Donovan Keene-Lee

[Masters Thesis] Right action for virtue ethics requires we understand acting in accordance with the virtues, as a plural. However, current virtue ethics theories posit no clear limit to the number of virtues that there may be. What this means is that we are unable to give a complete or detailed account of what all the individual virtues are. This results in the issue that we are unable to say what right action is in accordance with. Daniel Russell coins this issue as the enumeration problem. While Russell primarily sees this enumeration problem as an issue of evaluating what right action is in accordance with, I suggest that the enumeration problem presents not just an issue in being virtuous, but with becoming virtuous as well. In the pursuit of becoming a more morally good person, if we are unclear of what virtues we need to be directing ourselves towards, then our progress towards developing the virtues will be hindered. I suggest that we adopt a cardinal-subordinate virtue model, much like the Stoics, in solving this problem. Furthermore, I consider that cardinal virtues ought to be individuated by a domain-based approach, rather than solely by reasons or emotions. In the pursuit of individuation, utilizing criteria from psychology can guide us towards making the virtues non-relative as well, which may give reason to eventually incorporate a virtue model like this into educational settings. By making it clearer of what virtues we need to reflect on and direct ourselves towards, we increase our chances of becoming overall virtuous and of flourishing.