Aristotle's Theory Of Virtue Ethics

. Famous philosophers like Aristotle and Aquinas spoke highly of virtue ethics and each developed their own theories on the topic. Although both philosophers wrote about virtue ethics, their approach was quite different. So, what is virtue ethics? According to Lewis Vaughn it is “a moral theory that focuses on the development of virtuous character”(Vaughn 808). Although both Aquinas and Aristotle had different approaches to virtue ethics, there was a consensus on what virtue ethics ultimately is. In terms of both stances, I would have to agree more with the Aristotelian philosophy on virtue ethics and what he wrote on the subject. Aristotle said that a virtuous person was someone who has ideal character traits (Athanassoulis). James Rachel, …show more content…
Healthcare professionals are typically faced with the challenge of respecting their patients’ wishes regardless of their expert knowledge and ensuring the patient that they themselves will not transgress any medical moral code. All doctors are bound by a professional code of practice with a strong emphasis on doing and saving lives. Since the 4th century, the various codes of practice and oaths sworn by doctors declare a commitment to virtuous behavior (Gardiner). Today, medical oaths include moral virtues such as compassion and honesty and must exemplify professional integrity. Doctors are encouraged to work in partnership with their patients. They do so by informing, guiding, advising, and helping them make appropriate choices on how to deal with their illness (Gardiner). Typically, a patients’ upbringing, personal priorities, the community where they live, and/or their faith frequently influences them to make decisions against the professional judgement of the doctor. When a specific case arises in which the patient’s life may be at risk and he or she denies the treatment, the moral burden that it would put on the doctor would be tremendous …show more content…
Patients like these believe in eternal life and would rather die because of their beliefs than go through the process of being saved. However, there is a very important question that arises in these tense situations: Does the doctor’s drive arise out of a sense to actually want to help the patient and care for them as such or is the doctor just wanting to improve his or her productivity figures? Whatever the case may be, there are three general qualities that all healthcare providers should have. The first would have to be compassion. Compassion is having an active regard for another’s welfare with an imaginative awareness and emotional response of deep sympathy, tenderness and discomfort at another’s misfortune or suffering; the doctor would show compassion towards the patient by putting themselves in the patient’s shoes and recognize the amount of courage the patient is showing (Gardiner). The second would be trustworthiness. This is the most vital component in a doctor/patient relationship. When a patient goes to a doctor, the patient is bringing their deepest and personal consent to the doctor for help. The patient typically allows for the doctor to do intimate examinations and confide their private vulnerabilities. These patients rely on the doctor’s moral character and competence and trust that they will behave