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To 'do good' or to 'be good'?: Deontological vs. virtue ethics
In our daily lives, we often find ourselves torn between the competing demands of virtue ethics vs. deontology. Do we go with our 'gut instinct' and hope that virtue in our character will guide us in the right way, or do we follow the rules of a moral order, even when doing so is unpleasant and even counterintuitive? Ultimately, while virtue ethics is somewhat problematic in its construction because of the vague and highly debatable nature of what constitutes virtue, it is a more feasible means to govern one's ethical life than the rigidity of deontology.
According to deontologists, rather than speculate about the possible future consequences of our actions -- often a futile task -- we should instead focus upon or duties and obligations as a human being. "At the heart of agent-centered theories (with their agent-relative reasons) is the idea of agency…Our categorical obligations are not to focus on how our actions cause or enable other agents to do evil; the focus of our categorical obligations is to keep our own agency free of moral taint" (Alexander & Moore 2005). Exceptions to moral actions are not validated by their consequences and one ought to behave as if setting a moral law 'for all time' with every action as stated...
No action is purely contextual and situational. To be the agent of a bad action is a universal moral evil, and is not exculpated by the good results. For example, killing someone is wrong, even if a moral 'good' of five people surviving thanks to getting organ transplants is the result (Alexander & Moore 2005).
In contrast to the act-based emphasis of deontology, virtue ethics stresses the need for the moral actor to be a 'good person,' and from that good character, good deeds are assumed to flow. "The concept of a virtue is the concept of something that makes its possessor good: a virtuous person is a morally good, excellent or admirable person who acts and feels well, rightly, as she should" (Hursthouse 2012). This notion is an old one, and extends as far back as Aristotle. "The good life is the morally meritorious life; the morally meritorious life is one that is responsive to the demands of the world" (Hursthouse 2012). Although killing someone may be regarded as a wrong in most instances, in other instances some exceptions to this categorical rule must be found (a 'mercy killing'). The world is ever-changing, and it is best to have a moral character that embodies virtues to enable the moral actor to be able to shift his or her responses with the times, according to virtue ethicists.
The most obvious problem with deontology "is the seeming irrationality of our having duties or permissions to make the world morally worse" (Alexander & Moore 2005). For example, it is a generally-agreed upon moral principle that children have a…
Executive Interview with a TeacherFor this interview, a high school teacher was interviewed. He described his ethical beliefs to me in person. The interview was conducted in his classroom and was recorded using video for future reference. The interview was semi-structured, which allowed for a more reflective and immersive but also guided interview process to take place (Dearnley, 2005). The analysis for this paper is taken from that interview recording.Description
Criticism of Consequentialism: The deontological criticism of consequentialism would suggest that the very fact that two identical acts can be highly ethical or highly unethical in different circumstances renders consequentialism purely subjective and dependent on opinion instead of objective principles. In that view, the deontological ethical approach may produce unintended negative results on occasion, but at least deontological ethics are predictable and consistent; furthermore, deontological values lead to the better
Even though the order promised prisoners would receive humane treatments, the Bush Administration said that Geneva Conventions was not applicable to them (Goldsmith, 2012, p. 39). The Detainee Treatment Act, sponsored by Senator John McCain sponsored the Detainee Treatment Act, states that "no court, justice, or judge shall have jurisdiction to hear or consider…an application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by or on behalf of an alien detained
Ethics in Public SafetyIntroductionEthics support the right functioning of public safety, as they can define both the goals and the proper or moral ways to achieving those goals. This paper discusses the �big� three primary ethical frameworks: Deontological, Teleological, and Virtue Ethics. The focus of this paper is on their premises, the philosophical proponents of each, how they have been refined by philosophers over time, the criticisms each has faced,
Religious Ethics in Comparison Though the three religions reviewed and critiqued in this paper -- Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam -- have very different histories and quite original approaches to ethics, there are also a number of startling similarities when comparing them. One can easily find the differences, and this paper does indeed point to the differences. And yet, when it comes to the philosophical ingredients that go into each of the
Preference for Virtue Ethics Theory The virtue Ethics Theory is one of the most pragmatic moral theories as it addresses virtues that mould human character in its attempt to describe the good. The theory suggests that a good life and general well-being results from embracing virtues. It goes further to describe good, holistic life; proposing that it is a life that is lived in harmony with others around. In his view