UNIT II

VIRTUE ETHICS

Virtue
Virtue

A State of character or habit

Which Is the result of dispositions (disposal) and
deliberations
Prompting us to actions
Within the context of the human goods which we pursue in
our lives
habitual actions based on values

Virtue (Aristotles Definition)

A state of character
Concerned with choice,
This being determined by rational (logical) principles,
and by that principle by which the man of practical
wisdom would determine it

The Doctrine of the Mean

Proper position between two extremes

Vice of excess
Vice of deficiency
every knowledgeable person avoids excess and
deficiency, but looks for the mean and chooses it

Virtues and the Mean

Defined through Reason

Education, contemplation, reflection

Balanced with other Virtues and applied using
phronesis: ( Greek word for intelligence)
To have any single strength of character in full
measure, a person must have the other ones as
well.* (*Hinman)
Courage without good judgement is blind
Courage without perseverance (determination) is
short-lived
Courage without a clear sense of your own abilities
is foolhardy

The virtuous person has practical wisdom, the

ability to know when and how best to apply these
various moral perspectives.

Considerations

The
The
The
The
The
The

Right
Right
Right
Right
Right
Right

Person
Object
Amount
Time
End
Way

The Virtues

Intellectual Virtues

Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence (common

sense)
Taught through instruction

Moral Virtues

Prudence( judgment), Justice, Temperance

The result of habit
Not natural or inborn but acquired through
practice
Habit or disposition of the soul (our fundamental
character) which involves both feeling and action.

VIRTUE ETHICS
From Aristotle to the 21st century

Why Should I Be Moral?

Because of My Character!

Virtue ethics
Utilitarian and Kantian ethics both address the following
question
What actions are right?
Virtue ethics asks
What kind of person should I be?
Moral character rather than right action is fundamental in this
ethical tradition which originated with the ancient Greeks and
received fullest expression in Aristotles Nicomachean ethics.

Virtue ethics
Aristotle not only made the case for the necessity of virtue for
good living but also described particular virtues in
illuminating detail.
Aristotle defines virtue as a character trait (characteristics)
that manifests itself in habitual action.
Honesty for example cannot consist in telling the truth once.
It is the trait of a person who tells the truth as a general
practice.

Virtue ethics
For the Greeks, virtue means excellence and ethics was
concerned with excellences of human character.
Virtue Ethics = Excellences of human character
A person possessing such qualities exhibited the excellences
of human character. The qualities are to function well as a
human being.

Virtue ethics
Virtue Ethics theory does three things:
It defines the concept of a virtue.
It must offer some list of the virtues.
It offers some justification of that list and explains how we
define what are virtues and vices.
E.g. Honesty is in the list of the virtues.

Virtue ethics
The list of possible virtues is long. There is no general
agreement on which is most important. The possibilities
include:
Courage
Honesty
Benevolence (kindness or kind hearted)
Tolerance
Generosity
Self-control etc.

Virtue ethics

Virtue theorists try to identify the list of virtues and to give

an account of each. They give an account of why the
virtues are important.
Virtue theory seems to fill the gap left by other theories,
since it addresses the question of moral character. While
the other theories are focused primarily on action and
decision making.

Virtue ethics theory

Virtue, for Aristotle, is integrally related to what he calls
practical wisdom which may be described roughly as the
whole of what a person needs in order to do well. Most lists of
the virtues contain few surprises. Such traits benevolence,
courage, courtesy, dependability, friendliness, honesty,
loyalty, moderation, self-control and toleration are most
talked about.

Virtue ethics theory

Virtues are acquired traits. Mere feelings like anger are not
virtues according to Aristotle. Honesty on the other hand
cannot consist in telling the truth once. It is the trait of a
person who tells the truth as a general practice. A virtue is
also something we actually practice. Honesty involves
habitually telling the truth.

Virtue ethics theory

Aristotle classified virtue as a state of a character, which is

different from a feeling or a skill. A virtue is something that
we admire in a person; a virtue is an excellence of some
kind that is worth having its own sake. Honesty is a trait
that everyone needs for a good life. Virtues are those
traits that everyone needs for the good ones no matter his
or her specific situation.

Virtue ethics in business

Virtue Ethics could be applied to business, if the virtues of

a good business person are the same as those of a good
person.
A moral virtue is an acquired disposition that is valued as
part of the character of a morally good human being.
A moral virtue can be acquired, and not merely a natural
characteristic such as intelligence, beauty or natural
strength. It is praiseworthy in part because it is an
achievement. Its development requires effort.

Virtue ethics in business

The idea of virtue business is not hopelessly out of place.

There are certain character traits that will lead to success in
business and also elevate the tone of business. The world of
business contains leaders and ordinary workers with
exemplary character.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Virtual

Ethics

Utilitarianism and Kantian ethics provide universal moral

principles that can be applied to specific cases
The proponents of a virtue ethics approach respond that
people generally do not reason in that way. Codes of ethics
generally offer abstract principles and sometimes specific
rules. They stress that a professional should be a person of
integrity. This conception of the character of a professional
may be more effective guide than principles and rules.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Virtual

Ethics

We consider the interests of family members, friends, and

members of a local community to be of greater moral
importance.
The virtue ethics view individuals as embedded in a
community and holds that a web of close relationships is
essential for a good life (Its proponents claim, to give an
account of the importance of relations in morality)

Ethical Dilemma

A situation in which an individual feels compelled to make a

choice between two or more actions that he or she can
reasonably and morally justify, or when evidence or an
arguments are inconclusive, is called an ethical dilemma
(Beauchamp&Childress,2001;McConnell,2002).
One action must be chosen because performing both actions
would be impossible

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Ethical Dilemma

Ethical dilemma are genuine dilemmas because each side is

firmly rooted in one of our basic, core values. Four such
dilemmas are so common
Truth versus loyalty
Individual versus community
Short-term versus long-term
Justice versus mercy

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Ethical Dilemma

An ethical dilemma exists when one is faced with having to

make a choice among the following alternatives.
Significant value conflicts among differing interests
Real alternatives that are equally justiciable
Significant consequences on stake holders in the situation

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Ethical Dilemma

Ethical dilemma are complex judgments on the balance between

the economic performance and social performance of an
organization Dilemmas are complex when managers have no
clear guidelines either in law or religion

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Ethical Dilemma

A situation would be considered whether it is an ethical

dilemma under three conditions.
The first condition occurs in situations when an individual
must make a decision about which course of action is
best.Situations that are uncomfortable but that don't
require a choice are not ethical dilemmas.
The second condition for ethical dilemma is that there must
be different courses of action to choose from.
Third, in an ethical dilemma, no matter what course of
action is taken, some ethical principle is compromised.In
other words, there is no perfect solution.

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Ethical Dilemma

In determining what constitutes an ethical dilemma, it is

necessary to make a distinction between ethics, values, morals,
and laws and policies.Ethics are prepositional statements
(standards) that are used by members of a profession or group to
determine what the right course of action in a situation is.
According to RalphDolgoff, Donna Harrington, Frank M.
Loewenberg (2009),Ethical Decisions for Social Work
Practice(Ethics & Legal Issues), Ethics rely on logical and rational
criteria to reach a decision, an essentially cognitive process. A
method for systematically selecting among possible choices that
is based on reason and facts: In a rationaldecision making
process, a business mangerwill often employ a series of
analytical steps to review relevantfacts, observations and
possible outcomes before choosing a particular course of action.

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Ethical Dilemma

Ethics rely on logical and rational criteria to reach a

decision, an essentially cognitive process
(Congress, 1999; Dolgoff, Loewenberg, &
Harrington, 2009; Reamer, 1995; Robison &
Reeser, 2002).

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Ethical Dilemma

A situation that arises when all alternative

choices or behaviors have been deemed
undesirable because...

potentially of negative ethical

consequences, making it difficult to
distinguish right from wrong

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Ethical Dilemma
Most ethical dilemmas involve

Conflict between needs of the part & whole

- Individual versus the organization
- Organization versus society as a whole

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Ethical Dilemma

Laws dont cover everything.

Free market and regulated market

mechanisms dont describe how to
respond to complex issues that have far
reaching ethical consequences.

Complex problems often require an

intuitive or learned understanding and
concern for fairness, justice, due
process to people, groups, and
communities.

Consequences.

Ethical Dilemma
What is an ethical dilemma?

An ethical dilemma is a situation that involves at

least an ethical issue where a clear decision or a
choice becomes problematic because of competing
claims or interest
There may be conflicts in the choice to be made. In
this case the solution may not lie in the interest of
the company or the decision maker
The decision is possible if the person is
straightforward and does not bother about the
consequences of the decision

Ethical Dilemma
What is an ethical dilemma?

In an ethical dilemma the choice has to be made

between two desirable or undesirable situation
In a dilemma usually there may be two or more
than two choices.
In the case of ethical dilemma the decision rules
are not clear-cut and may be of conflicting value.
For ethical dilemma solution are not unique or
universal. It depends to a great extend on the
ethical background and personality pattern of the
decision maker.

Ethical Dilemma
Characteristics and features of ethical dilemma
If one analyses the causes of ethical
dilemma, it becomes clear that in the case of
dilemmas:
Social cost and private gains are different
No linkages is established between the two
alternative courses of actions or choices
Competitive behaviour gains predominance in
many cases.
There may be an inconsistency between
goals
Cross cultural value differential do exist
There are some pressures from somewhere

Ethical Dilemma
Characteristics and features of ethical dilemma
If one analyses the causes of ethical
dilemma, it becomes clear that in the case of
dilemmas:
Social cost and private gains are different
No linkages is established between the two
alternative courses of actions or choices
Competitive behaviour gains predominance in
many cases.
There may be an inconsistency between
goals
Cross cultural value differential do exist
There are some pressures from somewhere

Salient features of Ethical Dilemma

Ethical Dilemma involves multiple choices to

be followed
Ethical Dilemma involves uncertain
consequences
Ethical Dilemma produce mixed
consequences.
People might be involved directly or indirectly
in ethical dilemma