Virtue ethics is a unique moral philosophy that uses the lens of character to examine ethical issues, aiming to cultivate virtuous traits habitually. Its main idea—that a person’s character is the cornerstone of an ethical life—is a departure from other approaches that favor strict rules or consequences. Living a morally upright life is achieved by consistently putting courage, justice, wisdom, and other virtues into practice. Virtues are defined as the “golden mean” between extremes, which the virtuous person must find; for instance, modesty lies between shyness and shamelessness. Virtue ethics thus bases ethical judgments on an individual’s moral sensibility and character rather than pre-established guidelines or the results of the person’s actions.
The morality of abortion is an ethical dilemma that has become the subject of a contentious debate. The discussion primarily centers on a woman’s right to control her own body and the status of the fetus. On one hand, women’s physical and mental health is unquestionably essential, as is their agency in choosing whether or not to become pregnant. However, moral significance is also attributed to the developing embryo, its intrinsic worth, and, ultimately, its right to life. There is ongoing disagreement about the subject, leading to divisive discourse, with some conflating this debate with broader considerations of individual rights.
The non-rigid nature of virtue ethics allows for diverse viewpoints on abortion. Depending on which virtues one chooses to highlight, it is possible to argue for abortion being both moral and immoral. For instance, the virtue of temperance calls for a cautious and measured action; it can be argued that the act of abortion opposes this virtue, as it is an irreversible action. Conversely, virtue ethics advocates for prudence, and in many cases, abortion could be seen as a prudent decision. This becomes apparent when, if the pregnancy is allowed to come to term, the mother’s health or the potential well-being of both individuals will be threatened.
Nevertheless, the virtue of compassion seems the most relevant to the issue: the moral person would demonstrate empathy for both the mother and the unborn child. Compassion points toward the inherent value of the life of the fetus as well as the mother. An appropriate course of action, therefore, would be determined separately for each case, weighing the ethical implications of the situation, providing compassionate care for the mother, and considering any life-threatening circumstances.
In contrast, Christian ethics determine the acceptability of abortion through a fundamental reliance on the sanctity of human life. The key tenet of this viewpoint is that life begins at conception, endowing the embryo with essential, divine worth. Since each unborn child is a unique creation of God, the overarching principle results in a categorical ban on intentionally taking the life of an innocent person.
Some allow for abortions in cases when the mother’s health is unquestionably in danger. In contrast, others hold that even in difficult situations, it is right to preserve the unborn child’s life first and foremost. From the perspective of virtue ethics, this might be deemed insufficient: virtue ethics pursues moral excellence rather than adherence to absolutes. Compared to the strict absolutism of the Christian ethical stance, virtue ethics allows for a more nuanced decision, which makes for a stronger argument.
Bibliography
Abakare, Chris. “The Origin of Virtue Ethics: Aristotle’s Views.” GNOSI: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Theory and Praxis 3, no. 1 (2020): 98-112.
Campbell, Alastair V. “Virtue Ethics.” In Contemporary European Perspectives on the Ethics of End of Life Care, edited by Nathan Emmerich, Pierre Mallia, Bert Gordijn, and Francesca Pistoia, 55-73. Cham: Springer, 2020.
Magnuson, Ken. Invitation to Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2020.