Which theory holds morality grounded in good character traits and virtuous dispositions?

Which theory holds morality grounded in good character traits and virtuous dispositions?

• A. Utilitarianism
• B. Ethical Formalism
• C. Virtue Ethics
• D. Natural Law

Answer: (C)

The main concept tested is virtue ethics, which holds that morality rests on the agent’s character and virtuous dispositions. In this view, what makes a person’s actions right is not just the outcome or a rule, but the kind of person performing them. A virtuous individual develops traits such as honesty, courage, temperance, and justice through steady practice and habituation, guided by practical wisdom to discern the best action in a given situation. Moral flourishing, or eudaimonia, comes from cultivating a stable character that naturally leads to good actions. This differs from utilitarianism, which judges actions by their consequences and the overall happiness they produce; ethical formalism (Kantian ethics) emphasizes adherence to universal duties and rules regardless of one’s character; and natural law ties morality to objective goods discoverable through reason and nature. An example: acting honestly because honesty is a virtue you strive to embody, not merely to achieve good outcomes or to follow a rule.

The main concept tested is virtue ethics, which holds that morality rests on the agent’s character and virtuous dispositions. In this view, what makes a person’s actions right is not just the outcome or a rule, but the kind of person performing them. A virtuous individual develops traits such as honesty, courage, temperance, and justice through steady practice and habituation, guided by practical wisdom to discern the best action in a given situation. Moral flourishing, or eudaimonia, comes from cultivating a stable character that naturally leads to good actions.

This differs from utilitarianism, which judges actions by their consequences and the overall happiness they produce; ethical formalism (Kantian ethics) emphasizes adherence to universal duties and rules regardless of one’s character; and natural law ties morality to objective goods discoverable through reason and nature. An example: acting honestly because honesty is a virtue you strive to embody, not merely to achieve good outcomes or to follow a rule.