What Critical Thinking and Virtue Ethics Have in Common

Journal Reflection

Introduction

Critical thought and ethics are important in every sphere of life, for students as well as for professionals. The best way to appreciate this fact is by thinking about the tremendous responsibility that everyone has no matter what his walk of life happens to be. From a duty ethics point of view, for instance, one’s moral responsibility is to do that which is expected of him in his station in life (Shafer-Landau, 2014). However, there are many ethical systems, from virtue ethics to deontology to utilitarianism to even ethical egoism. The most important I believe is virtue ethics because it is primarily concerned with the cultivation of a virtuous character (Mosser, 2013). This reflection will touch upon these points for further consideration.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of asking questions, being curious about getting more information, identifying the most relevant information, and making a decision based upon this information to solve a problem or answer a question (Agoos, n.d.). Or, as Harper et al. (2020) point out, it requires using the scientific method to investigate issues that we face. I believe I have improved my level of critical thought during my time with Ashford because I am no longer just accepting whatever I am told in whatever situation I am. I want more information so that I am not leaving myself in the dark about anything.

As a result my professional writing standards have improved. I want to be seen as someone who knows what he is talking about. Using multiple sources and referencing and citing those sources is important if one wants to be taken seriously by peers in one’s chosen profession. I always look for multiple sources of information and even for alternate points of view so that I am not just thinking about a thing from one perspective, which could in fact be wrong.

When it comes to editing my writing, I do not use any software other than the built-in software that comes with Word. Word is good at highlighting grammatical mistakes, and my grammar is already good, so this is not a serious issue for me. I proof-read and double check my writing before sending it out. I also make sure that I always cite a source whenever I use, and I do so immediately as I am writing.

Ethical Standards

Ethical standards are important because they serve as a guideline or set of principles to follow so as to prevent oneself from getting into trouble down the road. For me, virtue ethics is the best system to follow because it is objective and universal. I want an objective standard outside myself—not something subjective that can change based on how I am feeling. People tend to be able to justify their actions no matter what they are, and so we are all infected by ethical egoism; that is why I prefer to defer to a system like virtue ethics: it is unchanging and objective and the standards are there regardless of how I feel at any one moment. It is my job to conform myself to them, not them to my desires or current mode of acting or thinking.

When I write, I always use my own voice because that is what comes naturally to me. If I use the thought of someone else, I cite it, regardless of whether I use a direct quote. When giving advice, I always make sure that people know I do not have the necessary credentials to give psychological advice and that my opinion is just my opinion, based on a limited set of knowledge. I try to point people in directions that may be helpful and use sources to support this endeavor. For instance, I might say, “Perhaps look up Mosser’s (2013) book on ethics.”

Our reflection resource readings tell us that applying ethics is our responsibility as accountable human beings who have a duty to live morally and correctly in the world. Yet people still find ways to live immorally and even to justify them. That is a problem and it is cultural problem, in my opinion. The world has become enamored of subjectivism and leads people into thinking uncritically. Critical thought has to be objective, just like a good ethical system, in my opinion.