Ethical Theories: Virtue and Utilitarian Ethics

In this essay, I will describe, explain and defend my preferred ethical theories, which are the virtue ethical theory and the utilitarian ethical theory. I will also make an effort to adequately demonstrate how they act as a guide and will identify their strength and limitations. I will articulate a preference for the two aforementioned ethical theories, by providing adequate and meaningful explanations and justification for each ethical theory independently. First let me define ethics and ethical theory, two of the most important concepts that will be used in this essay. What is ethics? We often hear the term ethics used but yet isn't always clear of what the definition and or meaning is. By and large speaking, ethics refers to the study of right and wrong behaviors.

I am faced with many situations daily and have to always decide on what course of action to take. Should I act based on ethical principles or should I disregard ethical principles in deciding what to do? The ethics that I choose to adopt and practice, and the ethical theories that I learned in Ethics in Governance course provided me with the ethical principles and values that I need to be able to answer such an important question. How do I respond to these situations? Virtue ethics and utilitarian ethics provide some answers.

According to Fieser, J., Ethical theories are a systematic effort to understand moral concepts and justify moral principles and theories. There are different ethical principles and each comes with its pros and cons and is looked at from various perspectives and or standpoints. Again let me restate my preferred ethical theories, the theories that will remain the primary focus of this short essay, they are the virtue ethical theory and the utilitarian ethical theory. The first ethical theory that will be discussed is virtue ethics. Virtue Ethics emphasizes an individual's character as the key element of ethical thinking, rather than rules about the acts themselves. Deontology and consequentialism are two ethical theories and or philosophies that are associated closely with virtue ethics. In my understanding virtue ethics is a moral philosophy that emphasizes the role of an individual's character and virtues in evaluating the rightness of actions. As mentioned before it is often compared with deontology ethics, which emphasizes following moral guidelines, and consequentialist ethics, which determines the acceptability of an action from its consequences.

Here is an example of how virtue ethics impacted my decision. Virtue ethics promotes good moral principles such as honesty, integrity, and fairness, which is in line with my decision to not steal even where there is an opportunity to do so. I have just demonstrated how virtue ethics have caused me to do something that is regarded as good. Generally stealing is considered to be wrong, while stealing is accepted to be wrong based on the virtue ethics of honesty. Let me reiterate the meaning of ethics by providing an additional definition to substantiate my application and the example provided. Ethics refers to a theory or system dealing with values concerning human conduct, concerning the correctness and wrongness of certain actions, and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

Virtue ethics acts as a guide to my behavior and value system. For example, if I am in a situation where I can easily steal an item that is valuable to me, I would not have stolen the item because of my preference in virtue ethics, most importantly the virtue ethics of honesty. This is one case where ethical theories, principles, and values have helped to shape my daily decisions and actions. Taking this course of action based on virtue ethics could be of a disadvantage to me because now I will be without an item that I value and is meant to be, but I am committed to being honest under most if not all circumstances. Kindness towards someone who is having a bad day can make him or her smile and build rapport. I am taking this opportunity to encourage you to be virtuous. This is one of the reasons why I preferred virtue ethics. Virtue ethics offers an account of right and wrong based on what a 'virtuous agent' would do. Virtue ethics indicated that an action is right if and only if it is what a virtuous person would perform in any given circumstances. I selected virtue ethics as one of my preferred because of my character and personal value system. I am honest, kind, transparent, responsible, generous, fair, and just. I would not engage in wrongdoings even if it is beneficial to me and that is very much under virtue ethics. It is now clear that my behavior is directed by good values and habits, and based on the definition provided for virtue ethics where it was implied that the foundation of morality and virtues is the development of good character qualities. In my daily life decisions and actions, I always do that which is right to be considered a vitreous person. I have moral excellence and as such share a strong preference for virtue ethics. We all can agree that a virtuous person has personal qualities such as honesty. They do what is accepted as being right, not act according to impulses and selfish desires.

Virtue ethics have many positives that I do benefit from by being a virtuous person. Firstly, I am motivated to practice good molarity, to make decisions that are beneficial to others, and I am also encouraged to be honest by virtue ethics. It is important to note that virtue ethics is a good way to build society as it helps citizens to be good people. The limitation that I experience from practicing virtue ethics is that sometimes it is difficult to decide what to do when faced with a moral problem and what would be considered right based on the situations at hand. I think this is one of the biggest flaws of virtue ethics, there is no definitive answer to what to do in cases of a moral problem. An additional weakness of the virtue ethics theory is that may overlook important obligations, but knowing that obligations should be based on ethical principles and less on shared share responsibilities, lightens the burdens. However, I must state that the positive outweighs the negative in virtue ethics.

Secondly, I will discuss utilitarian ethics. According to Duignan, B., & West, H. R. Utilitarianism provides an answer to the question 'What ought a person to do?' The answer is that a person ought to act to produce the best consequences possible. In my understanding of utilitarian ethics, wrong or right is based entirely on outcomes. Wrong or right in this regard is based on the consequences derived out of an act or decision. Utilitarian ethics is based on the idea that the consequence of the act is the most important determinant of the act being moral or not.

One of the most identifiable and relatable benefits of utilitarian ethics is that it focuses on humanity by trying to achieve the greater good. For example, persons dedicating all their lives to charities is good for humanity and will achieve the greater good however that person may have to sacrifice having wealth. It is always good to promote humanitarian behaviors and for me that is a plus for utilitarian ethics. I would not hesitate to do what's best for humanity. Conversely, utilitarianism is very demanding and requires great sacrifice.

For example, I was in a situation where I had food and was hungry but homeless persons were around so I assume they were hungrier than me. I had opted to give my food to them and tolerate hunger. My action achieves the greater good because they now have food. Giving my food away to hungry persons was kind of a humanitarian act. I have to make a sacrifice that could have impacted my health, but based on utilitarian ethics it is the right thing to do. It is the greater good that matters. Which I think is indeed correct but is however demanding. According to Regoli, N. additional benefits of utilitarian ethics are utilitarianism focuses on the majority as a group for happiness instead of everyone, seeks to achieve the highest good, and focuses on majority happiness as a way to determine ethics and morality.

Conversely, the person may not favor utilitarian ethics since it is accepted as s widely denigrated and misunderstood. My major issue the utilitarian ethics is that it clearly states the primary role of ethics is human well-being and that what should matter to us most is how our lives go, it's the outcomes and consequences that matter most. I have to stand against that knowing and believing that morality is about treating everyone equally, that is, considering their well-being equally. I think virtue ethics is a better representation of considering everyone's well-being. To add to that utilitarian ethics is very demanding. Utilitarianism may also force persons to disregard to go against integrity which is not in line with virtue ethics. Imagine a society where persons are lacking in integrity, it doesn't add to the morality of society. According to Savulescu, J. Bernard Williams, a famous critic of Utilitarianism, once infuriated Dick Hare, a modern father of Utilitarianism, in a TV interview by asking him, 'If a plane had crashed and you could only rescue your child or two other people's children, which would you rescue?' Utilitarians should rescue the two strangers rather than their children. I think such a choice is way too demanding this was too demanding.

In conclusion, my two preferred ethical theories are virtue ethics and utilitarian ethics. I prefer virtue ethics because it encourages citizens to be good people. My issue with virtue ethics is that it doesn't clearly indicate what to do when faced with a moral dilemma. Unitarianism is considered favorable since it focuses on achieving the greatest good and it focuses on majority happiness as a way to determine ethics and morality. My issue thou with utilitarianism, it is way too demanding.

References

1. Duignan, B. R., & West, H. R. (2020, January 24). Utilitarianism. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/utilitarianism-philosophy
2. Fieser, J. (2017, January 9). From Moral Issues that Divide Us. Retrieved from https://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/160/1-ethical-theory.htm
3. Makarenko, J. (2007, January 1). Ethics in Government: Concepts, Issues & Debates. Retrieved from https://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/ethics-government-concepts-issues- debates
4. Regoli, N. (2019, March 27). 13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Utilitarianism Theory. Retrieved from https://greengarageblog.org/13-advantages-and-disadvantages-of- utilitarianism-theory
5. Savulescu, J. (2015, November 15). Why I Am Not a Utilitarian. Retrieved from http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2014/11/why-i-am-not-a-utilitarian/