Schools of Philosophy
Virtue Ethics
Also Known As Aretaic Ethics
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Virtue ethics is one of three major approaches in normative ethics, alongside deontology and consequentialism. Rather than deriving right action from rules or from consequences, it places character and the virtues, excellences such as courage, justice and practical wisdom, at the foundation of moral theory. Aristotle is its founding figure in the Western tradition, with the concepts of arete (virtue), phronesis (practical wisdom) and eudaimonia (flourishing) still shaping the contemporary revival of the approach.
Facts
RegionThis entity covers the Western lineage of virtue ethics. Confucianism, covering the parallel Eastern lineage the same source traces to Mencius and Confucius, is a separate school entity in this atlas. Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and Informationentry: Virtue Ethics, IntroductionQuote, entry: Virtue Ethics, Introduction
Virtue ethics is currently one of three major approaches in normative ethics. It may, initially, be identified as the one that emphasizes the virtues, or moral character, in contrast to the approach that emphasizes duties or rules (deontology) or that emphasizes the consequences of actions (consequentialism).
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and InformationVirtue Ethics entry, Section 3(b)Quote, Virtue Ethics entry, Section 3(b)
One might choose, instead, to work with aretaic concepts (defined in terms of virtues and vices).
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and InformationVirtue Ethics entry, PreliminariesQuote, Virtue Ethics entry, Preliminaries
In the West, virtue ethics' founding fathers are Plato and Aristotle, and in the East it can be traced back to Mencius and Confucius.
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