Essay on Do Medical Practitioners Need the Virtues

A revival of Aristotelian thinking with regard to morality, in particular the idea of virtue ethics, has been in the ascendance for the past twenty years, and now forms the basis of a theory of morality which challenges the dominant utilitarian and deontological schools of thought. These two principal theories have shaped the ideas underpinning the teaching and practical application of medical ethics for the second half of the last century, and into the current one1. Whether or not the resurgence of virtue theory in philosophical circles should lead to a questioning of this status quo in medical ethics is open to discussion, and this essay aims to evaluate this debate. The ascendance of utilitarianism has its roots in the scientific†¦show more content†¦Aristotle founded the doctrine of virtue theory in the 4th century BC. He agreed with Plato that humans are essentially social beings, but diverged from his teacher by concentrating on commonsense application of ethical concepts involving goodness and moral philosophy as opposed to a study of theoretical abstracts. The basic principle is that an adherent of virtue theory can become more moral by habituation; aspiring to become more virtuous, this aspiration is reinforced when a good act is performed, the reward being a feeling of advancement towards the virtuous ideal. Through this process, the aspiring virtuous person will eventually find themselves equipped with an array of virtues; honed character traits through which they can evaluate ethical scenarios, and act in such a way as to perform only good acts. The cultivation of virtues is the means to the end of flourishing as a human be ing, and living the good life. The virtues themselves are described in detail by Aristotle in his Nicomachean Ethics5. In Aristotles model, individuals act within many different, distinct spheres of existence, common to all human beings, irrespective of individual or cultural differences6. Together these spheres include all theShow MoreRelatedPrinciples of Confidentiality, Ethical Theories, and a Presented Case Study on the Z Family and the Practitioners Ethical Decisions1511 Words   |  7 Pagesfamily and the practitioners’ ethical decisions. It will provide a better understanding of how moral and ethical situations can be approached by the practitioner, and giving examples and theories that can be put into practice in difficult decisions. B. Ethical Theory The importance of ethical theory plays a large role in nursing practices. It is often difficult to understand where the lines of confidentiality should be drawn, so in order to help decipher the feelings nurse practitioners have of whatRead MoreThe Ethical Theory Of Virtue Ethics1115 Words   |  5 Pagesfew criticisms of virtue ethics. 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