Virtue ethics in the contemporary social and political realm
This thesis concerns the problem of applying the ideas developed in contemporary virtue ethics to political philosophy. The core of the problem, explained in the opening chapters, is that assessment of right action offered by virtue ethics - in terms of what 'the virtuous person' characteristically does or would do - is focused on individual persons, rather than political principles of government. Accordingly, interpretations of traditional Aristotelianism have struggled to accommodate the putative value of modern value pluralism and manifold conceptions of the 'good life', whilst liberal theories that employ virtue concepts fail to offer a political philosophy that is distinctly virtue ethical. Rather than trying to fit individualistic virtue ethics to political theory in these ways, subsequent chapters start from the viewpoint of individuals and look outward to their social and political environment, arguing that an adequately socio-political virtue ethics requires, and suits, an ethics of social roles. Various virtue ethical approaches to roles, however, fail in different ways to determine what it means to act virtuously in such a role. Inresponse, it is argued that virtue ethics needs a normative account
Cordell, Sean
Virtue ethics in the contemporary social and political realm. This thesis concerns the problem of applying the ideas developed in contemporary virtue ethics to political philosophy. The core of the problem, explained in the opening chapters, is that assessment of right action offered by virtue ethics - in terms of what 'the virtuous person' characteristically does or would do - is focused on individual persons, rather than political principles of government. Accordingly, interpretations of traditional Aristotelianism have struggled to accommodate the putative value of modern value pluralism and manifold conceptions of the 'good life', whilst liberal theories that employ virtue concepts fail to offer a political philosophy that is distinctly virtue ethical. Rather than trying to fit individualistic virtue ethics to political theory in these ways, subsequent chapters start from the viewpoint of individuals and look outward to their social and political environment, arguing that an adequately socio-political virtue ethics requires, and suits, an ethics of social roles. Various virtue ethical approaches to roles, however, fail in different ways to determine what it means to act virtuously in such a role. Inresponse, it is argued that virtue ethics needs a normative account
virtue_ethic contemporary_social political realm concern problem apply idea develop contemporary virtue_ethic political_philosophy core problem explain opening assessment right_action offer virtue_ethic term the virtuous person characteristically would focus individual person rather political principle government accordingly interpretation traditional aristotelianism struggle accommodate putative value modern value pluralism manifold conception good_life whilst liberal theory employ virtue concept fail offer political_philosophy distinctly virtue ethical rather try fit individualistic virtue_ethic political_theory way subsequent start viewpoint individual look outward social_political environment argue adequately socio_political virtue_ethic require suit ethic social_role various virtue ethical approach role however_fail different_way determine mean act role argue virtue_ethic need normative account