Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-r7xzm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T23:07:13.877Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Self-Centredness Objection to Virtue Ethics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2006

Abstract

Aristotelian virtue ethics is often charged with counseling a self-centred approach to the moral life. Reviewing some influential responses made by defenders of virtue ethics, I argue that none of them goes far enough. I begin my own response by evaluating two common targets of the objection, Aristotle and Aquinas, and based on my findings sketch the outlines of a clearly non-self-centred version of virtue ethics, according to which the ‘center’ is instead located in the agent’s right relation to others and ultimately to the Good. I conclude that while some species of virtue ethics may be self-centred, the objection cannot be used to indict the whole genus.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2006 The Royal Institute of Philosophy

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)