Hobbesian And The Virtue Ethics Theory

A similar ethical theory that shapes government sustainability is Hobbesian. Hobbesian is similar to ethical egoism in the fact that self-interest is part of human nature, but Hobbesian believes that without government intervention to keep the self-interest in check chaos would ensue (Jennings, 2015, p.12). Landfills are a great example of Hobbesian in the government’s impact on sustainability. Without government intervention society would disregard proper waste disposal and turn to whatever is easiest, in other words, in their own self-interest. This is where the application of the ethical theory of Hobbesian comes into play. Without the government intervention our lands would be covered in waste. The government creates policies that regulate …show more content…
the EPA. Virtue ethics was developed by the ancient Greeks and focuses on living a moral life. (Beyond Business Ethics..., n.d.) In the case of the EPA, it would be the quest to operate a morally sound government agency. The idea behind virtue ethics is the character of a person or business and their path to morality. The Greeks said that a morally sound person acquires their virtue by practice; practicing honesty, bravery, generosity and other good deeds. Virtue ethics focuses more on the person committing the act rather than the act itself. (Beyond Business Ethics..., n.d.) Instead of looking at a deed and deciding whether it is ethically sound or not, virtue ethics looks at the person, or rather the agency in our case, and decides whether it is virtuous or not by the acts it commits. The question that virtue ethics asks of any one person or agency is whether they are a virtuous person or not. Are they honest, brave, and generous? To answer these questions, we must look at the actions of the agency. After all, the idea of the virtue ethics theory is based on the character and in the morals the subject practices. Looking at the actions of the EPA, in 1973 the EPA started the ban on lead in gasoline, which reduced lead levels in the air by 98%. (A Look at EPA Accomplishments..., 2016) In 1994, the EPA introduced a new set of pollution-control standards that was expected to reduce the toxic air pollutants by 90%. Also in 1994, president Clinton doubled the list of toxic chemicals that are required to be publicly reported. (A Look at EPA Accomplishments..., 2016) The EPA has been working hard for decades, since its origination in the early 70’s. Virtue ethics is based on actions committed by a person or an agency. When we look at the government’s role in sustainability, we must look at the EPA, which is the designated agency for such acts, and to determine the