What is the difference between ethics and virtue?

Question

for the sake of discussion let's say ethics is what our parents and our society teach us is right and wrong. yet ethics will change with different times and differ from society to society. hasn't there been a time or an instance when you felt in your heart that what you have been told is not necessarily accurate? is this virtue? where do we derive virtue from?

ms,
your powerrs of reason are amazing

Answer 1

Virtue, practical wisdom and eudaimonia
A virtue such as honesty or generosity is not just a tendency to do what is honest or generous, nor is it to be helpfully specified as a "desirable" or "morally valuable" character trait. It is, indeed a character trait -- that is, a disposition which is well entrenched in its possessor, something that, as we say "goes all the way down", unlike a habit such as being a tea-drinker -- but the disposition in question, far from being a single track disposition to do honest actions, or even honest actions for certain reasons, is multi-track. It is concerned with many other actions as well, with emotions and emotional reactions, choices, values, desires, perceptions, attitudes, interests, expectations and sensibilities. To possess a virtue is to be a certain sort of person with a certain complex mindset. (Hence the extreme recklessness of attributing a virtue on the basis of a single action.)

The most significant aspect of this mindset is the wholehearted acceptance of a certain range of considerations as reasons for action. An honest person cannot be identified simply as one who, for example, practices honest dealing, and does not cheat. If such actions are done merely because the agent thinks that honesty is the best policy, or because they fear being caught out, rather than through recognising "To do otherwise would be dishonest" as the relevant reason, they are not the actions of an honest person. An honest person cannot be identified simply as one who, for example, always tells the truth, nor even as one who always tells the truth because it is the truth, for one can have the virtue of honesty without being tactless or indiscreet. The honest person recognises "That would be a lie" as a strong (though perhaps not overriding) reason for not making certain statements in certain circumstances, and gives due, but not overriding, weight to "That would be the truth" as a reason for making them.

An honest person's reasons and choices with respect to honest and dishonest actions reflect her views about honesty and truth -- but of course such views manifest themselves with respect to other actions, and to emotional reactions as well. Valuing honesty as she does, she chooses, where possible to work with honest people, to have honest friends, to bring up her children to be honest. She disapproves of, dislikes, deplores dishonesty, is not amused by certain tales of chicanery, despises or pities those who succeed by dishonest means rather than thinking they have been clever, is unsurprised, or pleased (as appropriate) when honesty triumphs, is shocked or distressed when those near and dear to her do what is dishonest and so on.

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-virtue/

Answer 2

Simply put, ethics is a set or system of actions of a human person towards the other - being such, it is not necessarily right or wrong, but suggests a bracket of behavior or philosophy on how human beings should or should not relate with each other - this also varies from culture to culture.

On the other hand, virtues are born of ideals on how a human being should act. Virtues are generally taken as good and is attainable only by experience. While ethics may vary from different cultures, there are a number of virtues that are generally taken as universal concepts, as bravery, fortitude, etc.

Answer 3

Ethics is something external, like the rules of the game, say tennis.

Virtue are the qualities that harmonize with ethics, say like the skills a good tennis player would have.

Answer 4

Virtue is arbitrary; ethics is more an expression of what intelligent, thinking humans have found to be positive in our nature.

Answer 5

Lust is fullyyt actual - you opt to have intercourse with this individual, grope this individual. All physique stuff. Love is emotional - particular, there are factors of lust in love yet for the main area it fairly is desirous to be with that individual, talk with that individual, cuddle, and to stay with them perpetually. tl;dr Lust leaves once you benefit some pounds, love remains and asks in case you like cake.

Answer 6

You could ask Pat Robertson or jerry Fallwell...........bot both have neither!