Rosalind hursthouse general defense of virtue theoryethics application of virtue to the issue of abortion slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. She wants to explore how virtue ethics might direct one to think about abortion in. Virtue theory, she says based on aristotle, is concerned with human flourishing. Arational actions in the journal of philosophy, vol. Virtue theory says there is no answer to abortion rather there is a variety of popular answers main focuses debated on abortion.
The prochoice arguments of when personhood begins are vague and, therefore, cannot provide a concrete moment of when personhood starts. Hursthouse 1991 abortion and virtue theory, philosophy and public affairs 20. The introduction to the theory involves an explanation of and then contrast with deontological and utilitarian theories. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical assessment. In his essay, ethical consistency, bernard williams explores moral conflict and its relation to consistency in moral philosophy. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference. Virtue theory and abortion in philosophy and public affairs, vol. Rosalind hursthouse 1991, virtue theory an abortionvirtue theory can be laid out in a framework that reveals clearly some of the essential similarities and difference between it and some version of deontological and utilitarian theoriesdeontological framework. These are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. In hursthouses piece, she applies virtue ethics with the aid of other ethics to explain the drives behind the concepts of moral status, vegetarianism and experiments on other animals. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics.
An ethical theory should be able to guide action, to tell us what we ought to do given our particular circumstances. Virtue theory and abortion essay medicine and health articles. Moral dilemmas in contemporary virtue ethics lsu digital commons. I feel if we could have a discussion of abortion on a mainstream scale it would improve things. Rosalind hursthouse, virtue ethics in many ways, hursthouses entry in the stanford encyclopedia of phl serves as a summary of the virtuebased approach to ethics. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical. Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i. She provides clarity of definition for what some consider the most incoherent concepts and components to aristotelian ethics including the virtues themselves, practical. Hursthouses book is a modern classic that provides a definitive statement of neoaristotelian naturalism. Jan 25, 2019 hursthouses most substantial contribution to modern virtue ethics is her book on virtue ethicswhich explores its structure as a distinctive actionguiding theory, the relationship between virtue, the emotions and moral motivation, and the place hurthouse the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is. Virtue ethics is perhaps the most important development within late twentiethcentury moral philosophy. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion flashcards. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by.
Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtuebased ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival to deontological and utilitarian theories. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. It was mentioned earlier that the theory of utilitarianism considers an action to be right if the chosen action can provide a person the best consequences that can make the person happy hursthouse 225. Abortion the discourse on abortion generally is focused on two considerations. Applying virtue ethics in virtues and reasons, festschrift for philippa foot, eds. Mar 01, 2015 these are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. Hursthouses virtue ethics takes as central the conception of a human be ing who possesses all ethical virtues of character and no vices or defects of characterhumanbeingratherthanpersonbecausetherelevantchar.
Hursthouse, rosalind 1991, virtue theory and abortion. It is motivated by hursthouse s puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in a way, fundamentally irrelevant to her position. The sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics. Singer suggests that the argument of abortion has missed the point. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouses abortion ethics. Does virtue theory provide reasonable moral guidance on this issue. Alasdair macintyre and jeanpaul sartre a course in ethics duration. Critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouse s abortion ethics.
Mary rosalind hursthouse born 10 november is a britishborn new zealand moral philosopher noted for her work on virtue ethics. Oct 12, 2019 it is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by. I am illustrating how virtue theory directs one to think about it. Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i so think its important to consider particular cases. Mary rosalind hursthouse born 10 november 1943 is a britishborn new zealand moral philosopher noted for her work on virtue ethics. He asserts that the debate should focus on if it is wrong to kill an innocent human being instead of arguing whether a fetus is or is not an innocent human being.
Opinion i agree with hursthouse that since pregnancy is unlike any other condition, that viewing it in callous terms is not the way to go about discussing abortion. Rosalind hursthouse, gavin lawrence, warren quinn, oup, 1995. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion the sort of ethical theory derived from aristotle, variously described as virtue ethics, virtue based ethics, or neoaristotelianism, is becoming better known, and is now quite widely recognized as at least a possible rival to deontological and utilitarian theories. For kantian ethics deontological theory, there is a link between right action and moral rules, and then between moral rules and rationality. Applies virtue theory to abortion debate concern is the morality, not whether it should be legal or not, and examines womens asking if they would have it. Hursthouse s, on virtue ethics, is somewhat of a classic in our time. Rosalind hursthouse is a proponent of virtue ethics.
I personally recommend the former approach, though thats more time consuming. Rosalind hursthouses justly famous virtue theory and abortion is a touchstone in this field, to which along with her book beginning lives we will need to return at some length in what follows. Hursthouses aim in this essay is to defend virtue ethics against the following objection phrased as an argument. After recognizing the many contributions her analysis offers, i. Abortion and virtue ethics ust research online university of st. A virtue is then defined as a character trait a human being needs to flourish or live well hursthouse 1991, p.
Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion part 2 youtube. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. An application of an ethics of virtue to the issue of abortion janet e. Despite being widely anthologized, virtue theory and abortion has received little scrutiny in print.
Virtue theory and abortion rosalind hursthouse free essays. Hursthouses most substantial contribution to modern virtue ethics is her book on virtue ethicswhich explores its structure as a distinctive actionguiding theory, the relationship between virtue, the emotions and moral motivation, and the place hurthouse the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. Hursthouses article virtue theory and abortion argues that whereas most discussions of abortion focus on virtu issue of who has rights to make decisions regarding the foetus, a decision made within ones rights could still be callous or cowardly, meaning that it would be ethically problematic and potentially devastating for the person making it, whatever the status of the foetus and. Some strengths of the book include a careful elaboration of what means to act as the virtuous person would act in a way that shows how virtue ethics captures much that is plausible in kantian and utilitarian accounts while avoiding their shortcomings, illustrating how virtue ethics can. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in a way, fundamentally irrelevant to her position. It was mentioned earlier that the theory of utilitarianism considers an action to be right if the chosen action can provide a person the best consequences that. I begin by outlining virtue ethics in comparison to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics. Any notes that are posted up on the screen in lecture will also be posted here, sometime after class. What implications does hursthouse claim that virtue theory has for the abortion debate. Jul 18, 2012 rosalind hursthouse, virtue ethics in many ways, hursthouses entry in the stanford encyclopedia of phl serves as a summary of the virtuebased approach to ethics. It is motivated by hursthouses puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by implication its underlying metaphysics are in. However, let us begin with judith jarvis thomsons seminal paper. Rosalind hursthouse applying virtue ethics to our treatment. In having an abortion in these circumstances, would the agent acting virtuously or viciously or neither.
Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion dead. My goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. Virtue theory and abortion essay example topics and well. A fertilized egg is a zygote, then an embryo up to 8 weeks, then a fetus.
Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion 1991 ubc blogs. Rosalind hursthouse, in her essay virtue theory and abortion, puts forth her theory of virtue by first introducing the mechanics of the theory and then applying it to the particular moral controversy of abortion. Besides that, intellectual and philosophical sophistication is not a necessary condition of moral wisdom, and a person can act virtuosly without possessing this knowledge. What is the major criticism of virtue ethics that hursthouse identifies. Rosalind hursthouse, who has made notable contributions to this development, here presents a full exposition and defense of her neoaristotelian version of virtue ethics. Rosali nd hursthouses work on abortion 1987 and 1991 and phil ippa foots paper on euthanasia 1977 are among the few exceptions. Some critical reflections on abortion and virtue theory. Relatively brief discussions of this paper which are integrated into analyses of other virtue theorists views of abortion and related issues are found in john hackerwright, 2007, pp. So the primary question for her in any issue is to quote from her book virtue theory and abortion.
Hursthouses, on virtue ethics, is somewhat of a classic in our time. Rosalind hursthouse 1991 virtue theory and abortion. An application of an ethics of virtue to the issue of abortion. What does hursthouse regard as the major criticism of virtue theory. Hursthouse virtue theory and abortion virtue theory and. This chapter will expound and critique rosalind hursthouses famous article abortion and virtue theory. May 17, 2020 hursthouses article virtue theory and abortion argues that whereas most discussions of abortion focus on virtu issue of who has rights to make decisions regarding the foetus, a decision made within ones rights could still be callous or cowardly, meaning that it would be ethically problematic and potentially devastating for the person making it, whatever the status of the foetus and.
On the moral and legal status of abortion, mary anne warren. Abortion abortion is the intentional termination of a pregnancy. Some critical reflections on abortion and virtue theory springerlink. With recognition has come criticism, of varying quality. For utilitarianism, there is a link between right action and consequences, and then between.