Virtue Ethics Research Articles

ARETOLOGICAL ETHICS IN STRATEGIES OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Framing the problem in this aspect involves referring to the works of Elizabeth Anscombe, Alasdair MacIntyre, Philippa Foot, Rosalind Hursthouse, Roger Crisp, and Edith Hall. The issue of academic integrity has been addressed in the research of V. Romakin, T. Finikova, A. Artyukhov, M. Grynyova, L. Ryzhak, O. Tsokur, Y. Kalinovsky, V. Khmarsky and others. The research objective. Unveiling the creative potential of aretological ethics and its applicability in crafting a strategy of integrity and its effective implementation in the academic, cultural, and socio-political realms of contemporary Ukraine. The statement of basic materials. Changes in moral philosophy from Aristotle to the present day are shaped by diverse historical, cultural, and philosophical influences. In the mid-20th century, normative ethics was dominated by two theories: deontology, inspired by the 18th-century philosopher Immanuel Kant, and utilitarianism, rooted in the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham and J.S. Mill. Elizabeth Anscombe, in her work “Modern Moral Philosophy” (1958), highlighted a legalistic shift in ethics, suggesting a departure from viewing virtues as mere duties or obligations, advocating a return to Aristotle's approach where virtues are seen as key qualities of character aimed at human flourishing. Anscombe's work sparked a revival of virtue ethics. Philosophers like Philippa Foot, Rosalind Hursthouse, Edith Hall, and others contributed to the rehabilitation and development of virtue ethics, emphasizing Aristotle's moral philosophy. These philosophers seek not only to revive but also to adapt Aristotle's teachings on virtue to the demands of modern society, addressing contemporary challenges. Their contributions have significantly influenced the development of normative ethics, expanding discussions and examining aspects of virtue in the context of contemporary moral theories.

Religion and Reason in Contemporary Islamic Ethics: A Comparative Study of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas and Taha Abderrahmane Thought

The current research was based on a comparative study of the views of two prominent Islamic intellectual figures, namely Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas and Taha Abderrahmane regarding the position of reason and religion in contemporary Islamic ethics. As library-based research, the current study applied a comparative and textual analytical method to study the primary sources obtained from al-Attas' and Taha's works as well as supplemented by secondary sources from journals and books that are relevant to the topic of discussion. This study concluded that the difference between them was more obvious than the similarities. Through a philosophical lens of virtue ethics, al-Attas viewed ethics as an endeavor to cultivate and refine one's character and spirit by honing the key virtues, wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice, guided by the practical reasoning informed by the overarching influence of theoretical reason. Meanwhile, Taha rejects virtue ethics because for him to limit human actions to only a few elements of virtue cannot be justified since humans are ethical creatures who produce limitless actions. Through the conception of supported reason, which combines theory, praxis, and living experience, he strives for comprehensive ethics based on Sufi approach. However, they share the same opinion that in ethical decisions, the reason is dependent on religion, which they elaborate on through their respective arguments.

POSIDONIUS ON VIRTUE AND THE GOOD

AbstractThis paper argues that despite recent tendencies to minimize the differences between Posidonius and the Early Stoics, there are some important aspects of Stoic ethics in which Posidonius deviated from the orthodox doctrine. According to two passages in Diogenes Laertius, Posidonius counted health and wealth among the goods and held that virtue alone is insufficient for happiness. While Kidd in his commentary dismissed this report as spurious, there are good reasons to take Diogenes’ remarks seriously. Through a careful analysis of the sources, in particular of Galen's De placitis Hippocratis et Platonis, this article offers a new interpretation of Posidonius’ ethics. It sheds light on Posidonius’ theory of virtues and shows that Posidonius must have granted a special status to things like health and wealth even if he did not regard them as genuine goods.

The Possibility of Virtue Ethics in Information Literacy

Virtue ethics has recently enjoyed a resurgence in contemporary scholarship, especially concerning its practical and epistemic dimensions. Librarians have also been part of these recent conversations, especially in information literacy. For example, in his recent book Virtue Information Literacy: Flourishing in an Age of Information Anarchy, Wayne Bivens-Tatum underscores the need to cultivate intellectual virtues to navigate through the world of anarchy. Intellectual or epistemic virtues such as open-mindedness, intellectual humility, epistemic modesty, etc., are all necessary for information users to flourish in an age where information is readily available. While affirming the virtue ethics framework for information literacy, in this paper, I will present potential problems to the virtue ethics framework by calling into question the object of intellectual or epistemic virtues, namely consideration of truth. Librarians adopting the virtue ethics framework should consider the metatheoretical assumptions of the framework itself and understand the inherent challenges it poses, one of which is that virtues are goal oriented.

Virtue Ethics, Managerial Profession and Personality Traits: The Extension of Mintzberg’s Managerial Traits

Abstract Background In the dynamic realm of business, ethics serves as a critical compass, guiding the delineation between right and wrong actions. Gaining momentum as a focal point within organisational discourse, the concept of ethics has burgeoned into a cornerstone element of corporate identity and operations. Objectives This study aims to dissect the theoretical underpinnings of moral virtues—specifically wisdom, justice, courage, and restraint—and their intersection with the managerial profession and associated personality traits. We propose the extension of the Mintzberg model of managerial traits from the perspective of virtue ethics. Methods/Approach Employing a theoretical review methodology, this investigation traverses through each identified moral virtue, engaging with contemporary research and scholarly publications within the domain of virtue ethics. Results The analysis affirms that virtue ethics, with its emphasis on character and morality, is instrumental in shaping the framework for managerial conduct and decision-making. The exploration identifies a symbiotic relationship between managerial virtues within the Mintzberg model of managerial traits, highlighting how these elements collectively contribute to the effectiveness and ethical grounding of managerial practices. Conclusions The findings underscore the indispensability of moral virtues and specific personality traits in the cultivation of proficient and ethically oriented managerial professionals. The extended Mintzberg model can be a relevant starting point for a more detailed discussion regarding virtue ethics in a globalised economy.

A Call to Duty; but Duty to Who? -: Voices of Healthcare Providers in Conflict Zones.

Serving as a healthcare worker in a conflict zone is an experience that is characterized by peculiar and unimaginable challenges. This commentary is an exposition on twelve collated stories of healthcare providers currently serving or who have previously served in war. The stories bring to bear the heaviness of emotions such as fear and guilt that the authors grappled with, while concurrently showing that they embody virtues such as altruism, self-sacrifice, courage, and solidarity. In these stories, we see highlighted recurrent ethical themes including the tension between the duty to others and the duty to self, prioritization and allocation of scarce health resources, ethics of research in war, ethics of virtue and the lasting effects of war. This commentary thus explores and heightens our awareness of the interplay between personal morals and the translation of these into ethics of healthcare provision in war. In so doing, the commentary urges us to reflect on ways by which we can engage the discourse pertaining to war and healthcare ethics.

Ethical Principles As Student Motivation Continuing Education At Medical Faculty, Nahdlatul Ulama University, Surabaya

Background : Ethics is an important component in human life to distinguish good and bad behavior. Motivation is very important when an individual wants to do something and decides something. Ethics supports a person's motivation to do things they think are good, including determining education at medical school. Objective : The research aims to find out students' thinking principles based on the science of ethics so that by knowing these thinking principles researchers can find out students' motivations in choosing and continuing their studies at medical faculty. Methods : This research is a quantitative study with a descriptive approach on all students of the Class of 2022 FK UNUSA. The survey used secondary data from student interviews from the new student admissions committee, data analysis using descriptive analytics and data validity using correlation tests. Result : The results of this research show that 81% of students have the principle of virtue ethic thinking, supported by Personal Characteristics Test data showing that 72% of students are advised to be accepted as students at the medical faculty. Conclusion : So, it can be concluded that virtue ethics is a motivation to continue education at the Faculty of Medicine, Nahdlatul Ulama University, Surabaya.

Pierre Gassendi: Humanism, Science, and the Birth of Modern Philosophy

Pierre Gassendi: Humanism, Science, and the Birth of Modern Philosophy

Kierkegaard on “Sobriety”: Christian Virtues, the Ethical, and Triadic Dyads

In her recent book, Kierkegaard and Religion: Personality, Character, and Virtue, Sylvia Walsh argues that Kierkegaard is not a virtue ethicist in the most common senses associated with eudaimonism, which he understands as enlightened self-interest. However, recent disputes about whether the aspects of “character” that Kierkegaard praises are virtues rely partly on whether the “ethical stage” in Kierkegaard’s moral psychology remains important within Christian faith, even when most strictly conceived in his late works. This in turn depends on how we understand the difficult works–grace relation in Kierkegaard’s conception of Christian faith. In this essay, I argue that the ethical existence sphere remains important even though, in works like Practice in Christianity and Judge for Yourself!, Kierkegaard argues that Christian faith is not a mere outgrowth or natural “development” of ethical earnestness or care—hardening the break with immanence that he introduced in earlier works. While he emphasizes a total transformation, a break from natural moral consciousness, and describes Christian qualities as a reversal of ordinary human expectations, there remains an underlying continuity with the attitudes and stances constitutive of the ethical and religiousness A (as existence spheres). This becomes visible when we identify three aspects found across the aesthetic, ethical, and Christian religious versions of major concepts in Kierkegaard’s work, including positive character terms. I use “sobriety” as discussed in Judge for Yourself! as my main example. This analysis confirms several important points advanced by Lee Barrett on the works–grace relation. The paradoxical standoff between ethical effort and grace is bridged to some extent by the continuing significance of the ethical “sphere” as a part of the “religious”, even in Kierkegaard’s late works and journal entries.

Exploring business students’ views of the use of generative AI in assignment writing

The rise of generative AI, particularly over the past few years, has raised notable issues about its use. This has been possibly most pronounced in academia, where there has been strong debate on the potential value of generative AI to augment learning outcomes versus the potential for academic dishonesty and devalued education. Whilst some papers have looked at students’ perspectives on the use of generative AI, there has been less focus exploring through what ethical perspectives or frames students see using generative AI in their tertiary education. We interviewed and conducted focus groups and interviews with students enrolled in an Australian university business school, to explore the ethical frames through which they saw the use of generative AI. Focussing on three specific perspectives: Deontological, Consequentialism and Virtue Ethics, it emerged that no single perspective dominated, with students having a complex mix and latticework of ethical perspectives on its use, even within the same individual. We explore some potential implications for practice that emerged from the data, one of which is the role of the academic as moral exemplar.

Kierkegaard on Hope and Faith

Faith, hope and love have often been classed together in the Christian tradition as the three “theological virtues”. Kierkegaard does not use that label for them, but he does have a good deal to say about all three. This paper starts by examining hope, arguing that there is an Aristotelian-style virtue relating to hope (a mean between wishful and depressive thinking) and that Kierkegaard could consistently recognize it as a secular virtue. However, his main discussions of hope as a positive state are in a religious context and relate it closely to faith and love; proper hope is a work of love and grounded in faith in God. I then argue that Kierkegaard’s understanding of faith, hope and love is, in many respects, close to Aquinas’ understanding of them as theological virtues (which differs in important ways from Aristotle’s account of a virtue) and that, therefore, it is appropriate to see Kierkegaard’s religious thought as lying within the tradition of virtue theory. The main difference between Aquinas and Kierkegaard here is that the former has an intellectualist and propositional account of faith which contrasts with the latter’s affective and existential view of it. This means that hope and love are both closer to faith for Kierkegaard than they are for Aquinas, meaning that he has a tight account of the unity of the theological virtues. I conclude by discussing how both faith and hope operate as antidotes to despair in The Sickness Unto Death.

The Ecological Community: The Blind Spot of Environmental Virtue Ethics

The Ecological Community: The Blind Spot of Environmental Virtue Ethics

On the Virtuousness of Certain Refusals to Comply with Legal Demands Prompted by Other Normativities

The question of whether a deliberate choice to refuse to comply with the demands placed on a moral agent by a given provision of positive law can be explored from the perspective of different ethical approaches, including deontology and consequentialism. However, examining that question from the standpoint of virtue ethics can prove especially illuminating, considering how it expressly takes into account nuances pertaining the specific context in which agents find themselves and the tension between different virtues. In this article, I carry out one such examination, considering the value of justice. I further posit that if harm and negative effects on others do not take place or are outweigh by the injustice of a legal demand, and alternative remedies with prospect of effectiveness to address a potential injustice brought about by the law are not feasibly present, then disobedience in a deliberate fashion can prove sometimes to be not only ethical but even, in exceptional cases, the most responsible course of action.

Approaching Crime From A Psychological Perspective: Virtue Ethics And Criminal Etiology In Criminology

<p>This research aims to analyse the relationship between virtue ethics and criminal aetiology, particularly from a psychological perspective on criminal behaviour. Using the normative-dogmatic legal method, this research focuses on the systematic study of applicable legal rules and positive legal systems without collecting empirical data. The results indicate that virtue ethics has a significant influence on the prevention and reduction of criminal behaviour, showing that the formation of good character through moral education and positive behavioural examples can reduce the risk of criminal behaviour. This research contributes to the application of legal practice by suggesting the integration of virtue ethics principles for more effective rehabilitation and crime prevention strategies. The limitation of the research lies in the use of literature studies as the basis of analysis, which limits the generalisability of the findings to broader social practices.</p>

Caring as the unacknowledged matrix of evidence-based nursing

In this article, we explicate evidence-based nursing (EBN), critically appraise its framework and respond to nurses’ concern that EBN sidelines the caring elements of nursing practice. We use resources from...

Virtue Ethics and the Morality System

Virtue ethics is frequently billed as a remedy to the problems of deontological and consequentialist ethics that Bernard Williams identified in his critique of “the morality system.” But how far can virtue ethics be relied upon to avoid these problems? What does Williams’s critique of the morality system mean for virtue ethics? To answer this question, we offer a more principled characterisation of the defining features of the morality system in terms of its organising ambition—to shelter life against luck. This reveals the system to be multiply realisable: the same function can be served by substantively different but functionally equivalent ideas. After identifying four requirements that ethical thought must meet to function as a morality system, we show that they can also be met by certain constellations of virtue-ethical ideas, including notably Stoicism. We thereby demonstrate the possibility of virtue-ethical morality systems raising problems analogous to those besetting their deontological and consequentialist counterparts. This not only widens the scope of Williams’s critique and brings out the cautionary aspect of his legacy for virtue ethics; it also offers contemporary virtue ethicists a more principled understanding of the functional features that mark out morality systems and lie at the root of their problems, thereby helping them avoid or overcome these problems.

Competitive virtue ethics and narrow morality

Competitive virtue ethics and narrow morality

Shinmi (親身): a Distinctive Japanese Medical Virtue?

In Western countries, the ideal professional and ethical attributes of healthcare providers and the ideal patient-doctor relationship have been analysed in detail. Other cultures, however, may have different norms, arising in response to diverse healthcare needs, cultural values and offering alternative perspectives. In this paper, drawing a case study, we introduce the concept of Shinmi, used in Japan to describe a desirable approach to medical care. Shinmi means kind or cordial in Japanese. In the medical context, it refers to doctors treating patients with a degree of emotional closeness as if they were the doctors’ own family. We analyse the concept of Shinmi, drawing on virtue ethics. We distinguish two different elements to a Shinmi-na attitude. As illustrated in our example, excessive Shinmi can be problematic for patients and doctors. Furthermore, elements of Shinmi may conflict with existing Western values (for example, norms that encourage emotional detachment and discourage doctors’ treatment of family members). However, if pursued appropriately, we argue that a balanced Shinmi-na approach can be conducive to the goals of medicine. The concept of Shinmi may be valuable for medical students, in Japanese and potentially other health care systems, and help them to cultivate a virtuous approach to meeting the emotional needs of patients.

Reparative futures in a thick, virtuous present

Reparative action is often justified by appealing to consequentialist or deontological ethics. This paper argues that these ethics are dependent on an assumed continuity between the present and the future, and, further, that this assumption is not warranted in the face of a complex and uncertain future. If this is the case, actions taken to repair historic and emerging harms may lack justification. To strengthen the case for reparative action, this paper describes an alternative approach, one based on virtue ethics, and suggests that virtuous action can be imagined taking place within a ‘thick present’. Reparative action, on this account, can be justified by appealing to the degree to which it addresses human flourishing, without having to depend on an unreliable future. This focus on the present does not foreclose a reparative future, but instead re-orients our relationship to it: reparative futures, on this account, become utopian lodestones that affirm our need to work for justice and repair, while the actions we take to bring them about can be justified through an appeal towards what matters in the present. But working in a thick, virtuous present is not without its own risks, and the paper describes some of the challenges that arise.

Adam Smith’s Virtue of Prudence in E-Commerce: A Conceptual Framework for Users in the E-Commercial Society

As founder of modern political economics and prominent theorist of the commercial society, Adam Smith’s importance is universally recognized. Little, however, has been done so far to develop Adam Smith’s virtue ethics in the context of modern business, characterized by digitalization. This article aims to rediscover Adam Smith’s virtue of prudence and its relevance for the “e-commercial society”: It presents a framework that considers the central place of prudence in the relationship between a prosperous e-commercial system and societal flourishing. In Smith’s view of the commercial society, prudence enables people to develop habits of character related to industriousness, genuineness, spirit of sacrifice, and self-command, which help in the conduct of a prosperous business activity. This article translates Smith’s virtue of prudence into a language typical of consumers in the current e-commerce scenario, considering their development as persons and the contribution of their activities to the good of society.