11.1 How does Virtue Ethics operate?

Virtue ethicists think that ethical reasoning should not begin with the question “How should I act?” but first with “What kind of person do I want to be?” Developing virtues that we admire in others and avoiding actions that we recognize as non-virtuous strengthens our moral sensitivity: our awareness of how our actions affect others. Virtuous persons can empathize more strongly with others, imagine themselves in another person’s shoes, and look at an issue from other people’s perspectives. Virtuous individuals are also thought to be able to draw upon willpower not possessed by those who compromise their moral principles in favor of fame, money, sex, or power.

Virtue ethics focuses more on a person’s approach to living than on particular choices and actions and so has less to say about specific courses of action or public policies. Instead, this ethical approach posed broader questions such as these:

• How should I live?
• What is the good life?
• Are ethical virtue and genuine happiness compatible?
• What are proper family, civic, and cosmopolitan virtues?

Because of the broad nature of the questions posed by virtue ethics, ethicists sometimes disagree as to whether this theory offers a real alternative to the utilitarian and deontological approaches to ethical reasoning. How does someone who follows virtue ethics determine what the virtues are without applying some yardstick such as those provided by utilitarian and deontological approaches?

Utilitarianism and deontology are universalist theories, each claiming that their ethical principles are binding on all people regardless of time or place. Virtue Ethics does not make this claim. Those who favor this theory may hold that certain virtues like compassion, honesty, and integrity transcend time and culture. But they do not aim to identify universal principles that can be applied in all moral situations. Instead, they accept that many things described as virtues and vices are cultural and that some of our primary ethical obligations are based on our emotional relationships and what we owe to people we care about. In the end, though, virtue ethicists will always ask themselves, “What would a good person do?”

Someone employing virtue ethics will consider what action will most help her become a better person. Virtue ethics arguments will discuss ideals as the motivation for acting. In December 2014, Senator John McCain delivered a floor statement to the US Senate, condemning CIA interrogation methods. He deplored the use of torture by our country:

Torture’s failure to serve its intended purpose isn’t the main reason to oppose its use. I have often said, and will always maintain, that this question isn’t about our enemies; it’s about us. It’s about who we were, who we are, and who we aspire to be. It’s about how we represent ourselves to the world (John McCain, 2014).

This last claim captures the twofold concern of virtue ethics: how we can be our best and how we want others to see us. Both of these motivations help drive the pursuit of virtue.

Aristotle & Virtue Theory: Crash Course Philosophy #38(9:22)

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