ABSTRACT
One’s ethical decisions are based on character, or a set of personal virtues. A person with an ethical character will be able to apply good judgment to specific ethical issues as they arise. The system is not based on following a set of prescribed rules, since good judgment has to be applied in each case. Virtue ethics is derived from the classical system of ethics associated with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Virtue is said to be a character trait leading to right or moral conduct. The Greek concept of arête (virtue) corresponds to human excellence in any endeavor. Contemporary views on virtue ethics include the ethics of care: according to Nel Noddings, ethical action is determined by a caring and loving relationship for another person. It is therefore not “person-neutral.” According to Martha Nussbaum, of the University of Chicago, there are universal human capabilities, which are rights for all human beings.
