Applied Discussion 4 Applying Virtue Ethics

In this Module, you have learned about Virtue Ethics and spent time thinking about an article written on your applied ethics topic from the perspective of a virtue ethicist. In your initial post, you must do the following:

1. Clearly explain the author's position on your topic (animal rights, euthanasia, or global poverty). This should be formatted like a thesis statement (e.g., Slote believes that it is wrong to ....).

2. Clearly explain the author's reasons in support of this position. Make sure to do so well enough that your classmates who are working on another topic understand the author's argument as well as how it counts as an argument from a virtue ethical perspective.

3. Then, state whether you agree with the author's conclusion and explain why or why not.

Rebecca Walker stated generally speaking, then, how might we think about our treatment of non-human animals from a eudaimonistic virtue ethical perspective? Initially, the solution seems simple. We ought to treat animals well as far as doing so is part of human flourishing. The explanation goes as follows: if treating animals well is virtuous, and acting virtuously is a necessary condition of human flourishing, then treating animals well is part of human flourishing. Thus it is true on a virtue ethics view that treating animals well is part of human flourishing as long as treating animals well is virtuous. Only so far we have made no headway in explaining why treating animals well is virtuous. Solving this piece of the puzzle will thus be a specific focus of this chapter. Moreover, I shall tackle this issue in a way that places emphasis on the flourishing of the non-human animals themselves. As stated above, the answer to the question how we should treat animals emphasizes only a consideration of our flourishing. While my for some types of animals an acceptable situation might be a wild animal park where the viewers must enter the animals’ own habitat without unduly interfering with it. About Rebecca Walker position on "The good life of non-human animal- what virtue required of us," the author consider whether eudemonism understood regarding our treatment of animals and why we ought to care about the animal flourishing.

I agree with the Author's conclusion simply because have to be more conscious about how we treat our non-human animals and each one of us has to take our responsibility to protect them.

Applied Discussion 4 Applying Virtue Ethics

Clearly explain the author's position on your topic

Baier based her argument on the virtue of ethics related to euthanasia. She explains the kind of qualities that should be expected from a health practitioner as she notes that as a psychologist, she is aware that she has minimal knowledge of the medical field. Annette argues that the patient-doctor relationship is critical and should be based on the confidence medical practitioners cultivate with their patients (Baier 139). However, she quickly notes that doctors had changed and no longer served, the duty they were assigned when they joined the practice. Moreover, Annette believes that checking virtues and confirming the credibility of a healthcare worker before hiring can help restore the perfect relationship that is expected to exist between patients and doctors.

Clearly explain the author's reasons in support of this position.

Annette supports her arguments and explains why healthcare professionals’ trust hangs in the balance. In most cases, medical practitioners fail to meet their obligation as it is their responsibility. Baier’s basic foundation of her arguments is held on the values that an individual should portray as a trustworthy practitioner. In her explanation, Annette presents an incident when she had to watch her mother suffer delayed surgery. She was sad and ended up writing a heartbreaking message to the surgeons responsible for reminding them of their refusal to protect her mother before her death (Baier 138). Well-defined procedures and guidelines dictate the kind of treatment, patients should expect from medical practitioners. Unfortunately, doctors fail to carry out their responsibility, leaving patients unattended due to negligence.

Then, state whether you agree with the author's conclusion and explain why or why not.

I believe Annette Baier’s arguments are valid regarding the debate on physician-assisted death because she backs them with her own experiences. Healthcare systems are responsible for reducing pain and suffering from patients with deteriorating health conditions. Ironically, the healthcare system has deviated from its fundamental mandate of protecting life to kill.

Work cited

Baier, Annette C. "Trust, suffering, and the Aesculapian virtues." Working virtue: Virtue ethics and contemporary moral problems. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. 136-153.