Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics comes from the work of Plato and Aristotle. The virtue theory is today one of the three dominant approaches to normative theories, the other two being deontology and consequentialism. Virtue ethics is made up of normative ethical philosophies and focuses more so on being rather than doing. It emphasizes that morality comes from who we are as people rather than our choices and actions in life. This philosophy strives for good and virtuous people among a just society.

My question is who decides the nature of these virtues? Depending on the culture or society that we are raised in we all have very different viewpoints on what makes a virtue a virtue. Virtue is defined as being a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. What I may deem as a “positive trait” is going to be completely different from that of an older male coming from a different culture. In some cultures woman are made to cover their skin and that is something that they see as right and just, where as I see it completely differently and I would say that’s the exact opposite of a “just society.”

The idea of creating a just society with good and virtuous people sounds like a fantastic world to live in. But will we ever be able to have laws, social institutions and behaviors that create good and virtuous people in society? Let’s say someone murders your family member. Who is to say what action or behavior is the virtuous one to take, is it ethically correct to murder them in return because you had good reason? After all we are made and created by our human experience according to this philosophy, so if we do terrible things with good intentions or that benefit a group of people does that mean it’s acceptable?