Mar 01, 2015 these are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. My goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouse s abortion ethics. Moral principles rules and also moral reasoning are essential to analyze practical problems. Virtue theory and abortion rosalind hursthouse free essays. 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. 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. Rosalind hursthouse general defense of virtue theory ethics application of virtue to the issue of abortion slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Theyll give your presentations a professional, memorable appearance the kind of sophisticated look that todays audiences expect. For example, is it wrong to spend money on luxuries when other people are starving. What is the major criticism of virtue ethics that hursthouse identifies. Then i want to briefly outline the theory of one very prominent contemporary virtue ethicist. 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.
Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion, part 1 duration. Worlds best powerpoint templates crystalgraphics offers more powerpoint templates than anyone else in the world, with over 4 million to choose from. Virtue ethics does not tell us what we should do from 1. Despite being widely anthologized, virtue theory and abortion has received little scrutiny in print. Hursthouses aim in this essay is to defend virtue ethics against the following objection phrased as an argument. Hursthouse virtue theory and abortion virtue theory. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference. 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. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about. Second, hursthouse talks about a couple of difficult issues like is abortion a selfish act, how serious abortion is, and weather seeing pregnancy as a medical condition is. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical. Rosalind hursthouse 1991, virtue theory an abortion virtue 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.
Hursthouse is professor emerita of philosophy at the university of auckland. 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. Hursthouse conceives of virtue ethics as a plausible alternative to which of the following moral theories. Rosalind hursthouse, who has made notable contributions to this development, here presents a full exposition and defense of her neoaristotelian version of virtue ethics. Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of abortion. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion flashcards. Her aunt mary studied philosophy and when her father. In this paper, i explore the oftneglected gray area between the prolife stance and prochoice views.
In having an abortion in these circumstances, would the agent acting virtuously or viciously or neither. Abortion the discourse on abortion generally is focused on two considerations. Mary rosalind hursthouse born 10 november 1943 is a britishborn new zealand moral philosopher noted for her work on virtue ethics. Rosalind hursthouse virtue theory and abortion dead. 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. Hursthouse, rosalind 1991, virtue theory and abortion.
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. An ethical theory should be able to guide action, to tell us what we ought to do given our particular circumstances. Hursthouse herself wrote on abortion see virtue theory and abortion 1991, and though she may be against talking about the more general cases i. Virtue ethics the international encyclopedia of ethics. The introduction to the theory involves an explanation of and then contrast with deontological and utilitarian theories. Hursthouse thinks that this framing of the issues can be limited and myopic. Assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. Hursthouse s most hursthouze 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 of the virtues within an overall account of human flourishing. Virtue theory and abortion fernando rodarte philosophy.
Virtue theory and abortion essay medicine and health. Virtue theory says there is no answer to abortion rather there is a variety of popular answers main focuses debated on abortion. Moral status in virtue ethics philosophy cambridge core. An action is right iff it is in accordance with a moral rule or principle o link between the concepts of right action and.
For aristotelian ethics virtue theory, there is a link between right action and the virtuous person, and then between the virtuous person and happiness eudaimonia. Hursthouse s, on virtue ethics, is somewhat of a classic in our time. It is motivated by hursthouse s puzzling claim in her widely anthologized paper virtue ethics and abortion that fetal moral status and by. Rosalind hursthouse, virtue ethics in many ways, hursthouses entry in the stanford encyclopedia of phl serves as a summary of the virtue based approach to ethics.
Born in bristol, england, in 1943, hursthouse spent her childhood in new zealand. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books, journals, text books and more. Its important i think that you either read her book in full before moving on to other books, or somehow get the main content of the book from good secondary sources. She wants to explore how virtue ethics might direct one to think about abortion in. Buy on virtue ethics new ed by hursthouse, rosalind isbn. Rosalind hursthouse, who has made notable contributions to this development, now presents a full exposition and defence of her neoaristotelian version of virtue ethics. Rosalind hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion philpapers. Hursthouse s 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. These are my notes from the reading, rather than a summary. A virtue is a disposition of character which instantiates or promotes responsiveness to one or more basic goods where a basic good is one which in itself can provide an agent with a sufficient motivation, and an observer with a. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A critical analysis of prochoice arguments from philosophy, law, and science, ed. The prochoice arguments of when personhood begins are vague and, therefore, cannot provide a concrete moment of when personhood starts. 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. The essay clarifies the roles that fetal ontology and moral status do in fact play in her abortion ethics. People who believe in this theory endorse the opinion that fetus is a human being irrespective of its development. Virtue ethics in action introduction my plan is to begin by explaining virtue ethics in rather general terms, showing how its different from the two other main traditions in ethics. On virtue ethics by rosalind hursthouse, 1999 online. Louis it is a platitude that the issue of abortion polarizes people into extreme positions. A virtue ethics perspective on bioethics sciencedirect. In exploring these questions, we will read texts by both contemporary. Utilitarianism and abortion essay example graduateway. Virtue theory and abortion essay free essays and research. View rosalind hursthouse ppts online, safely and virus free.
However, on those theories, virtue evaluation is understood in terms of more basic normative notions. I feel if we could have a discussion of abortion on a mainstream scale it would improve things. 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. In her book beginning lives 1987 and her subsequent article virtue theory and abortion 1991, hursthouse argued that the morality of an abortion decision depends importantly on the sort of character a woman expresses in making such a decision in her particular. Hursthouse virtue theory and abortion virtue theory and. Pdf back to virtue download full pdf book download.
In the first question, she explains that virtue theory doesnt approach abortion the way people do, which is either in terms of womens rights or the status of the fetus. Critical assessment in the excerpt virtue theory and abortion, rosalind hursthouse presents the following argument for the moral acceptance of abortion. We analyze the issue of abortion in different situations and the first one is extreme pro life position which says that abortion is unethical and should be considered illegal in all the situations. Rosalinda hursthouse virtue theory and abortion critical assessment. Virtue theory is compatible with other normative ethical theories such as kantian ethics and utilitarianism, both of which offer distinctive accounts of virtue see kant, immanuel. Singer suggests that the argument of abortion has missed the point. Hursthouse 1991 abortion and virtue theory, philosophy and public affairs 20.
On the moral and legal status of abortion, mary anne warren. Major themes dealt with by moral theory are examined and how a virtue ethics approach to them differs from those of other traditions is explored. Jo kornegay, hursthouses virtue ethics and abortion. Here i talk about applying virtue ethics to the problem of abortion, through the lens of rosalind hursthouse.
Abortion and virtue ethics by mathew lu introduction my goal here is to consider what contemporary virtue ethics can say about the problem of. Interest in theories of virtue and the place of virtues in the moral life con tinues to grow. I begin by outlining virtue ethics in comparison to the two other dominant approaches in normative ethics. She provides clarity of definition for what some consider the most incoherent concepts and components to aristotelian ethics including the virtues themselves, practical. We will also apply some of these theories to pressing moral questions. 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. Jo kornegay 2011 ethical theory and moral practice 14 1. Practical problems of moral complexity such as abortion, euthanasia, and integrity in politics, and how they might be approached from a virtue. Hursthouse, virtue theory and abortion part 2 youtube. I personally recommend the former approach, though thats more time consuming.
Virtue ethics pdf epub download cause of you download. Rosalind hursthouse 1991 virtue theory and abortion. Apr, 2009 rosalind hursthouse is a proponent of virtue ethics. Virtue ethics is perhaps the most important development within late twentiethcentury moral philosophy. This essay explicates and evaluates the roles that fetal metaphysics and moral status play in rosalind hursthouses abortion ethics. On virtue ethics by rosalind hursthouse waterstones. Winner of the standing ovation award for best powerpoint templates from presentations magazine. With recognition has come criticism, of varying quality. Dec 16, 1999 hursthouse s book is a modern classic that provides a definitive statement of neoaristotelian naturalism. Some critical reflections on abortion and virtue theory. After recognizing the many contributions her analysis offers, i. An analytical study in applied ethics deals with some major moral theory in order to justify some moral controversial issues.
Generally we are facing some moral dilemmas in our practical life. For hursthouse on the treatment of animals, see her ethics, humans, and other animals london. 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. Rosalind hursthouse, right action john rawls, a theory of justice robert nozick, justice and entitlement g. 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. So the primary question for her in any issue is to quote from her book virtue theory and abortion. I then consider what some important virtue ethicists have said about abortion, especially the work of rosalind hursthouse. She shows how virtue ethics can provide guidance for action, illuminate moral dilemmas, and bring out the moral significance of. 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.
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