Q (VE): Using virtue ethics only, explain why it is morally wrong to renege (fail to honor) on a legitimate personal debt. Directions: Be sure to describe the effects on moral character using Aristotle’s notions of 1) a human telos, 2) mean seeking, and 3) being/becoming.
Introduction
From a virtue ethics point of view, it is morally wrong to renege on a legitimate personal debt because of three things; first, the act does not facilitate happiness, the act lacks a mean of perfection, and finally, the act does not promote the ability to become a true human. Every person should have an appropriate inner state. If a person has virtuous inner dispositions, he or she will act by the virtuous. Another point to note about virtue ethics is that it is a purposive disposition-meaning that a person chooses virtuous action and must act kindly not because others are doing so but because it's the right thing to do.
A significant aspect of virtue ethics point of view is having a distinctive range of considerations. This means that a person should have the right reason and the right desire. For example, it is morally wrong to renege on a legitimate personal debt. According to human telos, a person should participate in virtuous relationships. In this case, virtuous is not mean to an end but it is a character trait that is connected to human flourishing. Therefore, failure to honor debts is morally wrong because the act will not lead to human flourishing and good life. Focusing on the nature of humans, human beings should focus on moral excellence to achieve the destiny.
According to the concept of mean seeking, a person should engage in a reasoning process and choose how to act. In other words, moral actions according to virtue ethics entail making deliberate wise choices to achieve gratification in the future. Therefore, mean-seeking entails doing actions that will bring joy fulfillment. It is morally wrong to renege on a legitimate personal debt because a person has failed to strive for goodness and happiness. A person has failed to use practice wisdom in acting.
According to being and becoming, a moral act should have the capacity of becoming qua being or true being. Thus, failing to honor personal debt is the lack of having a true understanding of being. In other words, the act is morally wrong as it restricts a person from having self-realization or self-possessed identity.
Conclusion
Virtue means having a purpose to fulfill human nature. Thus, a person should focus on perfecting their actions and strive to become that qua human being. Human nature is linked to doing actions that bring happiness and well-being. Thus, renege on a legitimate personal debt is an act that does not bring happiness and perfection. Thus, it is important for people to know the nature of things and fully develop their potential and become fully human.
