saw happiness as...

  • Word Count: 2430
  • Approx Pages: 10
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  • Grade Level: High School

7. Machiavelli and Culture

... philosophers who inspired Machiavelli was Plato. In particular, Machiavelli took interest in Plato's concept of just rulers who ruled by moral virtue. Machiavelli argued against this Platonic philosophy. He believed in "virtu", whatever was best for the State was virtu. This is in stark contrast to the Platonic philosophy when man existed to serve the state, the basic idea being that ethics and ... politics are intertwined, its essential features overlapping. "Machiavelli's most characteristic, central, and frequently involved concept is that of virtu, a term by no means regularly trans...

  • Word Count: 4508
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8. The Balance Between Altruism and Egoism

... child would not show any care for the game, just the reward. However, the child may learn to appreciate the game and take satisfaction from making a great move or winning the game as well as from receiving the candy. While the same outcome happens, the nature of winning ... chess such as becoming a chess master or learning the sport well enough to become a professional. This also fulfills Mill's Utilitarianism5 system of ethics, which focuses on maximizing pleasure while at the same time reducing pain in any situation. Intentional martyrdom provides another example of this, where the ......

  • Word Count: 1864
  • Approx Pages: 7
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9. Ethics And Morality

... view the government's ethics through war. Was Iraq a rightful war? David DeCosse wrote, "In the aftermath of the fighting with Iraq, two just war principles in particular - just cause and proportionality," (DeCosse). This reveals the injustice of the war. If our own government doesn't have a love for humanity who will? We must view the world just as the greatest philosophers did, by having ... childhood is the mold we use for the rest of our lives. We learn everything as we grow older and comprehend that certain feelings are necessary. "The spiritualization of sensuality is called love:...

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