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Exercise 1.1 : Construct Virtue Tables for Professional Virtues

23 January, 2015 - 16:36
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  1. Discuss in your group why the virtue you have been assigned is important for the practice of your profession. What goods or values does the consistent employment of this virtue produce?
  2. Use the discussion in 1 to develop a general description of your virtue. Think along the following lines: people who have virtue X tend to exhibit certain characteristics (or do certain things) in certain kinds of situations. Try to think of these situations in terms of what is common and important to your profession or practice.
  3. Identify the corresponding vices. What characterizes the points of excess and defect between which your virtue as the mean lies?
  4. What obstacles arise that prevent professionals from practicing your virtue? Do well-meaning professionals lack power or technical skill? Can virtues interfere with the realization of non-moral values like financial values? See if you can think of a supporting scenario or case here.
  5. Identify a moral exemplar for your virtue. Make use of the exemplars described in the Moral Exemplars in Business and Professional Ethics module.
  6. Go back to task 2. Redefine your description of your virtue in light of the subsequent tasks, especially the moral exemplar you identified. Check for coherence.
  7. Finally, does your virtue stand alone or does it need support from other virtues or skills? For example, integrity might also require moral courage.