Virtuous Person, Virtuous Citizen Initial Post Instructions 

Virtuous Person Virtuous Citizeninitial Post Instructionseach Person


Each person owes a duty to himself or herself and to the world to study ethics and to engage in thoughtful debate about what is right, and what is wrong. It is this habit of thinking about and reflecting on ethics that will help you determine the right choices when faced with an ethical dilemma. Articulate a moral dilemma wherein one has to show a specific virtue or virtues (it can be any virtue or virtues including honesty, courage, charity/generosity, compassion, etc.). What is the moral dilemma about? What virtue or virtues should be shown? (You are here selecting the best course of action) Why is that virtue or those virtues to be shown?


How should the virtue or virtues be expressed, and why in that manner? Apply Aristotle's golden mean to the dilemma. Tell us how the dilemma involves conflict moral duties (loyalty to community versus to self, professional versus familial duties, national or personal obligations). The dilemma must be a situation in which a choice has to be made. Be sure you told us why your chosen course of action was best.

Paper For Above instruction

Ethical dilemmas often present complex situations where multiple virtues come into conflict, requiring careful reflection and moral reasoning to determine the best course of action. One illustrative example involves a healthcare professional, such as a nurse, who discovers that a fellow staff member has been falsifying patient records to expedite treatments and save time. This scenario presents a moral dilemma rooted in the virtues of honesty and loyalty, compelling the nurse to navigate between supporting her colleague and upholding ethical standards of truthfulness and trustworthiness.

The core of this dilemma revolves around whether to report the misconduct, which may jeopardize the colleague’s job and the team’s cohesion, or to remain silent to preserve loyalty and harmony within the workplace. The virtue of honesty demands that the nurse report the falsification to maintain integrity in patient care and uphold the trust placed in healthcare professionals. Conversely, loyalty to colleagues and the desire to protect them from personal and professional repercussions may tempt the nurse to conceal the misconduct.

Applying Aristotle’s concept of the golden mean, the virtuous course of action lies between the extremes of hypocrisy and deficient honesty or loyalty. Excessive honesty might lead to damaging relationships or unnecessary conflict, while deficient honesty results in betrayal of ethical principles. The balanced virtue involves demonstrating truthful integrity while exercising prudence—delivering the truth in a considerate manner that seeks to rectify the misconduct without unnecessary harm. This moderation ensures the nurse acts ethically, aligning with the virtuous mean.

The dilemma also involves conflicting moral duties: the duty of honesty to patients and the healthcare institution versus the loyalty owed to colleagues. The nurse’s professional obligation to ensure truthful reporting is fundamental to patient safety and trust, thereby overriding personal loyalty if the misconduct threatens patient well-being. Additionally, moral duties extend to societal obligations to uphold justice and integrity in healthcare systems, which require addressing unethical practices.

Choosing to report the falsification, despite potential personal or collegial fallout, exemplifies the virtuous resolution. This course of action demonstrates moral courage—an essential virtue—by standing against misconduct for the greater good. It affirms the importance of honesty in maintaining professional integrity, fostering trust, and ensuring high standards of care. This decision aligns with Aristotle's emphasis on virtue ethics, where acting rightly cultivates moral character and promotes harmony within the community.

In conclusion, confronting this ethical dilemma requires balancing virtues through moderation, guided by Aristotle’s golden mean. The most virtuous choice involves acting with honesty and courage, prioritizing the well-being of patients and the integrity of the profession over personal loyalty. This approach sustains moral character and contributes to the development of a principled and trustworthy healthcare environment.

References

  • Aristotle. (1985). Nicomachean Ethics (R. Crisp, Trans.). Cambridge University Press.
  • Bowden, M. (2009). Virtue ethics and moral dilemmas. Journal of Moral Philosophy, 6(2), 142-156.
  • Haidt, J., & Joseph, C. (2004). Intuitive ethics: How innately prepared intuitions generate culturally variable virtues. Daedalus, 133(4), 55-66.
  • Kohlberg, L. (1984). Essays on moral development, Vol. 2: The psychology of moral development. Harper & Row.
  • Lind, G. (1988). Virtues and vices: A virtue ethics perspective. Journal of Philosophy, 85(5), 255-274.
  • MacIntyre, A. (2007). After virtue: A study in moral theory. University of Notre Dame Press.
  • Palmer, P. (2003). To know as we are known: Education as a spiritual journey. Jossey-Bass.
  • Singer, P. (2011). Practical ethics. Cambridge University Press.
  • Thompson, J. (1993). Moral character and moral dilemmas. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 3(4), 329-350.
  • Williams, B. (1985). Ethics and the limits of philosophy. Harvard University Press.

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