ABSTRACT
Virtue ethics claims that the actual substance of morality cannot be understood by teleology (consequences) or deontology (duty). Instead, sound judgment is based on good character; the primary faculty is moral sense, not intellect. The vocabulary and theory of virtue ethics is explored here, followed by its strengths and weaknesses. Because professionals are obligated not only to develop virtues, but also to adhere to rules and predict consequences, a synergistic decision-making tool is provided to promote an ethic of compromise and social integration. While such tools can accommodate the limitations of virtue ethics, an emerging school of behavioral ethics demonstrates that other, often unconscious, factors affect behavior. Their recognition may lead to a more complete understanding of people as moral agents.
