Virtue Ethics Research Articles

Building ethical awareness to strengthen co-production for transformation

AbstractAwareness of different ethical theories can support transformation-oriented researchers in navigating value-based decisions in co-production. We synthesize and explicitly link the literature on co-production and ethical theories in philosophy to initiate this awareness. Four key decision points in co-production projects are outlined that require value-based actions: (1) what to focus on, (2) who to include, (3) how to co-create and (4) how to continue. To discuss how project actions can be examined from different ethical perspectives, we synthesize the claims of four ethical theories and discuss them in the context of co-production project choices. The four ethical theories are: deontological ethics, utilitarianism, contractualism and virtue ethics. Overall, we argue for embracing pluralistic ethical perspectives when navigating decisions in co-production projects.

Introduction: Is Environmental Virtue Ethics a ‘Virtuous’ Anthropocentrism?

The field of environmental ethics has been built as a response to environmental blindness [...]

Virtue engagement in contemporary relational psychotherapy: A mixed methods practice‐based study

AbstractIntroductionPositive psychology and virtue ethics traditions suggest that virtue development is a pathway to well‐being, but few studies have examined how psychotherapy in naturalistic settings contributes to clients' virtue engagement.MethodThis study was conducted at a community mental health clinic specialising in contemporary relational psychotherapy (CRP) in the northeast United States. The embedded, explanatory mixed method design included (a) longitudinal mixture‐modelling to identify clients showing gains in relational virtue engagement over time, and (b) interviewing a subsample (N = 15) of these clients.ResultsOur findings suggest that virtue engagement in CRP emerges (a) within the dynamic conditions of the alliance and (b) through holistic attunement to clients' identities, experiences, mental health and growth in capacities that promote wisdom and flourishing. Clinical and research implications and future research directions are discussed.

Valuing virtue in medicine: a closer look at CanMEDS

Abstract The CanMEDS-2015 Framework outlines seven key roles expected of practicing physicians: communicator, collaborator, manager, health advocate, scholar, and professional. Critics have expressed concern about the omission of a proposed eighth role, ‘Physician as Person’ relevant to humane qualities and personal resilience of the physician. Upon further analyses, the Framework has included several virtuous attributes in the roles of a physician as professional and communicator. However, it addresses certain virtues like creativity, love, and spirituality inadequately. Drawing on literature from Positive Psychology, the author categorizes and additional set of virtues into six classes: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Based on these, the author lists virtues and concepts relevant to a ‘Virtuous Role’ for physicians. The CanMEDS Framework should integrate these virtues as a foundational or overarching role and draw from Virtue Ethics in religious and philosophical traditions. This approach is timely, giving ongoing efforts to update and develop CanMEDS2025. By adopting a Virtuous Role within CanMEDS, we aim to train physicians who are technically skilled and deeply humane, meeting society's expectations for compassionate and virtuous healthcare professionals

For the Sake of Knowledge: The Epistemic Value of Other-Regarding Epistemic Virtues

AbstractThis paper examines the epistemic value of other-regarding epistemic virtues, challenging the common view that these virtues are primarily moral in nature. To this end, it proposes a new framework to explain the role of epistemic virtues: the Epistemic Social Environment (ESE). It is argued that the value of an epistemic virtue stems from its contribution to a healthy ESE. This approach enables a broader and unified theory of epistemic virtues, emphasising their role in the communal production of knowledge. Ultimately, the paper aims to reconcile virtue epistemology with insights from social epistemology, offering a comprehensive account of the epistemic value of sharing knowledge.

The ‘person of moral growth’: a model of moral development based on personalist virtue ethics

The ‘person of moral growth’: a model of moral development based on personalist virtue ethics

Virtue Ethics in a Value-driven World: Ethical Obfuscation in Orthopaedic Practice.

Virtue Ethics in a Value-driven World: Ethical Obfuscation in Orthopaedic Practice.

Ethical Leadership as a Driver of Supervisor Technical and Social Effectiveness: A Triple Helix for Cultivating Employees' Sense of Purpose

ABSTRACTA sense of purpose is generated when individuals perceive an authentic connection between their work and a broader transcendent life purpose beyond the self. Academics have shown significant positive effects of this driving force in life for employees and organizations, and thus the literature demands studies that analyze its antecedents, i.e., the potential factors that shape an individual's sense of purpose in life. Following an Aristotelian approach to virtue ethics in business, we analyze (1) whether ethical leadership enhances the technical and social effectiveness of supervisors, and (2) whether this moral asset of leaders enhances employee sense of purpose, either directly or by interacting with their technical and social effectiveness‐related dimensions. Using data from 395 employees in the Iraqi insurance and health care industry, structural equation modeling analysis revealed that, as expected, the ethical dimension of supervisors can influence employees' sense of purpose, both directly and by improving their technical and social effectiveness as leaders. Our findings thus encourage managers to practice ethical leadership to become more effective in leadership and in encouraging employees to have a sense of purpose in what they do.

The role of the corporate ethical virtues model in sustainability reporting

AbstractFrom the perspective of virtue ethics, ethical organizational cultures prompt employees to act ethically. According to Kaptein's Corporate Ethical Virtues (CEV) model, this organizational ability is favored by the development of seven key corporate virtues (Clarity, Congruency, Feasibility, Supportability, Transparency, Discussability, and Sanctionability). The paper intends to connect the CEV model with sustainability reporting, which is taking on increasing relevance today due to factors such as the European Union's recent Directives on corporate non‐financial communication. In particular, the paper's objective is to examine to what extent and the way in which the virtues of the model have a role in sustainability reporting. Furthermore, this goal is enriched with an added focus, which is attention paid to actions taken by companies, and expressed in their sustainability reporting, in implementing virtuous behavior amidst the difficulties triggered by the COVID‐19 crisis. To achieve its aim, the paper presents and discusses a study of the role of the CEV model within two large companies in the logistics sector, through a content analysis of their sustainability reports covering the period 2018–2020 complemented by information from their corporate websites. The results of the analysis highlight both an overall relevance of the virtues included in the CEV model and the role of measures adopted by organizations to cope with COVID‐19 as a significant component of their sustainability performance in the pandemic period. Finally, the paper elaborates on several theoretical and practical implications stemming from the study.

Public health, pluralism, and the telos of political virtue.

In the ethics of public health, questions of virtue, that is, of what it means for public health to act excellently, have received little attention. This omission needs remedy first because achieving improvements in population-wide health can be in tension with goals like respect for the liberty, self-determination, or non-oppression of various individuals or groups. A virtue-ethics approach is flexible and well-suited for the kind of deliberation required to resolve or mitigate such tension. Public health requires practically wise and careful thinking, which virtue ethics brings with it. Furthermore, too tight a focus on delivering outcomes in determining how public health should act has, in some cases, actually undermined its ability to achieve those consequences. However, the main concern about incorporating virtue into public health in a pluralistic society is likely to be that virtue is generally teleological, and we would surely need some widely agreed upon idea of something like flourishing or the common good for this to work. In this paper, I propose that for public health to express virtue in its work, it must express a commitment to justice as it goes about its business promoting and protecting the health of the population. Justice is both a contributor toward better health for groups in society, and a worthwhile goal in its own right. I will sketch an argument that justice as non-oppression - not merely health equity - is the right telos toward which excellent public health should aim in a pluralist society.

THE INFLUENCE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS ON CARBON EMISSION DISCLOSURE: DOES GREEN PERFORMANCE MATTER?

Carbon emissions disclosure has attracted researchers' attention. This study aims to provide empirical evidence on the influence of more comprehensive corporate governance mechanisms on carbon emission disclosure based on legitimacy and stakeholder theories. This study introduces virtue ethics theory, a new theory in carbon emission research, to explain the moderating role of green performance. Observational data includes 455 data from a sample of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2018 to 2022. The research data was processed using multiple linear regression methods and moderated regression analysis. The study's results prove that the size of the board of commissioners, the independence of the board of commissioners, the sustainability committee, and institutional ownership positively affect carbon emission disclosure. The green performance also revealed can strengthen the influence of board of commissioners diversity on carbon emission disclosure. Corporate governance is needed to encourage companies to disclose their carbon emissions.

Wisdom, Political Expertise and the Unity of Virtues in Aristotle

Abstract ‘Unity of virtues’ (UV) in Aristotle is the claim that the ethical virtues are mutually entailing. But commentators typically focus on the fact that wisdom implies all the ethical virtues, without explaining how the ethical virtues themselves are mutually entailing. I argue that the so-called ‘Grand End’ view, understood as applying to both wisdom (φρόνησις) and political expertise (πολιτική), allows us to give an account of UV at the level of the ethical virtues. By discussing the ethical virtues individually, I show how all the ethical virtues can be seen as different aspects of the philosopher-statesman’s multifaceted character.

Philosophy

Paul Woodruff, who sadly passed away last year (28 August 1943–23 September 2023), left us an extraordinary and timely gift in his book Living Toward Virtue,1 a masterpiece on practical ethics that engages with and goes beyond the Socratic philosophy found in Plato's dialogues. The book is a tour de force of scholarship, intellectual humility, and philosophical acuity. It offers a neo-Socratic approach to virtue ethics – often contrasting it with neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics – based on the Socratic idea of taking care of our souls, which entails relentless self-examination that maintains us aware of our cognitive limitations and could help us avoid moral injury.

The role of conscience and virtue: contrasting two models of medicine.

Today's medical ethics involve two different viewpoints based on how we understand the role of conscience in medicine and the purpose of healthcare. The first view, called the health-directed model, sees medicine as a way to improve health and promote healing, while also respecting the values of both patients and doctors. In this model, doctors need some discretionary space to decide how to achieve the best health outcomes in their practice. On the other hand, the service-provider model sees the main goal of medicine as providing a service, especially healthcare, with a strong focus on protecting patient autonomy. In this view, doctors are required to provide care even when it goes against their personal beliefs.The goal of this article is to explore the foundations and arguments of these two medical models. Understanding the key ideas behind these models is important for deciding whether to support or oppose conscientious objection in medical ethics. Additionally, the article aims to figure out which model makes a stronger case and to offer advice on how to engage with the opposing view from a virtue ethics perspective.

What Do We Owe Our Patients? Surgeon Obligations When Patients Are Too Sick for Surgery.

As the principle of respect for patient autonomy has gained salience over the past 75 years, surgeons now struggle to resolve conflicts between autonomy and beneficence in certain clinical scenarios. One such conflict occurs when a patient desires a surgical intervention, but the surgeon concludes that the patient is "too sick for surgery" and hence would not benefit from the operation. We provide historical context for the principle of respect for patient autonomy and review recent qualitative data that demonstrate surgeons experience significant moral distress when asked to perform nonbeneficial surgery. Therefore, we sought to empower surgeons with the appropriate ethical justifications to decline to perform surgery when they believe it would be nonbeneficial or harmful to patients. We outline 4 concepts that can help surgeons engage with patients, families, and colleagues in these scenarios. First, we describe the term "futility" and explain the difficulty in precisely defining and using the term in practice. Second, we contrast patients' positive and negative rights, drawing on historical context to argue that patients have robust negative rights but limited positive rights to request nonbeneficial interventions. Third, we use the centuries-old notion of medicine as a profession to show that surgeons have a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interests of their patients, including and especially when patients request interventions that are not beneficial. Finally, we draw on virtue ethics to give surgeons character-based resources for fulfilling their professional obligations to patients. We contend that surgeons owe their patients the ability to trust that they will always use their knowledge and skills for patients' benefit, even if surgeons must limit patients' autonomy in certain ways to do so.

Akrasia and the Virtuous Exemplar in Rumi’s Masnavi and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics

Abstract This article examines the transmission of virtue in Maulānā Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad al-Balkhī’s (heretoforth Rumi) Masnavi and compares this with similar concerns in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. This article argues that both philosophers have analogous concepts of the virtuous exemplar and akrasia, or “weakness of will,” two central problems in the transmission of virtue. With this similarity in mind, this article analyzes the unique way in which each philosopher discusses the nuances of virtue ethics, as Rumi deliberately communicates his insights in poem and anecdote, whereas Aristotle conveys his philosophy via intellectual discourse. Lastly, this article argues that Rumi’s form of storytelling is a crucial component in the transmission of virtue.

Qur’ānic Worldview and the Environment

This article analyses the prophethood of Muḥammad (peace be on him) as the Creator’s environmentally balanced strategy to achieve a secure and sustainable future for humanity. In line with the principles of innovating on the margins, this article foregrounds the purpose, need, and rationale for presenting such an altruistic environmental ethicist to the world. Negotiating through the environmental ethical debates of utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and the Qur’ānic worldview, the article argues that a study of the rationale for the Prophet Muḥammad’s prophethood brings an acute awareness of intrinsic environmental ethics and allows Muslims to understand why the Qur’ānic weltanschauung underscores the importance of such a complete human benefactor or a perfect environmental ethicist for the world. It also puts forth the relevance of such a study for navigating the mayhem of contemporary social affairs.

A theoretical analysis of philosophical dimensions in engineering education

This article presents a theoretical analysis of the philosophical dimensions embedded in engineering education, highlighting the importance of integrating ethical, social, and environmental considerations into the development of future engineers. As engineering increasingly shapes society through technological innovation, philosophical inquiry becomes crucial in addressing contemporary challenges such as sustainability, technological ethics, and social justice. The paper explores how philosophical frameworks, such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, provide engineers with tools to critically evaluate the broader impact of their designs and decisions. By embedding these ethical perspectives within the engineering curriculum, educators can prepare students to navigate the moral complexities inherent in technology and innovation. Moreover, the analysis underscores the role of philosophy in promoting sustainability in engineering, encouraging students to adopt a long-term view of environmental stewardship and resource management. The discussion also highlights the importance of addressing issues related to technological ethics, particularly in the development of artificial intelligence, automation, and biotechnology, where ethical challenges are becoming increasingly prominent. In addition, the paper examines the contribution of philosophy in fostering critical thinking and social responsibility, ensuring that engineers consider the societal implications of their work, especially in marginalized communities. Ultimately, this theoretical analysis argues that integrating philosophy into engineering education is essential for preparing engineers who are not only technically proficient but also ethically conscious, socially responsible, and capable of addressing the complex global challenges that define modern society.

‘It Never Ends’: Disability Advocacy and the Practice of Resilient Hope

Political advocacy is an important religious practice. But social activism can be discouraging. This paper integrates moral theology, virtue ethics, positive psychology and spiritual formation to highlight the importance of resilient hope for social justice advocates. Part 1 describes an important justice issue—public services for disabled people. Part 2 defines transformational advocacy and outlines an advocacy theology. Part 3 analyzes despair and hope. Part 4 summarizes spiritual practices for building resilient hope.

The Good of Thomas Aquinas

Aquinas’s thought was recognized as brilliant and insightful from his own time onwards, and there is a resurgence of interest in it today not only among Catholics and other Christians but among contemporary humanistic philosophers also, as a quick review of bibliographic sources will evince. Nonetheless, with many pressing problems in the world, with growing secularization of society, and with rising recognition of the need for multicultural studies, people may wonder why anyone would want to study the thought of a thirteenth-century European Catholic. People may think, what good is Aquinas now? This small essay is an attempt to give a short answer to that question. Our essay has two parts. The first part focuses on Aquinas’s metaphysics. It shows the way in which both the preceding Jewish and Hellenistic traditions are brought together in Aquinas’s work to yield a metaphysics that can handle well complicated philosophical issues still discussed today. The second part focuses on Aquinas’s ethics. It shows the way in which Aquinas’s version of virtue ethics incorporates the significance of the second-personal in human flourishing to yield a decidedly non-Aristotelian ethics.