Why is virtue ethics a better ethical theory than deontology?
Discuss the merits and deficiencies of political theories and philosophical questions.
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Re: Why is virtue ethics a better ethical theory than deontology?In a nutshell: unlike deontology, which is a quasi-religious and completely unjustiable hangover from the enlightenment, virtue ethics fits well with a naturalistic conception of the world and manages to be relatively practical without relying on any grand metaphysical presuppositions.
Last edited by Rob19; 20-05-2012 at 08:57. -
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Re: Why is virtue ethics a better ethical theory than deontology?Because the virtuous person can at times justify actions the deontologist cannot. This is a good thing because as circumstances change and grey areas come in to play it's often naive to think one thing is always right or always wrong e.g. lying, there would appear to be circumstances where it's prudent to lie (for protection of others, or even self-preservation) yet this is forbade by deontology (in the classical sense).
There are other reasons to consider too but part of philosophy is going and finding them, then reflecting on them yourself.
