The Pitfalls of Virtue Ethics

This book offers a unique look into virtue ethics, exploring why this tradition is in need of repair, renewal, and reformation. Husain Sarkar examines which tenets of virtue ethics are indispensable and which ones are simply indefensible through uniquely different perspectives by bringing five cardinal objections - namely, the self-defeating objection, the circularity objection, the moral relativism objection, the explanatory poverty objection, and the inconsistent advice objection - to bear on a multiplicity of central tenets of virtue ethics. Sarkar discusses theories of virtue ethics proposed by G.E.M. Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Julia Annas, and Rosalind Hursthouse, and their novel, intriguing answers to old, familiar questions, such as, 'What is a virtuous action?' 'Are there virtue rules?' 'What is the best explanation of a morally right action?' 'What, if anything, is the meaning of life?', and more. The central task of this book is to examine the vision and tradition that their works collectively create, while also unraveling why this tradition is in need of repair, renewal, and reformation.