Moral Philosophers' Points of Views

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Chapter 7 Discussion Post
Aristotle's Approach to Virtue
Aristotle believed that a virtuous habit of action is an intermediate state between deficiency and vices of excess. He argued that too much and too little is wrong. Aristotle indicated that the right action lies in the mean. He believed that people should avoid extremes and look for moderation in all things. Virtue ethics focused on various issues. The first issue is that virtue ethics is a person's character traits and not a particular decision. The second is that virtues are learned through practice. The third issue is that appropriate virtues are adopted through imitating behavior. The fourth issue is to become virtuous. An individual should see other people practicing good behavior. The fifth issue is that virtues can be analyzed through a community setting. Aristotle applied the golden mean in the Nicomachean Ethics through a description of the desirable middle between extremes, one of deficiency and the other of excess.
Deontology, Categorical Imperative, and Goodwill
Deontology is an ethical theory that uses rules to differentiate right from wrong. Immanuel Kant argued that virtuous actions subscribe to universal moral laws like Don't cheat and Don't steal. He believed that individuals need to follow the set rules and do their duty to be deemed ethical. Kant defined categorical imperatives as moral laws that every person should follow regardless of the extenuating circumstances or desires. He argued that every rational being should follow this principle as a goal. According to Kant, goodwill is a will whose decisions are set on moral demand. Kant indicated that it is challenging to understand moral duty and proper conduct (Ezedike 187). He stated that goodwill could not be considered good because of what it performs not for its attainment of an end but under its volition.
Utilitarian Approach and Singer's Reasoning to Animal Rights
Bentham and Mill are known to have coined the term utilitarianism, in which they indicate that an action is regarded as being right if it fosters pleasure or happiness. It is also considered wrong if it brings pain or unhappiness. Bentham proposed that a permissible action is moral when it produces the greatest joy (Martin 1). Bentham and Mill believed that actions should be analyzed based on the outcome. Utilitarianism highlights that one can compare the intrinsic values produced by two diverse actions and estimate between them which one would bring better results. Utilitarianism seeks to m...