Evaluation of Virtue Ethics

Evaluation of Virtue Ethics

1. Problems

   • Collapses into moral relativism and lacks universal application.
     • Richard Rorty - virtues are relative to ones cultures and upbringing.
       • e.g. military-bravey-courage. Pacifism-patience-compassion.
   • Vice is Virtue
     • Vice of pride is bad HOWEVER St Paul pride is good as it fulfils a person's potential.
   • Ayn Rand - lacks objectivity for establishing virtues
   • Gender Specific Virtues
     • Freud- claimed women and men have different ethical moral codes.
       • Women show less justice than men.
         • Carol Gilligan - Men, rules of contract, justice and determination.
           • Female - caring, loyal and compassionate
     • Catherine Greeno challenged Carol. Gender virtues are due to stereotypical gender roles.
       • MALE- world of work -ideas of rights and justice, masculinity = universally applied.
       • FEMALE- home-makers - women reared children, housewives, focus on relationships.
       • Changing roles of the 20th cent e.g. male household husbands. GENDER ROLE CHANGE.

2. Are virtues dependant on culture or universal?

   • David Hume - 2 types of virtues.
     • ARTIFICIAL - when individuals conform to social convention relative to their circumstance e.g. norms of celibacy. REJECTED BY HUME
       • NATURAL- appeal to uniformity, natural virtues and universal e.g. friendship

3. Humans are weak and unable to behave virtuously when under pressure.

   • People who habitually follow virtue ethics, when faced with pressured moral dilemmas seem to be manipulated by authoritarian structures.
     • E.G milgrim experiment/ Stalin.

4. Virtue ethics justifies evil acts. - suicide bombers kill and maim innocent civilians . They disregard human life yet do they show courage,bravery claiming to correct injustice?

5. Philppa Foot - actions performed in unworthy cause cannot be called virtuous. However who is to decide what is worthy or otherwise

   • Danger of Western Imperialism.
   • Courage Act- attempted assasination of Hitler, nuclear bomb Hiroshima?