• Virtue ethics was created by Aristotle and is character based rather than deontological or normative.

Aristotle Nichomachean ethics - "For things we have to learn before we can do them we learn by doing them”

• individual to be ‘virtuous’ doing this, will know what to do in any given ethical situation.

• agent centred morality rather than act centred.

• Plato believed that being virtuous is the achievement of man’s highest good. When a person has their cardinal virtues in balance, they are a good person.

• problematic as virtue ethics don’t give us answer of what to do in certain situations. Robert Louden rightly stated that as virtue ethics is focused on the individual, it neither resolved nor attempts to resolve moral dilemmas. It may help to make the moral agent virtuous, but it does not give any answers relating to a moral crisis. never know if they are truly virtuous and if this is enough to solve an ethical problem.

• Further, issues of what is meant by ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ These definitions are subjective, so the outcome of ethical decision making will differ depending on the individual and the situation that is at play. morality is seemingly dependent on the individual at the scene.

• This is problematic makes it subjective and therefore provides no set guidelines

• strength of virtue ethics is that is makes the individual focus on their character, which can be done by following ‘The Golden Mean’,. The Golden mean is the middle ground between two extremes, for example, between cowardice and recklessness this would be bravery.

• Aristotle believes that we should always aim for the Golden Mean, as this is the most virtuous trait.

• weaknesses of the Golden Mean it cannot be applied to all people in all situations.

MacIntyre - "You are what you do”

• For example, it may be courageous for a soldier to fight an equally matched opponent but foolhardy to fight a far greater one. In this, virtue ethics again makes it unclear of what to do in any given situation. The Golden Mean almost encourages the agent to ‘pick and choose’ when it is right or wrong to behave in a certain way.

• Another weakness ethics are based on the happiness of the individual rather than the happiness of society. For example, may appear virtuous such as helping your parent with housework is only truly done for selfish reasons; you do it for recognition or payment rather than for ‘virtuous’ reasons. Theory of virtue but rather self interest.

• virtue ethics ignores the relativist dilemma. It may appear to be culturally biased, as what is virtuous in one country differs from what is virtuous in another. For example, in some cultures it is virtuous to physically scar men or women in order to mark milestones in their lives such as marriage, whereas in a western culture it would be seen as incredibly lacking in virtue to do such a thing. Therefore, virtue ethics seems to praise some virtues which may be seen as negative in other cultures or vice versa not suitable for all people of all cultures.

• Virtue ethics is thus too subjective, no guidelines + definitions of right and wrong to be clear.