Essay on Virtue Ethics- Philosophy
Virtue Ethics
Word limit: 1,350-1,500 words
Consider the following case:
Tom and Reuben have been best friends since primary school, though they have different
values, personalities and backgrounds. Tom is a young man with lots of academic potential, and
has just been accepted into a tertiary programme in law. But over the summer he gets involved
with a group who binge drink and do crazy things. One night they break into a house, tie up the
elderly owner, and wreck the place. A neighbor hears and calls the police, and when the young
men hear the siren, they run. They all get away.
The next day Tom hears on the news that the man had a heart attack and died later that night.
Shaken, he tells Reuben all about it. Reuben thinks Tom should hand himself in, even though it
is likely he will go to jail as a result, or at least gain a conviction that will seriously affect his
career. Tom thinks he should say nothing, because nothing will be gained by turning himself in.
What should Tom do? What should Reuben do?
Essay Question:
What, in your view, would a virtue ethicist say? Do you think this is a satisfactory response to
the situation? Why or why not? Explain how your answer highlights ONE strength or limitation of
virtue ethics (see advice below for suggestions on what you might focus on) .
In your answer, briefly contrast what the virtue ethicist would say with what a utilitarian OR a
deontologist would say about this situation.
Advice for the essay:
1. Begin by saying what you will be arguing for – that either the virtue ethicist does or does not
have a satisfactory approach to the case.
2. Do not repeat details of the case in your essay, unless needed to make a point about what
the different theories would say about it. Refer to it as “the case”. You can focus on either Tom
or Reuben, or on both, if you have space, and if it helps you focus on the strength or limitation
you want to discuss.
3. When discussing your chosen strength or limitation of Virtue Ethics, move away from
focusing on the case, and say why you think this is a strength or limitation more generally. This
is a very important part of the essay.
4. Factors you might like to consider include: which virtues are relevant to the case and what
they require of the characters in the case, the role of practical wisdom, the use of virtue-rules,
the demandingness of virtue ethics, the focus on character, the definition of right action, the
conflict problem… And you may relate the case to any objection raised to Virtue Ethics. (If you
think that the strength or limitation you choose is closely linked to another, then feel free to
make that connection, though not at the expense of discussing ONE in detail)
5. Remember that VE does NOT evaluate agents and their actions in terms of how likely those
actions are to lead to flourishing. Flourishing is the basis of the virtues, but not something to
appeal directly to in making decisions about how to act. VE might ,however, refer to a virtue of
prudence. Be sure to say what you think this might require in this case, and how it might fit with,
or conflict with, other virtues.
6. Use this essay to offer your own evaluation of Virtue Ethics. Back up your evaluation with
reasons, not quotes from other writers. If and when you use other writer’s views, be sure to
include their reasons.
Reference material from two or three of these sources:
-“Ethics” by Dr Piers Benn
-The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/,
-“A Virtue Ethics Approach from A Companion to Bioethics” by Justin Oakley
-“A Virtue Ethical Account of Right Action” article by Christine Swanton
