She shows how virtue ethics can provide guidance for action, illuminate moral dilemmas, and bring out the moral significance of the emotions. In the first half i aim particularly to secure an understanding that will reveal that many of these criticisms are simply misplaced, and to articulate what i take to be the major criticism of virtue theory. Virtue ethics i the other major concept of virtue ethics is that of virtue. I used hursthouse s paper virtue theory and abortion as a part of my thesis.
Arational actions in the journal of philosophy, vol. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouse s abortion ethics. Hursthouse s most hursthouze contribution to modern virtue ethics is her book on virtue ethicswhich explores its structure as a distinctive actionguiding theory, the relationship between virtue, the emotions and moral motivation, and the place of the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. Rosalind hursthouse, in her essay virtue theory and abortion, puts forth her theory of virtue by first introducing the mechanics of the theory and then applying it to the particular moral controversy of abortion. Virtue theory and abortion in philosophy and public affairs, vol.
I feel if we could have a discussion of abortion on a mainstream scale it would improve things. After all, it basically just amounts to thinking about what to do using the virtue and vice terms. Contemporary theories of virtue ethics are often presented as theories that are in. Nov 18, 2014 hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion, part 1 christina hendricks. Nov 18, 2014 a screencast for phil 230 at the university of british columbia. Virtue ethics is perhaps the most important development within late twentiethcentury moral philosophy. Besides that, intellectual and philosophical sophistication is not a necessary condition of moral wisdom, and a person can act virtuosly without possessing this knowledge. Opinion i agree with hursthouse that since pregnancy is unlike any other condition, that viewing it in callous terms is not the way to go about discussing abortion.
Virtue ethics, kantian ethics and consequentialism university of. An ethical theory should be able to guide action, to tell us what we ought to do given our particular circumstances. Despite being widely anthologized, virtue theory and abortion has received little scrutiny in print. The first centres on the significant renaissance of virtue ethics. I am illustrating how virtue theory directs one to think about it. In her 1991 article, virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse provided a. Rosalind hursthouse, on virtue ethics princeton university. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouses abortion ethics. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical.
For kantian ethics deontological theory, there is a link between right action and moral rules, and then between moral rules and rationality. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion flashcards. To hursthouse, virtue is complex and multifactored. Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion, part 1 youtube. Rosalind hursthouse general defense of virtue theory ethics application of virtue to the issue of abortion slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. After recognizing the many contributions her analysis offers, i.
Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion, part 1 christina hendricks. Virtue ethics does not tell us what we should do from 1. Hence, the motivations that we have picked to combine with consequentialism on the. Virtue theory and abortion rosalind hursthouse free essays. I a virtue is a trait which allows one to ful ll ones function well.
She wants to explore how virtue ethics might direct one to think about abortion in. Hursthouse, rosalind 1991, virtue theory and abortion. An acon is right iff it is what a virtuous agent would do in the circumstances 225. Rosalind hursthouse is a proponent of virtue ethics. Hursthouse claims that, according to virtue theory, the two considerations commonly thought to be. Virtue theory and abortion by rosalind hursthouse bartleby. Rosalind hursthouse s justly famous virtue theory and abortion is a touchstone in this field, to which along with her book beginning lives we will need to return at some length in what follows. Jason berke the morality of abortion through the lens of kantian ethics and utilitarianism duration. She, with the use of virtue theory, simply says that an action is right only if a virtuous agent would do it.
In what follows i attempt to answer that question by considering both what has been said and what we may further argue from a virtue focused perspective. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her. Rosalind hursthouse, gavin lawrence, warren quinn, oup, 1995. In the article, virtue theory and abortion, by rosalind hursthouse, she explains her view on abortion without trying to solve the issue of if it is right or wrong. I begin by outlining virtue ethics in comparison to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics.
Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i so think its important to consider particular cases. When we combine this result with the earlier conclusion concerning. The cambridge companion to virtue ethics edited by daniel c. Hursthouse s view, however, is the most fully developed account of this kind. These are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtue based ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival to deontological and utilitarian theories. Applying virtue ethics in virtues and reasons, festschrift for philippa foot, eds. Hursthouse on virtue ethics and abortion brendan shea, ph. The essay clarifies the roles that fetal ontology and moral status do in fact play in her abortion ethics. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and consequences, and then between. Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion 1991 ubc blogs. Hursthouses virtue ethics takes as central the conception of a human be ing who possesses all ethical virtues of character and no vices or defects of characterhumanbeingratherthanpersonbecausetherelevantchar. View notes hursthouse from phl 292 at university of alabama. I what is required to be an excellent teacher is di erent than what is required to be an excellent soldier, because teachers and soldiers have di erent functions i thus, there are di erent virtues for teachers, for soldiers.
Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i. Virtue ethics and professional roles 16 see philippa foot, euthanasia, p. Hursthouse writes, an action is right iff it is what a virtuous agent would. According to hursthouse, the major criticism of virtue ethics is that. According to rosalind hursthouse in her book entitled on virtue ethics, virtue ethics is both an old and new approach to ethics, old in so far as it dates back to the writings. Also, reflection on how professionals make social commitments upon joining a profession to have a certain. Virtue theory and abortion essay example topics and well. Then i want to briefly outline the theory of one very prominent contemporary virtue ethicist. It was mentioned earlier that the theory of utilitarianism considers an action to be right if the chosen action can provide a person the best consequences that can make the person happy hursthouse 225. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about abortion, especially the work of rosalind hursthouse. Assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Foot sometimes calls this virtue benevolence, while at other time she refers to it as charity.
The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics. Virtue theory and abortion essay example topics and. From rosalind hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion. Start studying rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion.
Rosalind hursthouses justly famous virtue theory and abortion is a touchstone in this field, to which along with her book beginning lives we will need to return at some length in what follows. Jo kornegay, hursthouses virtue ethics and abortion. I reject this criticism, but do not claim that it is necessarily misplaced. Rather, one must commit the virtuous act for the sake of the virtue itself. I personally recommend the former approach, though thats more time consuming. Virtue theory and abortion essay medicine and health. On virtue ethics expands and develops hursthouses earlier work e.
Rosalind hursthouse applying virtue ethics to our treatment of the other animals applying virtue ethics to moral issues should be straightforward. In i i will describe how hursthouse sets out what she calls virtue theory vt and her response to some objections made against it. Virtue, practical guidance, and practices open scholarship. What can contemporary virtue ethics say about the problem of abortion. Hursthouse thinks that this framing of the issues can be limited and myopic. Mar 01, 2015 rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion march 1, 2015 august 30, 2015 posted in aristotle, hursthouse these are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. May 01, 20 critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Download file to see previous pages i strongly support the idea that abortion is the best option for rebecca. Hursthouse, who was mentored by elizabeth anscombe and philippa footis best known as a virtue ethicist. Pdf virtue ethics in the development of a framework for public. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and. As explained by hursthouse 225, the theory of utilitarianism considers an action to be right if it can provide the best consequence to the. The introduction to the theory involves an explanation of and then contrast with deontological and utilitarian theories. Virtue theory and abortion medicine and health articles.
Hursthouses aim in this essay is to defend virtue ethics against the following objection phrased as an argument. Relatively brief discussions of this paper which are integrated into analyses of other virtue theorists views of abortion and related issues are found in john hackerwright, 2007, pp. It is motivated by hursthouse s puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in a way, fundamentally irrelevant to her position. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books, journals, text books and more. However, let us begin with judith jarvis thomsons seminal paper. What is the major criticism of virtue ethics that hursthouse identifies. On the moral and legal status of abortion, mary anne warren. Virtue ethics guidance and practical guidance expectations. Hursthouses application of virtue theory to abortion illustrates this. Rosalind hursthouse, who has made notable contributions to this development, here presents a full exposition and defense of her neoaristotelian version of virtue ethics. In the west, virtue ethics founding fathers are plato and aristotle, and in the.
In having an abortion in these circumstances, would the agent acting virtuously or viciously or neither. Virtue ethics and bioethics chapter 9 the cambridge companion. Moral dilemmas in contemporary virtue ethics lsu digital commons. Critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion dead. Apr, 2009 rosalind hursthouse is a proponent of virtue ethics.
According to her, in order to attain a certain virtue, it is not enough to commit virtuous acts. I should point out that, like hursthouse, i am not trying to solve the problem of abortion. Rosalind hursthouse general defense of virtue theoryethics application of virtue to the issue of abortion slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. In this paper i aim to go some way towards developing a version of virtue theory that satisfies four constraints that applied ethics places upon moral theory, namely that it should. Some critical reflections on abortion and virtue theory. Hursthouse s virtue ethics takes as central the conception of a human being who possesses all ethical virtues of character and no vices or defects of characterhumanbeingratherthanpersonbecausetherelevantcharactertraitsarenaturaltothespecies. Applying virtue ethics to our treatment of the other animals. Rosalind hursthouse, 17 at the time, knew immediately that she wanted to study philosophy, too, and enrolled the next year. This chapter will expound and critique rosalind hursthouses famous article abortion and virtue theory. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Virtue theory says there is no answer to abortion rather there is a variety of popular answers main focuses debated on abortion. My goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in a way, fundamentally irrelevant to her position. This chapter will expound and critique rosalind hursthouse s famous article abortion and virtue theory. Drawing on hursthouses essay, virtue theory and abortion, i will attempt to.
Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion part 2 youtube. So the primary question for her in any issue is to quote from her book virtue theory and abortion. I dont have access to her full paper right now, but i can give you the gist of the argument from my. Hursthouse s, on virtue ethics, is somewhat of a classic in our time. Its important i think that you either read her book in full before moving on to other books, or somehow get the main content of the book from good secondary sources. Hursthouse, rosalind 1991 the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtue based ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival. Abortion the discourse on abortion generally is focused on two considerations. Does moral virtue constitute a benefit to the agent. Virtue theory and abortion by rosalind hursthouse robyn waller phl 292 fall 2014 previous discussion of abortion the morality of. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical assessment. Shatz 051716 virtue theory and abortion by rosalind hursthouse rosalind hursthouse is known for her theories on virtue. Virtue ethics in action introduction my plan is to begin by explaining virtue ethics in rather general terms, showing how its different from the two other main traditions in ethics.