Virtue ethics is associated with which description?

• A. Focus on outcomes
• B. Adherence to universal rules
• C. Morality depends on culture
• D. The decision to act or not; what that says about character

Answer: (D)

Virtue ethics centers on character and the dispositions that guide a person’s actions. It asks what kind of person performing the act would be and whether the action expresses virtues like honesty, courage, temperance, or compassion, contributing to a flourishing life. Because of that focus, the description that emphasizes the decision to act or refrain and what that says about the actor’s character fits best. By contrast, focusing on outcomes aligns with consequentialism, following universal rules with deontology, and morality being relative to culture aligns with cultural relativism. So virtue ethics is best understood as evaluating actions through the lens of the actor’s character and virtuous development.