Virtue College Essays Samples For Students

Virtue Ethics

The essence of Virtue Ethics is based in its antiquity and the fact that almost all ancient civilizations having endorsed some form of this principle. This is one form of Ethics that can directly be applied to professional and managerial situations. The reason for this is the ‘character-based’ nature of Virtue Ethics, wherein one evaluates an action in terms of specific ethical goals. In a sense, Virtue Ethics answers questions for managers better as compared to the Teleological or Deontological Ethical thoughts that are more consequence or duty based respectively. This essay would proceed to describe Virtue Ethics and ...

Socrates, being an ardent thinker he was, uses every statement that Meno says in disapproving him and refusing his answer. In each instance, he introduces something else and thinks through it together with Meno. He asks relevant questions according to what Meno gives out as a definition of virtue. In this analysis, two of the definitions that Meno gives as definitions of virtue are analyzed. This includes the second definition where Meno defines virtue as the power to rule over others. The third definition given by Meno is the power to acquire subtle things. In both cases, Meno genuinely strives ...

Analysis of the Argument that Socrates Uses to Dismiss Menno’s Second and Third Definition of Virtue

Socrates, being an ardent thinker he was, uses every statement that Meno says in disapproving him and refusing his answer. In each instance, he introduces something else and thinks through it together with Meno. He asks relevant questions according to what Meno gives out as a definition of virtue. In this analysis, two of the definitions that Meno gives as definitions of virtue are analyzed. This includes the second definition where Meno defines virtue as the power to rule over others. The third definition given by Meno is the power to acquire subtle things. In both cases, Meno genuinely strives ...

Introduction

In his writing of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the issue of pleasure and pain. Scholars have not come into agreement the reason why Aristotle used the word Nicomachean Ethics; however, most of them believe that Aristotle’s son and his father were both called Nicomachean. Aristotle’s son must have edited the book after the death of his father hence renaming the book to show that this was his edition. According to Aristotle, happiness is the greatest good, and it is the only reason why we undertake various activities. For example, when a person decides to go for grocery ...

Virtue Ethics and Relativism on Military Ethics

I. Introduction (200 words)
Military ethics has been in existence in times immemorial. Tribes, communities, and sovereign governments from around the world have at times in their history engaged in either just or unjust wars. The rationale behind armed fights and wars is for soldiers to protect their own lives, people they serve, and state. The moral question that seem to perplexed some individuals and groups is whether it is morally right to kill others in order to preserve one’s life, particular society, government, and even posterity. Such a moral questioning is an ethically significant issue because modern ...

Philosophers customarily described virtue as the morally good habit such as honesty, honour and benevolence among others. Ethicists essentially failed to offer specific definition of the idea of virtue since the term often assumes controversial meanings in different situations. Hume is one of the renowned philosophers who have considerably developed the knowledge of the idea of virtues. Hume assumes a different perspective from the traditional view of the concept of virtue in reference to both the moral significance and the quantity of virtues. In his moral writings, Hume stretches the idea of virtues to include values such as wit, dialog ...

Business Ethics

Virtue ethics focuses on the internal motivation that directs an individual towards realizing the end and not the rules or consequences. Virtues are the qualities that a person possesses that helps them to improve their performance at a given task. For the theory of virtue to work, then the theory of conduct is crucial. The right conduct is prior to ethics of virtue to determine the criteria for right actions. A good act is defined regarding rightness or appropriateness. This, therefore, implies that right is prior to good or good is defined in terms of right.

Problems with applying virtue theory to ethics in business

Applying the theory ...

Virtue and Care Theory

Thesis: Virtue ethics is built on the premise that the undertakings of an individual or group must be aligned with the moral tenets that define the essence of good living. The traditional and modern practices of virtue ethics intimate that character traits, vices or virtues are the key determinants of moral standings. These variables determine how humans relate to each other in the society. Nonetheless, virtue ethics has been extensively applied in the medical practice. Virtue ethics and medical practice have a high affinity, and they enhance the provision of care in healthcare facilities.
I. Introduction

B. Summary and ...

Chapter 1 of “True Virtue”

In Jonathan Edwards’ The Nature of True Virtue is the philosophers’ concrete attempt to define the nature of virtue – in Chapter 1, “What the essence of true virtue consists in,” Edwards insists that, regardless of controversy, “virtue is something beautiful, or rather it is some kind of beauty or excellence” (Edwards 1). In essence, virtue is something that is intrinsically beautiful, but not all things that are beautiful are virtuous. Instead, virtue belongs only to human beings and those other creatures of free will (like God); “Virtue is the beauty of the mental qualities and acts that are of a ...

In the middle of all the Socratic philosophizing there are questions about moral virtues, qualities, knowledge and wisdom of the person. In essence the teachings of Socrates are the philosophy of morality and ethics. Moral and ethical meaning of human search for truth and the acquisition of knowledge is predetermined by the fact that the sources, wisdom, and morality, according to Socrates, connected with the gods. A measure of human true virtue is a measure of his initiation to the divine wisdom, and knowledge of the process acquires the character of moral action. The path of knowledge is his ...

Introduction

Saint Thomas Aquinas is one of the people accredited for having brought theology into the limelight. However, though theology existed long before the emergence of philosophers and fathers if the church, individualistic drives such as those of Aquinas brought a deeper understanding into the mysteries of theology. Modern day theology would not have gotten any bearing without the impact of philosophers and scholars who simplified the understanding of theological concepts. While it cannot be independently verified what the motivation was behind the interest in theology, it is clear that theology is what it is because of the input of the ...

The aim of this essay is to present you with the answers to specific questions. The specific questions derive from the reading of four (4) specific dialogues of Plato that are included in the first volume of his dialogues. The essay is structured in such a way that each answer to each one of the questions covers the main thematic core of each question. The four (4) dialogues used as the starting point of the following questions are Ion, Menon, Apology and Crito.
- In Ion, Ion claims that his skill at reciting and explaining Homer’s Iliad and ...

In Meno, Plato explores Socrates conundrum “that a man cannot enquire either about that which he knows, or about that which he does not know; for if he knows, he has no need to enquire; and if not, he cannot; for he does not know the very subject about which he is to enquire.” .
Meno uses the device of encountering Meno a Thessalian who is a follower of Gorgias. The conversation turns to the topic of virtue. The first question is if, and how virtue can be taught. They agree that it must be defined before any more questions are answered ...

Recognizing other options for approach to ethical decision making, I would like to explore the Virtue Ethics principle and apply it to the different dilemma scenarios.

Virtue Ethics (Character Based Virtues)

Virtue Ethics focuses on the virtue or moral character of an individual instead of focusing on the ethical duties and rules or on the consequences of an action or decision. Virtue Ethics is an important principle to use in a dilemma situation as it centers on motives and how it plays a major role in moral issues. Moral decisions require a virtuous act that derives from the right motivation. “It is concerned with ...

Aristotle was the first person to develop ethics as a systematic science. He provided it with a definition by producing it from the word that had initially signified a joint residence, tradition, traits of character engendered by the conditions of a joint residence. The title of ethics, if to investigate the essence basing on letters, is given by the word "ethos", which meant tradition. Thus, the ethical virtue of Aristotle is called by consonance with the word "habit". In this connection, it becomes clear that no virtue of the irrational part of the soul takes place by nature: everything ...

Assignment #1 – Aristotle

Virtue or Vice: Aristotle’s Ethics of Friendship and the Ethical Problem of Prostitution
Aristotle and the Ethics of Prostitution
The best way to think about prostitution in an Aristotelian way is to think about whether or not a prostitute is a friend. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle spends a considerable amount of time on thinking about what constitutes friendship. However, can someone one procures sex for money be a friend? Furthermore, is prostitution a virtue or a vice? These are issues when thinking about these issues in terms of the Aristotelian tradition.
In thinking about the issue of prostitution, two concepts ...

As far as we know, the question of virtue’s connection to happiness came out of the context of society. Though it is possible that this question arose in earlier human communities, we do know that strong arguments for this viewpoint arose from ancient Greek cultures, advocated by Aristotle, and also from the Buddhist tradition in the East. This idea makes sense, as modern humans exist within the context of a society. As Flanagan points out in Chapter 6, Buddhism is founded on this basic idea that happiness is a product of perspective that results from culminating virtue in one’s life.
...

As in all other Socratic dialogues, Socrates demands that it is necessary to first understand the true and correct nature of that which one wishes to understand by correctly defining its essence. He requires a full definition which is not fragmented, as only this can clearly explain the essence of the issue at hand. According to Socrates, in order to understand whether virtue can be taught, one must first understand what virtue truly is. He prioritizes correctly defining terms, before pursuing the path through which one may fully understand the term.
Meno’s first suggestion is that there exist ...

Introduction

René Descartes was born in France in the sixteenth century in the year 1596 and he lived a full life until his death in the seventeenth century in the year 1650. Rene Descartes is one of ancient recommendable philosophers who immensely contributed in the critical thinking of the society members especially on the issue of passion, desires and soul. Apart from being a philosopher, René Descartes was a reputable writer and he spent a substantial amount of his time in the republic of Dutch. Rene Descartes work is of great importance even to the modern social environments. Consequently, René Descartes is considered to ...

Business goals are primarily geared towards attaining financial gains. Other factors weigh heavily in ensuring the success of a business undertaking such as the organizational capability, management competency and market improvement strategies. Beyond these success factors, however, one aspect of running a business that is crucial in determining the performance of the business in the long term is business ethics or the application of moral theories in making business decisions.
Business ethics refer to the adoption of proper business policies and practices concerning potentially controversial issues, such as corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, corporate social responsibility and fiduciary ...

Naturally, societies condemn murderers and advocate therapy in case an individual contemplates suicide. Both actions preserve a life that is not only precious but also considered a gift from God. By extension, even atheists conform to the cultural norms that render lives susceptible to God’s will alone and never to that of a human being. With that in mind, individuals avoid the question of euthanasia or mercy killing where people opt for suicide or voluntary murder when their lives become unworthy. It is plausible that most individuals who seek euthanasia have incurable diseases that cause them immense pain and suffering, but ...

Introduction

After a long struggle, it seems today that women have achieved equality after many centuries of oppression. Women have acquired financial independence and a strong voice in the public space. In addition, women are now present in politics and respected as leadership figures. This does not mean however that the Western societies have reached gender equality. Moreover, it is not even clear that being equal necessary fulfills women’s needs, particularly since, this equality was obtained by bringing women’s status close to that of men, in a patriarchal society which defines needs primarily through a man’s point of view. Therefore, this paper ...

Aristotle and Machiavelli have been described as political scientists. The two men have differences in terms of philosophies in relation to the vision they had on the political system. Each man was a product of his own time. Aristotle rose from Greece in the Golden Age while Machiavelli sprouts from Medieval Europe. Their cases gave advice and ideas hold weight in modern political aspects considering their philosophies and outlooks which differ. According to Aristotle, he perceived that the main goal of politics was to deliver a “good life” to the society.
Machiavelli’s goal shared the view that the goal ...

Account of virtue

Aristotle perceives virtue as a twofold phenomenon which comprises both thought and character. The thought aspect of virtue stems arises from teaching. It means that thought develops after some time and experience. The character aspect of virtue stems from the habit (ethos) of a person. The classification of virtue as thought and character rejects idea that it can occur naturally because “nothing natural can be habituated to be otherwise” (Aristotle 138). Aristotle observed that habit is an important element of virtue because most learning takes place by developing a habit for some things. He added that even though some ...

No one debates the vast influence that Aristotle has had on Western culture. It seems every discipline, from Science, to art, to literature, bears the mark of his influence. His ideas and his succinct ordering of them have incalculable influences in today’s world. He had rigid ideas regarding human relationships, happiness, virtues, deliberation, justice and friendship. His Nicomachean Ethics is a conclusive work that governs what he considers to be both the “ultimate” good and specific “goods” attainable for man. He believed that things were directed towards specific ends, and that a virtuous entity was one that stayed true to ...

Aristotle has focused on three types of ends, which are instrumental, intrinsic, and ultimate. Eudaimonia is regarded as ultimate end of human conduct. Eudaimonia comprises of happiness and living a good life. According to Aristotle, happiness is not equal to amusement or physical pleasure. However, for him, happiness is living life in a well manner towards attainment of good. He considered that activity is not a state, but a habit, activity, and practice. Eudaimonia indicates overall happiness, which consists of the totality of life of an individual. It does not only comprises of the situations in which an individual ...

Utilitarianism and Kantianism

Utilitarianism, Virtue ethics and Kantianism are examples of normative ethics. In these theories, there are three components which characterize every action: the consequences of the action, the action itself (which also include the motive of the action), and the agent (the doer). Utilitarianism deals with the consequences of the action. On the other hand, deontological theories (Kantianism and divine command theory) are concerned with motive/action. Virtue ethics, however, is concerned with the doer/agent (Stewart, 2009).
Utilitarianism and Kantianism
Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is derived from the word utility. In utilitarianism, an action is deemed right only if its outcome is to ...

Variations on the Theme of World Order in the Analects and the Tao Te Ching

In the Analects of Confucius order has to do with political order. Confucius is interested in the “ordering of the people” in order to create a more justice society (Analects). In the Tao Te Ching, order is also important but it is of a different kind. It speaks of a cosmic order, of putting “things in order before they exist” (Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching). In this way, the two texts offer a variation on a theme when it comes to the notion of ordering of the world. In this paper, it will be shown that order is expressed in four different aspect. The ...

Throughout the history of Western civilization, people have asked themselves questions about how to lead their lives and achieve happiness. Major philosophers have debated this idea, arguing for different ways of orienting their lives, commenting and criticizing their precursors in the process. Two of the most important of these thinkers were Aristotle and Immanuel Kant, who both drafted different ethical theories, while staying within the boundaries of what is considered standard in the Western philosophical tradition. Specific differences in their contexts lead to major dissimilarities in their theories. However, both theories have aspects which may be considered correct, and ...

The central claim of this paper is: the movie Million Dollar Baby is a cinematic argument containing the central thesis of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave from Republic and Aristotle’s moral philosophy from Nicomachean Ethics. First, the allegory of the cave will be explained as well as Aristotle’s theory of virtue. The paper will give examples from Eastwood’s film to back up the thesis, along with possible counterarguments.
The story of the cave is Plato’s argument for how knowledge begins in darkness and ascends towards truth (517a). The ascent to knowledge is gradual. Darkness ...

Introduction

This is a layman’s effort to hit the importance of Aristotle’s explanation of the human nature. In his work of sociology and ethics; the Nicomachean Ethics Book 1, he emerge as a good natured and cheerful philosopher. He is an icon in his writing and shows his skilled and a vast experience in writing since he entices many people to look into ethics. From my point of view Nicomachean Ethics is a philosophical that reviews the nature of the good life for a human being. He begins the work by suggesting that there is often an ultimate goodness in every last analysis ...

Introduction

To illustrate the various aspects of business ethics and religious perspectives, a study was carried out in a CPA firm. This company is owned by Myron D. Solomon who is a CPA and he was interviewed for purposes of this study. This is a small firm located along Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove, Illinois. His firm provides accounting services for small and medium sized companies. It is estimated that his business revenue is less than $ 500,000 annually. Myron D Solomon does not employ full time employees. He shares office space and employ with two other CPA offices and a third entrepreneur in a different line ...

Comment

Aristotle leaped into the human into the essence of human nature and found a way to live a life of happiness in a truly human sense. This way he asserted is living and acting in accordance with virtue. He defines virtue as the intermediate between the deficiency and excess of some trait of personality or the way of acting. Although, it does not dwell in all of the traits and actions since there are the ones which are inherently bad, and neither the deficiency nor the excess of such quality or action will result in virtue (such as treachery, ...

The evolution of moral values follows the arc of ancient Greek society, from its martial antecedents in the Homeric age through the blossoming of high culture that immortalized the Athenians to the subjective meditations of the Stoics. The series of armed conflicts that archaeologists have identified as the Trojan War (circa 1200 B.C.) were manifestations of ancient Mycenaean culture, an Indo-European civilization characterized by warfare and the virtues of physical courage. From this heroic past came the concepts of arete, or “excellence,” and agathos, roughly translated as “good.” A close reading of Homer reveals that “agathos is used to ...

Introduction

Socrates and his student Plato are distinguished philosophers of all times. Their philosophical studies have immeasurably contributed to the today’s philosophical works such as justice, ethics and knowledge. The two philosophers have shown great similarities in almost all their pursuits. They both hold tightly to the value that moral values are of utmost priority in any civilized society. They both cling to the old saying that “virtue is its own reward.” Also they both have a common propelling force in this area of study. Their idea behind this subject matter is an interesting concept that “virtue is the health ...

Introduction

Corporate executives are required to maximize shareholder revenue while avoiding agent-principal conflicts, enhancing the reputation of the companies, and conforming to the regulatory standards. The situation in Enron indicates the corporate irresponsibility and managerial negligence that resulted in investor outrage and multiple lawsuits. The shareholders demanded legislation reforms, managerial accountability, and corporate power. The scandal in Enron encircled unethical and illegal activities punishable by law. This essay attempts to evaluate the virtue ethics that apply to the case of Enron.

Body

When it comes to the concept of virtue ethics, the postulates shift from individual, agent-centered, and action-oriented. The theory ...

Abstract

The moral principles that govern an individual’s or a group’s code of conducts are referred as ethics. In other words, it is the subdivision of knowledge that deals with the moral actions of human beings. Equally, virtue ethicist is expounded as the characters of an individual’s character as well as the virtues that take a central role in the determination of one’s ethical behavior. It encompasses not one, but three imperative approaches to normative ethics that recurrently gets differentiated to deontology. It is from that background that the paper will be taking a position of a virtue ethicist and ...

Philosophy

Explain Mill's argument in chapter two of Utilitarianism against telling a lie. Is his argument against lying consistent with his claim in chapter four that it is beneficial for people to believe that virtue is good in itself?
Mill’s argument in chapter two of Utilitarianism against telling a lie concerns the principle of utility and expediency . Under the principle of utility, there should be the maximization of happiness (satisfaction) for the greatest (most number) of people. Under expediency (that is, suitability to the end in view), an action should offer the most appropriate or pleasurable outcomes. Any expedient actions ...

Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle valued reason above all other characteristics and argued that it separated human beings from plants and animals, and like Buddhist philosophy elevated spiritual truths over material concerns. The Greek idealist philosophy was not as completely divorced from the physical universe as Buddhism, however, even though both agreed that the soul was immortal. They also regarded virtue as being its own reward and defined it as seeking higher spiritual and moral values rather than money, power and physical pleasures. Often their ideas have been misunderstood in that they thought the highest level of ...

Virtue is essential to the maintenance of peace in society. In fact, lack thereof compromises the possibilities of having constructive relationships among community members thereby limiting good relations. With this in mind, it is worth acknowledging the fact that virtue and other ethical principles are continually learned and acquired through an individual’s life. Specifically, one cannot be classified to be an ethical being immediately after their birth without expressing some moral actions. These moral acts, however, are procedurally embraced as a person appreciates the moral teachings of the community and habitually practices through ethical actions. Aristotle argues that ...

Introduction

In Chinese history, political, state and the economic system has changed during the Spring and Autumn Period that lasted about 300 years. It was during era that there is substantial transformation in the political, economic, and social structure of Chinese civilization. However, amidst these changes are widespread conflicts in the society such as warring elite families and other conflicts that the government cannot match. According to Confucius, who was born during the latter part of the Spring and Autumn, the societal disorder was largely because the government was not virtuous enough to please the people. The teachings of Confucius ...

The intrinsic worth or virtue of an individual is best known as the qualities a person retains that motivate him or her to act in a decent or virtuous way. A person without any virtue is not approachable. Similarly, to be an ideal boss is a huge responsibility that really needs an experienced and eligible person to succeed. The main requirement in my boss would be the “Integrity” and he or she must be an integral part of the team as well as the organization. A few other features that make an ideal boss are to be a good communicator, be a leader, ...

It is an accepted fact today that written contracts are a mainstay in the American legal lifestyle. However, as easy as writing a contract, getting out of it is almost equally as easy. On June 30, for instance, Donald Trump sued Univision, a Hispanic broadcasting organization, for $500 million when the latter cancelled ties with his Miss Universe Organization from 2015 through 2019 over a racist remark against Mexicans during a presidential candidacy (Broke, 2015). Is it valid for Univision to cancel the contract on the basis of racial discrimination, a point unrelated to the broadcasting of Miss Universe pageants in the United States? Or, ...

Introduction

Aristotle who lived between 384BC- 322 BC is today recognized as one of the greatest philosopher who ever walked this earth. He was a Greek philosopher and a student of another famous philosopher by name Plato. Aristotle is also considered to be the teacher of Alexander the Great and most of his influences were brought about by the interaction the two had and shared. Aristotle came up with many writings of his time and mostly revolved around philosophy but he also touched on issues to deal with metaphysics, music, logic, politics and government. Aristotle is one of the pioneers who laid ...

There are three major approaches in normative ethics and one of them is virtue ethics. The other two approaches are deontology and consequentialism. The difference between virtue ethics and the other two approaches is that it emphasizes virtues or moral character. Deontology on the other hand is more concerned on duties or roles while consequentialism stresses the outcomes or results of actions. The main focus of virtue ethics is whether the actions of a person is an expression of a good character or not.
Aristotle differentiates between intellectual and moral virtues. He defines moral virtue as the manner of acting ...

Philosophy

Explain Mill's argument in chapter two of Utilitarianism against telling a lie. Is his argument against lying consistent with his claim in chapter four that it is beneficial for people to believe that virtue is good in itself?
Mill claimed that it is expedient for a person to tell a lie in some circumstances as long as it will maximize total pleasure for oneself and other people (Mill 32). He based this line of reasoning from the fact that Utilitarianism is about the greatest happiness for the greatest number “to all mankind” and [] “whole sentient creation” (Mill 17). Mill gave an ...

Aristotle’s virtue ethics has been vividly explained in his book. The objective of this paper is to clearly define what makes the Aristotelian virtue ethics different from the traditional or basic one as known by experts in the field of philosophy. In order to do so, a brief background of both must be provided. Virtue ethics is a theory or a philosophical approach to studying ethics (the study of right and wrong) that focuses on an individual’s character and or his individuality when it comes to determining the key element of ethical thinking. This highlights the concept ...

“Nicomachean Ethics” is one of the most well-known philosophical works by Aristotle. In ten books, Aristotle discusses such notions as justice, friendship, happiness, kindness, and different virtues. The times have passed, though these issues are still important in the society, so it is extremely interesting to investigate Aristotle’s point of view and compare it to modern one.
In the whole work Aristotle states that a person should seek for the golden middle in everything and that the lack or excess of something is negative. The same approach is preserved in the description of ideal state and society. It ...

Why is it important for a counselor to have an understanding of ethical theory?

Counselors have a sworn duty to help their clientele by listening and being attentive to the person’s problems, it can be argued that a counselor’s sole purpose is to guide someone on how they should deal with everyday problems. It cannot be argued that there are limits to a counselor’s power as far as giving advice, counselors are fully aware of what to do or say and what not to. For example, a counselor can instruct a person on how to effectively deal with their problems, but the counselor cannot give them specific instructions on how ...

Philosophy

Aristotle defines virtue as being of two kinds; moral and intellectual. Intellectual virtue is dependent on teaching and requires experience and time, while moral virtue is a result of habit. This is to say that moral virtues arise in an individual by nature. In consideration of what virtue is, Aristotle examines the three kinds of things found in the soul-passions, faculties and states of character (Ross 84). In this consideration, Aristotle then concludes that virtue is a trained faculty of choice or habit, the characteristic of which lies in observance or moderation of the mean in relation to the individuals concerned, ...

Section I: Matching (Maximum 20 points)

This section consists of ten (10) matching questions worth two (2) points each. Match the moral theories in the shaded box below with the ten numbered descriptions set forth below the shaded box. Choose the moral theory that corresponds best to each numbered question and write the letter that corresponds to the appropriate moral theory in the space provided below.
[Hint: Some questions may have more than one moral theory that is applicable to it. In such a case, simply choose one applicable theory and write its corresponding letter on the space provided. Only one correct response is required ...

Aristotle considers ethical theory as a field different from the theoretical sciences. Friendship is of profound importance for human life as well as of pronounced significance for the moral life. The reason behind why we study ethics is to improve our lives and the principal concern the kind of human well-being. Aristotle follows Plato and Socrates in taking the qualities to be a central of a well-lived life. Aristotle began by introducing the notion that helps to understand the phenomenon of friendship. He begins by defining a friend as a person who likes or loves another individual for the sake of that other person’ ...

24.05.2014
1.0 Introduction
Both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations across the world experience ethical issues that must be addressed for the successful realization of the outcomes of these organizations. The ethical issues and dilemma vary from one case to the other, and often compels the organizations to take certain positions based on the ethical values embraced. This study will analyze key problems and ethical dilemma that faced the Human Society of the United States (HSUS), a not-for-profit organization; and General Mills, a for-profit organization. The article will examine the key ethical dilemmas that these two organizations faced, the positions that ...

Introduction

Since ages, researchers, philosophers, artists, and women have wondered about who is an ideal man. Everybody’s idea of the perfect man varies greatly, and the concept keeps changing with time and need. However, there are certain aspects in behavior, morals, and conducts that never change in one’s perspective of idealism in man. This paper attempts to understand the thought processes of three great thinkers and philosophers—Aristotle, Kant, and Mill—about an ideal man and how much of these are relevant in the context of the present world. The essay concludes with my concept of an ideal ...

An inherent relationship seems to exist between law and virtue. Law is normally perceived as the extrinsic restraint that governs people’s actions, particularly to regulate the morally deficient people. On the other hand virtue is understood as by which an individual acts morally on one’s own. Medieval Philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, simply describes natural law as “a good to be done and pursued, and evil avoided” he further explains that, whatever promotes life and wards off its barriers is a natural law. Aquinas taught that virtue is a good habit generated by one’s good works (Gonzalez, 197).
...

Happiness is a state which many strive for; some achieve it and others don’t. However, the means and ways of attaining happiness are varied and can often involve questionable ethics. For instance, by taking an ecstasy pill, the side effect is to feel happy and as if you love everyone and everything; however, the purchasing of such a drug is illegal and the money goes into the drug trade which has links to countless un-ethical associations. It is also an unsustainable state which wears off after a few hours, so is that really happiness anyway? The pursuit of happiness is man’ ...

In Plato's "Apology", Socrates' series of dialogues in the period preceding, during, and after his trial provide an insight into his mastery of rhetoric. That is especially true given his ability to arrange his arguments in a judicious manner. While not overly successful in persuading the jury, the final judgment appears to be as a result of bias and prejudice rather than having a weak argument in the various passages of the "Apology." Socrates makes a persuasive claim that it is not possible to separate wisdom from moral virtue. Therefore, by being a man of wisdom, he could not ...

Aristotle, one of the first known philosophers, proposed the first ethical theory thousands of years ago. He stated that an ethical person chooses the course of action that leads to the greatest sense of personal well-being and living well. This is the theory of virtue which is known as eudemonia. The theory of eudemonia is complemented by the doctrine of the mean, which posits that virtuosity rests between the two extremes of action. This position advocates moderation in thought and action, for according to Aristotle, “in everything continuous and divisible, then, it is possible to take more, less, and ...

Introduction

Upholding ethical principles is essential to the maintenance of peace in any community. Precisely, the nature of people’s conduct in any organization is essential to the success of the institution. As such, people can determine how ethical or unethical we are by assessing our behaviours. According to Guerrette, Ethics is the philosophical study of the principles that govern the conduct of people in society [1]. Our actions can, therefore, be said to be ethical if they are praiseworthy and unethical if they are blameable. Ethics, therefore, tries to make a distinction between what is right and wrong. This ...

Introduction

Ethics is a subject that has attracted a lot of attention especially, in the current global setting. The concept is regarded as a set of standards that helps people to distinguish what is right from wrong. The idea generates individuals who impact positively to society, conduct themselves in an accepted way and act in a fair way or uphold certain virtues that are morally accepted. A person who is considered to behave in an ethical manner refrains from some behavior such as murder, rape, assault among others. Moreover, ethical standards have to oblige to some set standards such as ...