Virtue Ethics Research Paper

James Green

Professor Singletary

11/24/2012

Ethics & Critical Thinking

Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics, according to Barbara MacKinnon, the author of Ethics Theory and Contemporary Issues, are defined as the kind of behavior one should have. Virtue ethics are different from the traditional ethical view of what is the right thing to do. Virtue is a way of defining a person. It is also a way to tell if a person has control over his or her traits. For example, Lolita, as young female, needs to limit her cousin Martha from borrowing her money, especially when Martha is not returning the money that she borrowed. Lolita’s sensitivity would eventually permit others to manipulate the good qualities of her. Are virtues determined by the society or by one’s nature? Is virtue of sensitivity superior in women than in men?

I do believe that virtues are determined by the society depending on the Country’s culture or the community where the person was raised. In my country, Haiti, virtues are determined by the society, where you have to be raised a certain way. Aristotle would classify this approach as intellectual virtue, which is learned from teachers or parents. In that nation, in order for a young man to have a good wife, he must show the use of good manners which will qualify him enough for just a relationship before the young lady’s parents give him their blessing to marry her. In this case, parents have to educate their young men from their early cognitive stage on how to be honest, fruitful, caring, and respectful to others. The reason for such statement is because everyone who knows this young man has an eye on him and is privately evaluating his true character. Most of the time a young lady finds it to be moral to take care and treat her child as best as possible. The reason why she thinks in such a way is because of the formation she had received from growing up. For instance, Matilda’s mom, who has a degree, and works as a professional to take excellent care of her by feeding her, washing her clothes, taking her to school and other activities, is going to be an example of normal custom in Matilda’s life. When she grows up, she will develop these skills as a mom because that is what she was exposed to and will eventually find it to be moral. This statement is what Aristotle would call moral virtues, which are learned by repetition. Virtues can be determined by one’s nature when a person possesses certain intrinsic traits that are genetic. As an illustration, the feeling of anger, pity, courage, joy, love, and desire can bring positivity or negativity in one’s life. It all depends on the input of moderation. My auntie Micah, has too much pity for others. She finds it extremely difficult to say the simple word “No” to people. Whenever someone asks her for something, she feels like she has to satisfy the needs of this person. She even asks others to lend her money in order to buy what is requested for this friend or family of hers. As a result, this lack of moderation that characterizes her has brought the innocent lady into large debt.

Virtue of sensitivity is neither greater in men nor in women. Virtue of sensitivity is what makes the female herself and what creates the man himself. Moderation should be the way to rate or to measure virtues. A person should not exceed sensitivity; neither female nor male should have too diminutive sensitivity. One must be able to balance that trait because excess is never recommended in anything. There is not any problem with a man to be sensitive as long as he can control it. For instance, my friend Paul is really sensitive to his daughter Michelle, his unique child. One day, Michelle came back from school with a

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