Virtue Ethics Vs Utilitarianism Essay

Utilitarianism is concerned about the results of an action, while Kantian ethics is focused about the moral duties, Virtue ethics on the other hand place an emphasis on the development of a good moral character. Unlike the first two ethical theories, virtue ethics is not a theory about what makes an action right. It answers the question, “What kind of individual should I be?” and “What kind of characters are necessary to live a virtuous life?
Virtue ethics can be tracked back from the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle who was the very first one to develop ethical philosophy that is based on reasoning. His most famous work, “Nichomachean Ethics”, discussed that when individuals acquire good character habits, they are able to regulate their reason and decisions. He divided virtues in to two types: intellectual virtues which is a combination of nature and learning such as intelligence, good sense, and understanding. The second type is called, moral virtues which emphasizes the excellence of a character, thus this is learned by repeating the character or virtue itself.
Aquinas present his treatise on virtues as a “good habit bearing on activity or a good faculty” (J. Hardon, 2001, The Meaning of Virtue in St. Thomas Aquinas, para. 18). Both Aristotle and Acquinas agreed that ethics have a practical goal and that living a happy life is the end goal for us human beings, however the two philosophers differ in how they approach this ultimate end. Aristotle was highly concerned in moral education and character formation through proper use of reason, while on the other hand, Aquinas believes that developing our moral characters is a preparation for our union with