May 21, 2014 ETH/216 Ethics Essay Virtue ethics emphasize the roles of a person characters and what they embody for determining their ethical behavior. Virtue ethics places an importance on developing good character traits, instead of focusing on a set of rules that one should follow. Through virtue ethics, a person can break bad habits that they have acquired over period of time. The virtue ethics theory allows a person to realize their motives behind their decisions, which in return helps them to correct things in terms of morality. The utilitarianism theory focuses on the proper action being taken in order to maximize the total benefit and reducing the possibility of negativity.
Bentham believed humans were motivated by two things pleasure and pain which was a moral fact with pleasure being the sole good and pain the sole bad. Secondly there was the principle of utility which is the idea that an act is right or wrong based on its usefulness. Bentham said “an act is right if it causes the greatest good for the greatest number”. This is a teleological theory. Finally there is the hedonic calculus.
Kant wanted to put good will at the very centre of ethics in which he formed the equation GOOD WILL + DUTY = A MORAL ACTION. Good will is the motive that produces our determination to be good people and our practical reason helps us get there ‘good will, then, like a jewel, will shine by its own light, a thing which has its whole value in itself’. Kant’s moral theory looks at evidence and tells you what ought to be done. Reason is universal. However to act morally then we must be capable of exercising freedom or the autonomy of the will .The opposite of this is what Kant did not believe in and this is heteronomy and that is something is right because its satisfies some desire, emotion, goal or obligation.
With a good upbringing and a base value system, most individuals will exude good values and ethics. A description of the differences in how each theory addresses ethics and morality Virtue ethics centralizes around characteristics, such as moral character or the virtue of an individual. A proponent of virtue ethics would define helping someone in need as a benevolent or charitable action (Stanford, 2007). Virtue ethics also places more emphasis on helping individuals expand his or her character that in turn extends to individuals better decision-making later in life. These theorists believe erasing vices builds good moral character (Cline, 2012).
Act Utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of an action, where an action will be deemed right or wrong after analysing the end result. The right action is the one which brings forth the greatest
Ethics Essay Terence Lord ETH/316-Ethics and Social Responsibility May 5th, 2013 Denise Antoon Ethics Essay Deontology is a moral theory that accentuates one’s obligation to see to certain action just as the action, itself, is intrinsically right and not through any extra kind of shrewdness—such as the penalties of the action. Or in other words, it is the study of what is morally right or wrong. One simply may follow their obligations to another individual or society just because keeping one's obligation is what well-thought-out as ethically correct. However, one flaw of this theory is that there is no foundation or rational basis for determining an individual's sense of duty. For instance, an executive of a company may well choose
The conscious decision is good in itself because the decision was not inclined by any desire but the duty to do what is intrinsically good. The volition will always have an intrinsic good, no matter what the inclination is. Kant claims that an inclination for an action cannot be respected as good, because it is not connected to the principle of good will, only the effect of the action. The notion of duty, “the necessity of acting from respect for law” (P.2), plays an important role in Kant’s moral philosophy. The action of duty must exclude the influence of inclination so it may only be influenced by the objectivity of the law and therefore subjectively respected by us as good.
Utilitarianism on the other hand determines the moral value of an act by the consequence of that action. Furthermore, Utilitarianism determines the morality of an action by “how much it contributes to the good of the majority.” (Pollock, 2007) Utilitarianism suggests that a person can predict the consequences of his/her actions. Critics of this doctrine are concerned that this form of ethical structure ignores individual rights and determines the moral value by how the action
Deontologists believe that (1) do the right thing, (2) do it because it is the right thing to do, (3) Don’t do wrong things and (4) avoid them because they are wrong. Duty-based ethics teaches that some acts are right or wrong because of the sorts of things they are, and people have a duty to act accordingly, regardless of the good or bad consequences that may be produced. (www.websters.com) 2. Qualitative Elements of Human Character 1. Pride Pride is the quality or state of being proud: as a : inordinate self-esteem:
Using the act utilitarianism theory a person’s decision is based on what is the most beneficial for the majority regardless of personal feelings. Rule utilitarianism is different as it takes into account the law and is concerned with fairness. This theory will benefit the most people by being fair and using the most just means available. The deontological theory is where a person will adhere to their obligation and duties at all time. This person will always follow through with what they either promised or were asked to do.